ORIGINAL: Hossfly
#1.
I disagree. No exceptions. If you wish to fly in these events then be ready to run with the big dogs or stay under the porch.
Not a good enough reason, IMO. I think I made a good case for the small model exception, as the AMA did when it set the Park model classification. The little dogs are much less likely to cause a problem..
#2. As an AMA CD since Feb. 1963, I do so.
Looks like we agree on this one. I think this is acceptable and I do so as well, both as a flyer and as a CD..
#3. Not just NO but "L- NO". In true competition there is really no time for such time-breaks. In Fly-Ins or Fun-Flys, you are taking up the time of the paying customers. You obviously are not a seasoned Contest Director, as you would know that such delays will create much alarm among the cattle.
First of all, you are wrong in your assumption. I have CDed six of the past Fort Worth Thunderbird Big Bird events in the1990s, one or two competition fun flys in years pastand I now CD a yearly electric fly in for the same club. I have about 10 years of competiton flying experience scattered over 40 years of aeromodelling as well.I think9 or so CDedevents constitutes some seasoning.Feel free to apologize if you can...
Your resume is impressive, but there ARE other viewpoints that are valid.
I did not and donot advocate delaying the general flying at an event for a first flight....that is another poor assumption on your part.I am advocating a model inspection and a heads up announcement bythe CD or flight line supervisor. Neitherneed causedelays to general flying. I never advocated this for true AMA competition, only for fly in type events. I am on the fence when it comes to airshows and model demos, as they tend to be more public.
(a. removed ...not germaine to thekey issuesbeing discussed.)
b. Are YOU going to make the decision that an unproven model is safe to fly? I definitely no longer do so. The pilot signs a form stating he and the airplane are good-to-go. That is then his decision. If by chance he is found to have signed an untrue statement, then he gets direction to the gate and beyond.
I have safetyinspected models at past Big Bird events and have gone thumbs down, with agreement from other inspectors, on a couple of models that had issues. As long as it is known that the inspectors have the final decision, I see no issue here. Models get safety inspected in certain competiton events, such as line pulls for control line models. Are they not making a safety judgement?
c. The current procedure seems to work well enough. I see no need to have more restrictions. If one comes to an event with a new untested machine, not early enough to test prior to the advertised start time, then place it in the display area and have a beer.
I do not agree. The rule sometimes gets a wink and a nod and sometimes gets ignored or overlooked. I am advocating considering
fewer restrictions and a rule refinement on this issue, not more restrictions. It gives a way to openlydo what should be done with a first flight at an event. and make things safer than someone choosing to sneak in a first flight.
Hoss, why did you snip out my entire example of an event that proves that first test flights at an eventcan be made andoften fail and the event can still be operated safely? I feel this is a very powerful example of the discussion at hand that nicely supports my point of view....