ORIGINAL: Gremlin Castle
Many fewer people at aero design events plus there are not several being held around the country each weekend.
The conditions at thos events presuppose that these are trial flights for a good many but that is not the case for a fly in or contest held under the AMA rules.
Again what is so important that a model needs to be flown untested at an AMA event?
The Aero Design events are notably larger than any others held at out club site when it comes to attendees and spectators. There are many hundreds of people there. There were 54 teams entered. I would estimate than something approaching half the models had not been flown.
These events make a very interesting case study in ways to mitigate risk of first flights in public.
This is not about whether or not it is important to test fly at an event. We are discussing the true nature of the risks involved. I feel some overstate the risks.
The rule is worth discussing as some number of test flights do take place at AMA events, despite the rules. Why not get them out in the open, add some safety by making sure people are aware that a first flight is taking place and improve overall safety?
Given that CDs typically allow first flights before and after official event hours, I would love to hear a good explanation of how a model test flown at 8:55AM is a materially safer happening than the same model flown at 9:05 AM, after the event starts. ditto for 4:55 PM vs 5:05 PM