Whirley Bird:

Speed of light has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Look at a couple of everyday examples that are not directly r/c.

If you watch TV and are not on cable you have seen the effect of large airplane propellors messing up the picture. Or if you are driving arould town with the FM radio going you'll have places where the sound goes to pot. All the same thing with the r/c plane.

As strato911, Crash_N_Burn, and Rodney were pointing out, it's phase shift. Propagation at the speed of light has nothing to do with it.

The building, or the silo, or even a water tower can act as a reflector - like a radio mirror.

Don't fly around large metal structures.

So long as the distance from the transmitter to the plane is less than approximately 1/3 of the distance from the transmitter to the reflector and back to the plane you should have no problem.

Don't fly around large metal structures.

But as the difference decreases you are going to reach a point where the primary signal has weakened due to inverse square, and the reflected signal is near the same power to the plane, then at just the right distance and angle you crash. End of argument.

Don't fly around large metal structures.

Just ask any "Ham" operator who works six meter or higher about wave reflections. Or ask your local FCC agent. Or a broadcast engineer from your local TV/FM station about the fun they have with antenna design. It's all known.

Don't fly around large metal structures.

Just iin case I haven't made it clear:
Don't fly around large metal structures.

If only you were inside the plane,
. You could take a hit, and get it back again.

Bill.

PS: Don't fly around large metal structures. wr.