Guy's thanks for all the responses! I'll add that there didn't seem to be much support for this amongst the other club membership but I'd hate to go to the next meeting unprepared to dispel his concerns or defend mine!

Robin

Ban the electric models, they always end up burning up the battery when I had them. Even before that I had a reciever battery char the insides of a model. I have never seen a fire from glow or gas models. It's not like the movies where the car blows up like it was full of dynomite every time there is a crash. Not even like nitro drag racing where there are a few fires from blown engines during every race.

Sport_Pilot,

From all I've read they seem to be the biggest culprit in model related fires. You guy's were right the AMA does not track this data, here's the response I got.

Hello Robin,

Thank you for contacting AMA.

Although we certainly collect claims data, the specific information you are asking for is not readily availabe. However, I do recall one fire incident a few years ago caused by a gas powered model. In that case, the fire destroyed a large area of dry grass, as well as hay bales and farming equipment located on the adjacent property.

It is not uncommon for clubs to limit or prohibit certain operation during those time periods, usually depending on the site location as it pertains to vegetation and how quickly a fire could spread. In same states, a ban can also be implemented by the local government agencies.

Perhaps you could check with clubs in your area to see how they handle gas powered model operation during drought.

I hope this information is somewhat helpful.

Best regards,

Ilona Maine
Safety & Member Benefits Department

I almost got the feeling she's in agreement.

Robin

If she's the claims admin, and she handles insurance claims for the AMA daily, and she recalls ONE fire, I wouldn't worry too much.

How many people have whacked themselves with props? I see one about every 3 months or so, we haven't banned props yet

And those are only the ones that get reported. I bet there are many more that go unreported.

Most likely the unreported ones had no real damage. If the fire was big enough to damage a structure at the club it would be fairly certain a claim would be filed with the AMA for insurance. Unless they had a better source of insurance, but that would be unlikely because the other insurance would likely cover only what the AMA did not cover.

You are most probably very correct. people get cuts very frequently. Usually a band-aid or a few such items and it is back to flying. However I have seen
two bad ones. The first was a guy that had a G-28 in a model that I would not have had more than a .75 at very most. He had made a bad landing and the model tumbled a couple times. He ran over picked it up, refueled right quickly, started it up, PLACED A TACH RIGHT IN FRONT, the G-28 did not like that and decided to fly on
its own. It took of a thumb and a finger with another hanging. One club member grabbed the parts and another jumped in his truck and off to the closest hospital.
The hanging finger was repaired. The two cut-offs never made it. I never heard if the AMA paid anything on that or not.
I inspected the ARF model. The front end was not even structured for a .40, much less a G-28. He left the club in a short time.
The other idiot was starting up a fairly large model that had significant structure with a Glo. 1.20 and a famous Fiber Glass prop. It fired up at a slightly above idle. The dummy reached down for something with the left hand and WHACKO. The prop broke at the spinner hub, as it whacked the left hand big time.
Stitches were required at the fore-finger and the middle finger and may have torn something off had it not been for MY WEDDING RING WHICH GOT BADLY
Displaced. !!! It had to be cut off. It probably saved at least one finger. It was NOT reported to AMA !

I have done that but fortunately it was a smaller engine and at a low idle. I don't think it even broke the skin, but did it smart!