timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

ok I fly at a local soccer complex with permission from the city and the association I fly giant scale gas and glow for 20 years, no problem or accidents the people there love that I keep an eye on the place for them I live a mile away. Tonight i was flying my tf giant p-47 and the club guru lives by the field saw my plane and drives over. I tell him I am not in a club or AMA (my choice after lots of bad club experiences) He tells me how many radios he has and how close to a road i am and I should not fly there. He acted like he was king RC What makes flying at a club field so immune from interference a pissed of person could drive by a club field with every radio they own on and do a lot of damage. I would never do this because I am a saftey concius guy and love airplanes.
THis guy is a doctor too! I never fly there when people are around and it is huge! THis is why I wont join a club in my area all clubs have jerks who are allowed to act that way. People must be afraid of something.
I am doing nothing wrong or illegal you can fly on property with permission and homeowners covered most accident AMA is secondary.

what do you think

Peter_OZ

My Feedback: (1)

we have a word for them here, they are called wankers!!

Same the world round no matter where you go or what orgainisation, hobby, sport you involve your self in there will always be a "wally the wanker" or a "nigel no friends" who has nothing else in their life but to winge and bleat.

My reaction to them is to tell em to F#$% OFF and get a life!! Fill in the blanks!

cheers
Peter

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

Hmmm. I would need to know more about the area, and what kind of traffic there is in that park. At least in a club setting, you have a field set up with flying in mind, and an eye towards safety. I am not suggesting that you are unsafe in any way. My only concern would be for some unaware straggler wondering up and putting himself in an unsafe proximity to your flying. The city MAY be ok with it, and the folks at the park may love the fact that you're there watching out for things. But how are they going to feel if someone gets hurt, due to NO fault of your own except being in the "wrong" place at the wrong time.

I don't think it's fair to put a "club" member down because he thought you shouldn't be flying where you were. He probably loves this hobby...a lot...and would hate to see the actions of someone else jeopardize his or anyone elses ability to participate in it. I am sure he was well meaning.

On the other hand, you have every right to pursue this activity in the way that best satisfies your desires. After all we do live in a free country. Hmmm. We better not go there. Heh heh.

Enjoy the fact that you can fly where you want without the "need" for clubs or AMA participation. Few of us have that luxury. And I predict based on the actions of a few...even fewer will in the future. You might be one of em!

Jim

abufletcher

My guess would be, permission or no, if someone got hurt (planes drop out of the sky all the time) either you the city or both would be wide open to law suit. That's one of the reasons the AMA exists. But the AMA can only offer such protection if certain minimal safety guidelines can be met, namely, that flying take place in sanctioned locations under sanctioned conditions. In short, a club.

I agree that many clubs have an overly bureaucratic culture. When I was first starting up, I attended a couple of club meetings and the two meetings were as different as night and day. One was as stuffy and stilted as you can get. A total bore. And they insisted that all new pilots attend two "ground school" sessions spaced a month apart (that's 2 months if you happen to have just missed the last one) before they would even consider starting a course of formal flight training (which would take months more).

The next day I took my trainer out to another club's field. Introduced myself and almost immediately the club president asked if I'd like to take up my plane that day. I was almost dumbfounded. First of course he thoroughly checked out the plane and then took it up for a trim flight. When on the trim flight a wheel came off and it looked that might be the only flight for the day, this enormously skilled person just called over to a fellow club member and they hooked up a buddy box while the plane was still in flight and then let me try my hand -- way up high. It was great! When the flight time was nearing it's end, he took control and landed my trainer as if they were all made with just two wheels. Three weeks later I was solo'ing.

Now I know all of this doesn't apply much to your situation, you have years of flying experience, but it nevertheless shows that "club" is not necessarily a bad word. And the guy is probably right that your chances of being shot down by accidental radio interference are much greater than if you were at a remote flying field -- barring the sort of ass who would purposely drive by a field and turn on his radios!

And planes do crash -- regardly of what we do or how experienced we are. Eventually **** happens.

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

I am in a club and i have AMA, but when i feel like getting in 1 or 2 flights and dont want to drive the 20 min to my club, i go to a local high school in my area. Theres a nice 1/4 mile running track that i use for a runway and the field is fairly large also. If there are people there, i dont fly. I dont think you should worry about that guy, unless he is the type of person to turn on his radios and see if you're on the same freq. as him. I never really got permission to fly at the highschool, but have been flying there for a long time, maybe 3 years or more, and have never had any complaints. The local cops will even come and watch while eating donuts and they enjoy the show. Of course we show common courtesy, not flying over near by houses, and keeping the hours we fly reasonable. Over the past years I have even had some onlookers get interested enough to go buy a plane and I have instructed them to fly. Like i said, don't worry about the know-it-all, you have permission to be there so tell him to suck an egg.

sean

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

it is none of his buisiness he didnt act like he was worried about me at all he seemed pissed he doesnt fly there. He had an attitude with him! This hobby has risks and no matter where you fly there are roads. At my place there are two asaphalt lots and 35 fields. you could land a cessna in there. IN fact they did have an emergency landing a few years back! people living nearby thought I bought a really big model.
I am not cutting down clubs at all if I could find one where I would not be treated like a beginner(20 yrs experience) or go through politics i would join in a heartbeat. I never fly there when people are around ya I get the occasional car pull in but they have common sense to park away from where I am!

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

well i just got back from flying at that dangerous place agin no problems but the bad news is a soccer tournament all weekend long so no flying for me till monday.
I want to let you know I have a disabled wife and this field being so close to home allows me to fly and be home in less than one hour. Also what if a plane at a club field hit a car, person or other object there would be a lawsuit anyway. Everyone thinks AMA is a shield covering you they only pick up what homeoners doesnt.

If anyone knows of a club where a firebird is just as welcome as a giant scale fight and everyone has equal stick time let me know because I would join a club like that

Messerschmitt

My Feedback: (28)

Just tell him to F**K Off, it sounds to me like you use common sense. Really, that is the best protection for the longevity of this hobby, common sense. If everybody where respectful, and used their head.............. we "almost" would not need the AMA.

I personally can't stand club politics. I feel lucky, most of the guys in my club are alright. However, as in any type of "club" there are the A** Holes, I just don't waste my time on them.

Mike

skier

My club is great. The people are helpful and friendly. I'm sure there are people that aren't as nice, but after being in the club for 2or3 years, I haven't found them yet.

Moggy

My Feedback: (9)

I think if you took a poll you would find that every club or organization would have it's share of WANKERS. The work load is shared by 20% and the remaining 80% *****, moan and complain or do nothing.

AMA is not bullet proof, maybe they think they are. but if there were a law suit they would not cover any of your legal expenses. The insurance is merely a rider type of policy.

BTW, if you look at your AMA card it claims it is a license. FALSE! The FCC does not require a license and the hobby does not fall under any category that would require a license. Bottom line, you don't need AMA to fly, period.

Clubs have their place, I can think of no better pace to learn to fly than a club. You just have to have a WANKER filter.

Have fun (cause that's what it's all about), be safe, and land soft.

abufletcher

Of we all come from different places and therefore have different perspectives. I live in the greater LA area and it is simply unreasonable to try to fly in an urban area. My son and I used to go over to the local high school to fly our FighterBird electrics but the school authorities have now clamped down on all flying (no matter how small the plane) -- and to tell the truth, I have to agree with them. There is one school in the area at which there is sanctioned electric flying on Sunday morning -- but even then we often had to yield to sports activities. The field I used to fly at was out in the middle of NOWHERE and this is where flying fields should be -- they SHOULD be inconvenient to get to (unless you happen to have your own farm and can fly out back of the barn).

But other places without the same population pressures are going to offer many more local flying opportunities and that's nothing but GOOD! If you can fly safely and even encourage others to join the hobby that's great. Of course, these "others" you encourage should not be lead to believe that they TOO have earned the privelage of flying where you fly. They'll need to join a club and learn proper safety standards. There are an aweful lot of wannabe RC pilots that think flying an RC A/C is no different than zooming around with an RC car. But I've yet to see an RC car take out a van or chop someone's fingers off (I have seen the latter).

I'll end with an anecdote: About a month ago the same expert, the club president, who taught me how to fly was test flying another member's newly built acrobatic plane (a long time buddy of his -- and a guy he had personally driven to the hospital because he HAD cut off two of his fingers) and despite careful ground inspection and an uneventful first flight he suddenly lost all control of the A/C. All he could do was shout "Heads up. I have no control." It was coming right down at everyone at full thottle and under no one's control. Everyone at the field stopped what they were doing at just watched. It would have been pointless to run because until the very last minute we just didn't know where it was going. I think everyone was just standing there waiting to jump. In the end it went full bore into the ground right in the middle of the strip and shattered into a thousand bits of balsa. I think the fact that everyone else there was also an RC pilot made a bad situation a lot better.

drifter

My Feedback: (53)

The thing that caught my eye in your post and that has not been addressed is this statement,
" the club guru lives by the field saw my plane and drives over. .... He tells me how many radios he has and how close to a road i am "

If he is that close to your flying area and unknowingly turns on a radio on your channel, what then?? Maybe that was his concern, and not some other ulterior motive.

What would you do if someone were flying RC close to where you store and occasionally turn on radios for set up, etc.? Would you tell them of the possible danger?

C_Watkins

My Feedback: (10)

Not entirely true... namely, the part about "sanctioned locations and sanctioned conditions. In short, a club."
The ama requires that you're flying by their guidelines for their insurance to cover you. Period.
According to the way I read the rules, they don't require a club at all... nor anything "sanctioned" by the AMA.
(Unless they've changed the rules this year, or something.)

C_Watkins

My Feedback: (10)

I wondered about that part, too. The guy has just as much right to setup his airplanes in his home as the other
guy does to fly. Hopefully, now that he's aware of a local flyer, he'll refrain while the flyer is out flying... or go
to using a DSC cord or at least do his setup with the antenna down, or something. Who knows.

I also wondered if it wasn't a threat, but I'm hoping it wasn't, for everyone's sake.
(Nice plane you've got there... be a shame if something were to... happen to it.)

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

Imho This proves the theory that it's not what you say but how you say it. This guy could have tactfully gleened from you the information he wanted. You would be happy and he would feel better knowing you were acting safely.

AMA is not a fix to all problems. For $50 a year though it's good piece of mind.

David

causeitflies

The AMA does not require you to join a sanctioned club and there is no such thing as a sanctioned location. The AMA does sanction contests, but they don't have to be at a club field. As long as you follow the AMA safety code you are fine with AMA. I suspect as many (or more) people violate the code at club fields as people not at club fields.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Right. The AMA doesn't care where you fly so long as you fly by the rules of safety. Namely, an established flightline with all spectators kept behind that line (and out of harms way hopefully).

By the sounds of the "Soccer Complex" you're flying in, I don't see that there would be a problem, especially having permission.

I would however seriously reconsider AMA for the insurance. Yes it is secondary to homeowner's, but how much liability coverage does your homeowner's provide? $1 Million, $5 Million? In today's litigious society how much would the courts award the parents of the 4 year old child you accidently killed when hit him with your out of control "giant scale gas" plane?

If it's more than your homeowners coverage, guess what, they take your home next, then tap your income until you've "paid the debt".

Have fun and fly safely.
Dennis-

TTARK

Gee my club is just like that we have everything from very small electrics, to 40%, traings q500s, pattern, scale, you name it we got it no restrictions for stick time just that only 5 planes in the air at one time. You are welcome to fly as my guest if your ever in the area, if ya dont have a plane we will loan you one of the three club trainers or let ya fly some of mine

Terry

50+AirYears

I could have been one of those know-it-alls in a similar situation. I even had one time met the park flyer when he first joined our club. He also didn't like to follow club rules. He got involved with an "Instructor" who quit our club after the officers got a committee together to discuss his flying habits with him after he crashed a quickie in between a motor home and a group of other members young children playing in our parking area, over 100 feet behind our flight line. Less than 10 feet in either direction could have been a disaster. This "instructor was also a "Common Sense" spouter. The club members complaining about his unsafe flying habits were just "Jealous of how good a flyer he was". The crash was "Not his fault". We had been trying to get him to get his plane back over the flying area.
This student was flying in a corner of a large local park. He had a .60 powered Kaos. There were people picnicing less than 500' in front of him. He was set up on a ball diamond at the intersection of two moderately busy residential streets. The other side of both streets are lined with houses.
After I saw two aborted take offs, I offered to help him adjust his engine. No help needed, M had done that at home that morning. Asked him if he needed any other kind of help with the plane. No, M, the "instructor", said everything was fine. The Kaos should fly just like the trainer they crashed the last weekend. Asked him if he was aware of M's reputation at most clubs for about a 20 mile radius. No, they just don't like the guy.
I shut up, bit my tongue, and started walking away. He finally managed to stagger into the air, loose orientation, and do a circle out over the first street, around an Oak tree on the corner, and somehow made a crosswind landing about 200' from the nearest people. When the engine died, he was shaking so badly, he had to sit down. Someone else brought the plane back to him.
He re-joined our club.
He got connected to one of our (Competent) instructors.
He realized that both our field rules AND the AMA safety rules ARE not just common sense, but common sense based on years of experience.
He became a very good pilot. He even won a couple of pattern contests, almost got beyond the sportsman class, till he had to quit with spinal carcinoma.
M moved out of the country to one that doesn't have the lawyers, and an AMA equivalent.
Some of us miss the park flyer; we don't really miss M.
I lost my confidence in the existence of 'Common Sense' years ago. Seems to me common sense is what individuals say it is to suit them.
The AMA Charters clubs and Sanctions contests. This is mostly for insurance purposes and maybe to some degree to lessen conflicts between events in given areas. The sanction and charter system also gives some validity with the FAI for world record attempts. The AMA does not Santion flying sites.

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

ok here is the issue who knows how many people illegally use air radios in cars or boats and if your out in the club field who is to say you are not going to kill someones kid our hobby has risks. Impounds do not work all the time I am a competent flyer who flys when no one else is there it would be stupid of me to fly when people are present. I am a teacher so i fly in the am when most are working. I think the scxale of our planes is getting out of control some of these things could haul a child. And you dont know if the guy who has it can fly it or just has the money.
This club guru came over to make a point, he also flys out in his back yard field so yes we do have a problem I have been flying there 20 years and ony lost one plane to a glitch. Maybe Ill buy a frequency scannner. The guru could have said hello nice plane all the clubs in our area are full of overly iunflated ego types that hog channels. Give me a club where everyone flys equal and all aircraft even firebirds are welcome without the LOOK!

Tim

Mike in DC

My guess, from the snippets above, is that you're going into the club experience with a chip on your shoulder, and the club members are reacting to it as I'd expect. Sorry if this is not the response you were looking for, but you asked the question.

Righty

Hahaha


I love different cultures slang..... Wankers.... HAHAHA

i love the last part where you tell them to F*$% OFF then at the end you say cheers... I have got to move to australia, they seem so cool!

Zpat

My Feedback: (2)

This man lives in the USA.
There are no laws stating you cannot fly your model airplane. (As of yet)
Not too long ago auto insurance was not mandatory. As of this minute, model airplane insurance is not mandatory.
The AMA is not the law of the city, county, state, federal, or blue.
I know many of you would like it to be mandatory.

jvolkes

You, IMO, are everyone's worst nightmare! I have observed a few yahoo's that fly nearby where I live over vacant land that's owned by the local community.

They do not have any AMA, they don't have any clue as to the liabilties or dangers of operating a high powered model, and they fly over the tops of nearby townhouses, oblivious, and arrogantly in denial as to the dangers of what they do....

They're "toy airplanes" afterall, right?

How about you, yes YOU, doing your flying at a sanctioned field, replete with saftety rules, noise rules, and at least recocognized by the local authorities as a place to fly "safely".

If you put your 50 cc wizbang through someone's roof, or worse yet, hurt someone, then we're (collectively, all modellers) all in the publics eye in a very negative way.

How about being more compassionate when it comes to the plight of your fellow RC'ers?

IMO, you're the eventual end to this hobby.

A single person, out there endangering everyone, the hobby, and because self absorbed with only his own immediate needs, will eventually end this hobby/sport......!

Live Wire

My youngest son came down to fly since the club run dad off where does he fly. An open feild or where ever some on will give him permission. We all are sopposed to have equil right ' s ??
Fun Fly ??????? You have to be kidding $$$$$$$$ talks and all else walk's