carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

I was looking into this park where I live to fly my park flyer airplanes. I noticed a sign only after specifically looking for it. there was just the one way in the back near this one parking area. My wife and I take our daughter to the same park. The last time I went knowing about the sign noticed someone flying a model plane. I noticed as well that it looked a little bigger than what I would expect to see in the park. I drove over on the way out and rolled the window down to notice it was an engine sound looked up to see a guy flying a Sig 4*40 in the park. Just irritated me that a guy would take the chance with an engine powered model in a soccer field in the park when the walkway is no more than 25 or so feet away. maybe 50 yards to the kids play area. OK, so maybe I have a question after all. Should I be this bothered or am I being too anal retentive about safety rules? I know for a fact how dangerous these engines can be because of an accident I had with them. Now would I feel OK with flying my electrics in that park had there not been a sign and it wouldn't bother me if someone else was flying theirs either even with the sign. A glow engine was just too much in my opinion. Another thing i was bothered by was the fact that the park didn't have a sign out front where its important to have one.

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

You should be bothered buy this, as this person was taking a risk to those in the park. I am sure they were aware if anyone was near by and if any kids were in harms way, but there is still a risk. A 1/2A or smaller glow plane would be alot more acceptable than any larger plane. I personally won't fly anything glow in a park and the largest I fly are converted 1/2A planes. You may talk to your local park authority and see if they can do anything about this.

spitfire66

I think that a glow powered airplane is unexceptable even if he is the best the rc hobby has ever seen. It is a big risk especially around small children. As far a the small electrics where you can shut them down and they don't weigh anything I would find them acceptable. I would pull the sign out of the ground and hide it somewhere if they have a problem with that!

snurckle

What did the sign say?

Sport_Pilot

Maybe it said fly glow powered models here?

carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

I had contacted the park authorities and all they said was that I had to call the cops if I saw someone flying there that they didn't have the grounds people to patrol the parks. The sign said "No Flying Models Allowed in Park" then on the bottom some City Ordinance number. the ordinance number I looked it up and it said no flying models allowed in parks unless otherwise posted. there is one park on the north side of the city that is the only one allowed to have models in it and they have a club there. Plus I have a 10 month old that it worries me as a parent that something might happen to her.

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

So you're asking if you should be upset that someone is breaking the park rules, disobeying the AMA safety code, putting people at risk, and doing things that risk the hobby for all of us?

Answer seems pretty simple to me.

Brad

carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

I'm partly wondering what I should have done? Should I have called the cops? I was going to talk to him but my wife didn't want me making a fuss. not such a simple should I be bothered but should I have done more? Thought maybe I was overreacting. I am definitely bothered but I am a stickler for the rules.

ps something tells me he isn't AMA member just a hunch though.

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

Next time you should call the cops... The worst they will do is write a ticket for breaking the ordinance. More than likely they will only tell the guy of the ordinance and point to the sign saying "Just don't do it again". If no one speaks up, nothing will get done.

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

Another approach - Stop and watch him fly for a while. Eventually you'll find an opportunity to start a discussion with him, and then you can mention that you had thought about flying there, but when you saw the sign, you realized it wasn't permitted. Perhaps you can both find a local club to join, or if you already know of one, mention it to him. You just might make a friend in the process.

Brad

alfredbmor

Great advice!

da Rock

Don't get too hot about it being a glow powered model. Don't get out of shape that it was larger than should be flown in that amount of open area.

Get hot about the park not being adequate for ANY model. Size of model means very little. Engine type means less.

ANY model flying in parks that have people doing other activities that aren't safely separated from the models is dangerous. Period.

We often think one model is safer than another because of the degree of damage the differences might cause. That's sticking our heads in the ground. You probably won't kill somebody with a park flyer, but that's not the point. Parks really aren't right for any powered models that have propellers on them. Unless the park is designed to adequately separate the activities. And to protect the innocent. And that's really not possible at 99% of the parks that exist.

Get hot about the idiot flying in a public park. And get hotter because there is a sign that says it's not permitted, yet the dork went ahead and did it. You got good advice about calling the cops. You'll not only protect the public from that idiot, but you'll protect our hobby. And if you see somebody out there with a little park flyer, call the cops on that idiot. His little plastic prop probably won't kill any babies in strollers, but it'll cut like a razor spinning at 7,000 rpm (matter of fact, it IS a razor spinning at 7K) and will do permanent damage quite easily.... to whomever it hits, and to our hobby.

KitBuilder

Da Rock hit the nail on the head!!
I fly a 4* with .46 and wouldn't even think of doing that in a park, just ridiculous... good grief....
I fly my little 7 oz DLG glider iat a middle school field if there's no one around. If kids come riding bikes, etc. I call it quits. not worth it loosing a rudder or something on launch and now having an uncontrollable missle!
Mike