OK the new MAAC Rules have been in force for most of the flying season now, So what do people think about them?
At our club we spent a lot of money setting up safety barriers and had lots of arguments about the finer details, in the end we complied with the letter
of the law. (we like our insurance to be in force)
BUT;
I have traveled to some fields (who shall remain nameless) . . . where the finer rules are discreetly ignored. [X(]
Point in fact, the average age of modelers is 60, there are a lot of fellows that are over 65 with medical problems, and they have ΒΌ scale AC (it's easier to see a big plane).
Currently they are expected to shuffle their AC and start up kit to the designated 'Start Up Area', and then carry the now running AC to the flight line for take off. [:'(]
The bottom line is that they don't, they set up in the pits, start their engines and Taxi out. (carefully) After their flight, the engine is shut down just off of the flight line and the plane is towed back to the owner's spot in the pits.
I spoke to one flier that is well into his 70s, in mid August he was having his first flight of the season because of these new rules. Once he found out that they were being ignored he came out, prior to that he refused to fly due to these new rules.
How many fliers have we lost (will we loose) due to these restrictive rules?
So what's happening at an unnamed club near you?