Liability of SPAD

Liability of SPAD
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Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 1:32:46 AM

3d-aholic

Posts: 1997
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Austin, TX, USA
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Gosh, this SPAD stuff looks really interesting. I thought about buying a Duraplane...basically because it looked indestructable. But, now I see there is a whole modeling experience based upon this.

Exciting.

So, heres my first question.

Liability. Is there any extra liability assumed from building your model from aluminum and cutting board? Will AMA cover this? Do certain clubs not allow these type of models?

Post #: 1

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 1:38:07 AM

suitcase

Posts: 972
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From: Wingina, VA, USA
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I haven't heard or read anything about SPADs being excluded.

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 2

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 2:15:28 AM

Tattoo

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From: Wichita, KS,
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Holy cow...you should see the combat planes...Carbon fiber, Kevlar, aluminum, HDPE, G10, Plexiglass...you name it, and they fly, totally covered by the AMA...every year, on the AMA grounds, at the AMA NATS.

So I would say there is not a problem.

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 3

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 2:51:31 AM

3d-aholic

Posts: 1997
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From: Austin, TX, USA
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Oh, I was thinking like a lawyer---eventhough I'm not. How many people can I see in this equation?

The flyer of the plane
The builder
The kit maker

Could someone argue that a "combat" plane is a special case plane only....?

(in reply to Tattoo)

Post #: 4

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 3:37:38 AM

ChrisSpad

Posts: 1528
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Cordova, TN,
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US Aircore, and duraplane both build planes out of the same stuff spads are built from, and like Tattoo said, combat planes are flown at the same fields, with the same insurance we all have, ama.
Any plane, regardless of the construction is as deadly as the next. You get hit with a 4 or 5 lb plane going 60 - 70 mph and its a life threatening injury. Not only the impact, but the 15,000 rpm ginsu on the front.
The cold hard fact is that the only unsafe plane is one that is a) flown by an unsafe pilot, b) unsafe due to faulty equipment, or build, and c) one that is out of control due to radio interference, or other acts of God.

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Post #: 5

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 4:04:59 AM

swede-RCU

Posts: 129
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From: grinnell, IA,
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I can just see the look on the face of the poor guy who makes custom printed yardsticks for hardware stores when his lawyer advises him to print a disclaimer on each one 'Not responsible for injuries caused by accidents involving Radio Control models using yardsticks for spars'!

Swede

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Post #: 6

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 4:32:02 AM

Chunky C

Posts: 68
Joined: 12/26/2002
From: Muncie, IN, USA
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Are you saying that planes built from any other material than wood aren't real planes? Have you been to a commercial airport lately? I don't see many planes made of wood there very often these days. I just wonder if you need special insurance to fly a Waco?

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 7

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 5:14:06 AM

thunderjet

Posts: 107
Joined: 11/26/2002
From: columbia, TN, USA
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If the AMA outlaws Duct Tape I'm in trouble......

Thunderjet

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Post #: 8

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 11:00:09 AM

blabree

Posts: 18
Joined: 8/20/2002
From: Elmer, NJ, USA
Status: offline

Overthrow,
It seems to me that just because some folks are in a state of ignorance about certain aspects of model aircraft construction and flying that the governing body is certainly not.
It did not take the AMA very long to realize the safety potential of turbine powered aircraft and impose the rules needed to insure participant/public safety. Or when models started to become extremely large the AMA was soon to impose weight limits. The list is very long and is constantly being updated to become what is known as, "The rule book".
SPADs have been around for several years now, and I'm sure have been scrutinized by the AMA. It didn't take long either for someone to notice that guys were flying them closer than the 25' rule allowed and place some posts on this forum reminding them of the fact.
If you aren't a lawyer, perhaps you should look into law school. You seem to have the ability to ask provacative questions and when you don't get an answer that satisfies you, you continue the line of questioning. Even your "handle" seems provacative relative to the questions you have asked.
I would suggest that you spend some time perusing the AMA forum, then maybe read the rule book yourself and make your own decision about SPAD materials, construciton, and flight.
It just goes to show that there are an unlimited supply of people who seem to be unable to tolerate other folks just having fun and enjoying themselves.

My 4 cents worth.

blabree

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 9

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 2:12:34 PM

Woodsy

Posts: 1747
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From: DrouinVictoria, AUSTRALIA
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The question sould be " is a plane made from brittle balsa wood and plastic shrink wrap as safe as a SPAD" and "what are the safty implications of a such an inherantly unsafe structural material copared to coroplast"

thats tough in cheak, BUT the plane is only as safe as the guy building it regardless of what it's made from

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Post #: 10

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 4:02:41 PM

3d-aholic

Posts: 1997
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Austin, TX, USA
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quote:

It just goes to show that there are an unlimited supply of people who seem to be unable to tolerate other folks just having fun and enjoying themselves.

...I think you are way off base. You guys are reading "WAY-into" my very innocent post. I'm a newbie at this. I just followed a thread yesterday from the ARF section so my entire knowledge of this type of plane/modeling is about 20 hours old.

I want one of these....I'm especially interested in the Tattoo 3dspad... I'm just making sure there are no liability issues. I'm going to check with my club next to make sure they allow them....even if its find with the AMA. I went to the hardward store yesterday to check out the U-tubes and square-tubes.

I think this is the way to go to learn hovering and 3-d..... It makes no sense to learn hovering 5 feet off the pavement with a $500 model. The idea of building the plane from just anything and flying just about anything seems like a great way to think of the hobby. I see people spending $4000 on their plane and then never flying it....thats totally wrong.

(in reply to blabree)

Post #: 11

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 4:42:23 PM

rlt55

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From: Woburn, MA, USA
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I once read about a large ARF that didn't have enough glue on it's firewall.
The posting didn't have a very happy ending. (Looked like a shark attack).

IMHO, having all the hardware out in the open where you can see it before every flight is a safe way to fly

The engine mounts on my 'Channel' planes seem a lot safer than some profile planes I've seen. I think these rail planes might even be safer than most!

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 12

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 4:51:12 PM

3d-aholic

Posts: 1997
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline

Ok, obviously you guys are very defensive on this subject...

I was just looking at this from the eyes of a newbie, from the aspect that Great Planes obviously has to have some testing process they go through when they create and kit a plane. But, who knows. But when I picked up a piece of that U-tube is when it dawned on me that this thing was quite "heavier" than I imagined and traveling at 100mph, looked more dangerous than a piece of balsa where I have to be careful of crushing the wings with my bare-hands on days where I have an extra box of Wheaties.

This stuff is tougher and heavier... In fact, thats to some degree why I want to build one of these so it can survive a heavy landing on a windy day.

(in reply to rlt55)

Post #: 13

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 5:46:54 PM

Tattoo

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From: Wichita, KS,
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If it's any consolation, the tail boom on a DuraPlane is the same "U" channel used in the Spa3d. The same goes for the gutterpipe. The cutting board material is HDPE which is the same material marketed at entire fuselages on comercial combat planes. The Coroplast is nothing new as proven by US Air Core. We use nothing new...we just do it ourselves.

(in reply to 3d-aholic)

Post #: 14

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 5:53:25 PM

3d-aholic

Posts: 1997
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline

quote:

We use nothing new...we just do it ourselves.

Yes....the material just made me think...its the doing it "ourshelves" part that was my liability concern. I would like to build your plane spad3d...but I'm already thinking about "modifying" it....

Thats one of the most interesting parts of the SPAD thing...you can easily modify. Does that imply addition liability was my second thought...

Hmm, I just mark mine as "Experimental" on the wing...lol

(in reply to Tattoo)

Post #: 15

RE: Liability of SPAD - 10/14/2003 6:17:51 PM

Kraut

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From: Maize, KS, USA
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The only "real" liability is you as the pilot. Be as safe as you can, and don't take any unnecessary chances - regardless of the materials you use.

On a side note - During the early days of getting combat recognized as a AMA sanctioned/recognized event (a few years ago) - there was a "gentleman" that was an AMA district VP that tried to propose at an Executive Council session that certain materials (Coroplast and PVC) should be banned from making combat R/C planes - needless to say - it was thrown out immediately!!!

Just be safe, act safe - and have fun