Hircflyer

Anyone seen the entire story??? I just saw a byline in AV-Web but not the complete story.

Something about this small town in England has banned all model airplane flying because a 13 year old girl was struck in the head and killed.

Hope its no so!

splatt

here's what I found
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3277991.stm

Hope your pool warms up..I haven'y run my AX yet, but it did get above freezing yesterday

heli001

My Feedback: (5)

It looks like they are thinking of banning flying in Dartford Heath, which appears to have been a dangerous place from the past history. Looks like a small public park, and flying there may be dangerous. Don't think that have banned ALL model flying in the UK because of this....but it may be time to re-evaluate this particular site.

May not be time to take an Alarmist attitude as of yet.....

Hircflyer

That's what I was trying to find out....that little bit I read didn't tell me much.

I just hope people don't over react because of one accident.

A320driver

My Feedback: (1)

As an expat from the Uk and former London resident I can tell you that Dartford Heath is NOT the place to be flying an R/C airplane. It is quite a large area, but well in the London Metropolitan area. Just too many people around to be safe.
On a side note, fatal model airplane accidents in the UK get the same level of investigation as full size aircraft. Just think about if the FAA wanted to do a tear down inspection of your model airplane after an accident?

rcfanuk

This is the press report on the Inquest from the BMFA site (British Model Flying Assc)

[link]http://www.bmfa.org/news/pr_112003.html[/link]

As A320driver say's this site is very popular with walkers etc which unfortunatly leads to this type of incident.

Guess we must all be very aware of the possible consequences and build/fly safe!!

Steve [&o]

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

quite possible a council banned an area from having rc planes on it, kinda like ours and a local football pitch, also a local village that got annoyed after we used a cricket pitch during the foot and mouth problem, but it's the not the of the world for UK flying.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Don't know if you all remember the incident last summer, but it was a guy flying and he lost it and hit a young girl in the head. I remember reading about it. Not a good thing to have happen, but they should not be flying over where people are walking and recreating. Sounds like the field needs to be moved. Not a safe situation. No common sense maybe on the part of the club?

Mike in DC

Any idea what an Acrowat is? From the web reports, it looks like it had a .46 engine on a plane with 5 ft wing span. Since the top speed was reported as 50 mph, could this have been a trainer? So much for any misconceptions that a .40 sized plane can't kill someone! I think this tragedy should be on anyone's mind who flies where there are spectators or folks engaged in other activities near by.

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

if it was a club at all, i get the impression its simply open land that some guys used as flying space.
i've seen a similar site near Farnbrough, walking along with the GF on heathland with a lake near by, and of course my ears hear the noise i know so well, round the corner some guys flying a cub around in the Autumn afternoon with the mist just above the ground and golden light coming through the trees.
great sight, but no doubt a bit risky.

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

the Acrowot is a mid sized aerobat, a firend has one with a Lazer 70 in it, and he can do all sorts of stuff. doesnt make it anymore dangerous than a highwing trainer, but it would hurt a bit..
will try and find a pic to upload
http://www.model-material.com/Aero/A...ot/acrowot.htm



sadly the first image i found on google was the Acrowot being held by a young girl, thought it a bit morbid to use that one, but it did show the scale well.