ORIGINAL: abel_pranger
ORIGINAL: sfsjkid
I have a fail safe installed in my car, along with a throttle return spring. The former for radio hits and the latter in case I just plain run out of battery. I will not run my car without them for either will prevent a runaway, though it might create an obstacle on track.
However, in my plane, I haven't come up with a good all round failsafe position that I feel comfortable with. Setting for idle seems to be fairly popular, but what if the plane is flying towards a crowd or property? Maybe the throttle will cut out in time, maybe it won't and actually land the plane in an area one wants to miss. I've heard of others that set up for a level, circle pattern, which initially struck me as a good idea at first but then realized that the wind could take the aircraft anywhere, and doesn't work if you are inverted.
I guess my question would be, if the AMA mandated failsafes, and it actually contributed to irreplacible damage, what would be the repercussions?
Good question. Don't have
the answer, but by way of illustrating what could happen, AMA lost an injury lawsuit in a control line speed model incident where the the plane ripped away from the control lines restraining it and seriously injured the pilot's crewman. Largest judgment ever against AMA,
AFAIK. A factor contributing to AMA's loss of this case was the finding that the pull test mandated by AMA overstressed the model structure and contributed to the failure that caused the accident.
IMAA apparently had similar concerns over exposure of their members during event safety inspections, and the potential for transferring liability to them. Last I heard, the owner/pilot was to himself conduct such inspections under the watchful eye of an event official. Official to witness that owner made the inspection, but owner retains full liability for inspection/certifying the structural integrity and airworthiness of the model.
The possible legal implications should be carefully considered when 'mandating' anything safety. The exposure an AMA CD has every time he is required to make a safety call at an event seems to me a dinner bell for hungry litigious vermin.
Abel
Well Able P, here I go again P...g you O. Simply because I am agreeing with YOU 101%
That is one of the main reasons that when I CD an event, NO safety inspections are made by me or my workers. At an IMAA event, the pilot makes the inspection by the checklist. It is his say to the airplane's ability to fly. After all he signs that the airplane has been flown at least 6 times (IMAA) and that both he and the airplane can perform the maneuvers to be done. (AMA) At an AMA event, that signature is HIS certification. Of course if something is obviously very unsafe, as CD I can ground the aircraft and if I do so, it will be GROUNDED for the ENTIRE event. NO appeals.
There will always be what ifs no matter what you do. Setting the fail safe at idle is the safest we can do at this time, and why would the plane be flying toward the people anyway? If you do nothing the plane will go to factory defaults and that is last imput. With FM the engine could go to full throttle and do any number of things in the air. You pick what you think is best and hope it never happens.
Dennis
Hey Dennis, think on it: When a model is making the base turn into a landing final approach, it will be heading toward the extended flight line thus at some time it will be pointed at the people. The most safe Fail-Safe I can think of is, Throttle to idle-cutoff, full up elevator, full aileron and rudder in same direction. (Not safe for the airplane!!)