ORIGINAL: Charley
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I seem to perceive an attitude in this thread and others that "foamies" don't deserve the same respect that, say, a 40-size trainer does. I don't see why a small electric airplane doesn't deserve the same right-of-way at the club field that a 40% aerobatic bird does. We all pay the same dues. We all have to observe the same safety rules, or the club's safety officer isn't doing his job. Maybe if we abandoned this perception that some types of models are more deserving of respect than others, we'd be able to enjoy ourselves with less discord and with more safety.
Hi Charley-
At a club I fly at, not sharing the same airspace with models widely disparate in size and speed isn't due to a lack of respect by the big guns, but rather mutual respect for the rights of all to enjoy their own chosen aspect of the hobby. Having the helis off to one end and behind the approach path from the main runway, and glider guiders and park flyers at the other end and behind the main departure path just means more us of can fly simultaneously without interfering with each other. When I am flying a PF, I prefer this as I can fly it close in where it is easy to see what I'm doing, which would be too close to the flightline per club safety standards when flying from the main runway. At a distance that is comfortable for me with a 14 oz 3D aerobat, I would be right over the C/L of the runway, and it's understandable that would be annoying to guys that are flying large glow and gas models. The only time everybody else stops to allow one group to operate is when the turbines are flying, and they have been good about sticking to particular hours one day a week. No problem I've heard voiced by anybody over that - few would want to share air or RF space with them, and most enjoy watching the show. No formal club rules concerning this arrangement, it just happens by mutual agreement among
most members of the club that actually fly. There are as always a couple of roolz freaks, and when present, everybody accommodates them by flying only from the runway.
I sure agree with you in general about abandoning the elitest attitudes, but if the field can safely accommodate different sorts of models in their own quadrant of the airspace, no need to get into right-of-way 'politics.'
Abel