Dude!! LOL! [sm=lol.gif]

Lefty or Righty?

One thing not mentioned about flying alone is situational awareness. You have to take your attention off the airplane from time to time to see what is going on around you. This is the major disadvantage to flying alone. (Have driven myself to the emergency room twice.)[:-]

Ha.. Good one

I feel your pain, or I really did!

I couldn't drive... to much blood, I had to hold the skin on my arm closed BIG gash... thankfully someone gave me some duct tape to help.

Emergency room doc had a good laugh.

Are you referring to the danger posed by savage criminals with penchants for violence against RC hobbyists in remote, empty flying fields?

Or the danger of feral, hungry packs of dogs that roam flying fields with a taste for the occasional rc pilot's blood?


There IS always the problem of fire ants. If you are flying alone, there's no one around to grab the controller in case you step in a pile of those nasty things.

I haven't flow alone in 8 years.

A guy at the field reached over a prop and cut his arm. It sure was nice to have someone to take him to the emergency room and someone else to take all his stuff home.

I flew alone more often then not until this last year. My wife decided to give it a try and now it seems she does all the flying and I do all the watching and helping. I am glad she started because I forgot all abt the adrenaline rushes a trainer gives a beginner.

I am betting by the end of this year she will be flying my planes.[X(]

Don't get carried away with fancy bandages, just keep a couple thick sanitary napkins and a roll of gauze in your field box and you will be able to control even severe bleeding. I spent twenty years as an EMT and they they were always near the top of my jump kit. Unless you sever an artery, there isn't much bleeding that can't be controlled with pressure and elevation. Bleeding always looks worse than it is! As a last resort, there's always that handy bottle of CA that we all carry to make field repairs.

Neal

I've flown alone a few times....
but I like flying the most with other people to even "show off" in front of people or just the atmosphere of a bunch of other planes and being able to relax and watch some other planes up in the air..

But yea it is fine to fly alone.. just like the others said, keep a cell phone ON YOU. not in your car but ON YOU at all times.. and watch those fingers!

Back when I owned a small (21 foot) sailboat I'd go out alone - the ultimate escape from the concrete jungle. Someone ashore always knew where I was and when I could be expected back though.

When flying either RC or CL, I always take my best flying buddy - my 15 year old son. I can't recommend flying alone. For one thing, it's just not as enjoyable and secondly, the risk of serious injury is too much. I've only got one very small scar from a half-A engine back when I was in high school. Goldberg half-A Skylane. I reached over the prop to turn on the receiver switch and nicked the fleshy underside of my forearm. I've always used the utmost care since then but all it takes is an instant of inattentiveness to mess up your day.

Yup, and often the tape included does not adhere until the wound is stitched up and the blood removed... so something simple and quick will do.

I just needed something so I could take the pressure off long enough to do things like dial a cell phone or open a car door and put planes away....

One thing that hasn't been mentioned.

I was fortunate that someone arrived at our field after I was injured. They saw that I was having problems so they helped me by putting away all of my planes and tools for me.

This is something else you need to consider vis-a-vis injuries...

Depends on which hand he got caught in the prop

I have been flying alone lately. It's winter and not many folks show up but their are always a couple people popping in and out. also it's a federal park so the environmental people are always riding back making their rounds. Currently I have two job's going on with in 2 miles of our club so its hard not to stop in all the time. I am still a new pilot and learning to fly and have very much enjoyed the solitude and time to practice with no interuptions. I still fly with the others as well because I learn so much from them. I make sure to take precautions. I keep my ear piece in for my phone which is voice activated, I take my time and enjoy myself. 90% of the time I work alone as a carpenter/winter landscaper/summer so it becomes routine to let people know were I am and have a steady saftey regiment to follow.

As an EMT, what is your advice if an artery is severed? Alone or not.

holly scmolly ..do you think a human can retain sometype clear thinking if you where to cut into a main vain ?
The last time i got into some seriousely injuries...it was a good thing my GF was around, becuase i went into
shock. The 5 miles ride to the emergency room seems like forever. i would had never made it , if i was driving
myself. I bascailly faded in and out of consicousness before we ever made it to the edge of town.

I've only flown alone once, I like to share with someone it's not the same if you pull off that move you've been working on, or stick the perfect landing if no ones around to see it.

Treatment is basically the same, direct pressure and elevation but with an artery it will be more difficult to control. Depending on the location of the injury, there are some other things like tourniquets, and maybe a prayer or two. If you do a lot of potentially dangerous activities, it would be a good idea to take a first aid course. Even if you never use the knowledge on yourself, the guy flying beside you who cuts his wrist might benefit. My jump kit came in handy a couple times last fall at the field.

Well guys I did it... My buddy called me when I was on my way home to collect my plane and go to the field and he got stuck doing "honey-do's" So I embarked on my first solo trip to the field... I did like many have said and slowed way down... Made sure to stay away from the prop and really had a great time!!! I can say I probably will fly alone again at some time but it is definatly more fun when you pull off that spot landing or new manuver you've been working on to have someone there to see it. but I can also see the enjoyment of not having any other planes in the air too!!!

Josh

I don't just fly alone, I also ride motorcycles alone, through places where it's a long walk to the nearest telephone. I sail alone. Hike up mountains that are a long way from the emergency room alone.
Yes, I am careful but I'm not paranoid. Lately I've been flying electric planes and I'm always behind the plane when I plug in the battery. Am I being reckless? I think not. There is no such thing a zero risk and you have to put risk in perspective.

Here's what should scare you, driving home from the flying field on highways filled with cell phone zombies, drunks, and "important" people who are in way too much of a hurry to get to their next accident.

Great advice, but I would also like to add to this


Once you bandage the wound, leave the bandage on. Do not keep taking the bandage off and putting it back on. If you bleed through the bandage, add a new clean one right on top of it and keep adding pressure. When you elevate it, make sure it is above the heart.

If you are bandaging multiple fingers... place a bandage in between each finger, then wrap the entire hand.

Everyone should consider adding a first aid kit to their field box (at least have one in the car). Simple is better... some 4x4 bandages (at least 10-15)..4-5 stretch bandages, and some latex gloves

I also fly alone, but I let my wife know when I go, what time I plan to return. If I am not back at that time she starts calling. I left my cell phone on silent once and got wrapped up into flying and lost track of the time.. until she tore into the field parking lot on two wheels looking for me that is.. lol...

Keep this in perspective.

Consider the risk of it, just as we consider the risks of everything else we do.

I've know two guys who lost big toes to lawn mowers. I still cut the grass without someone standing by to stop catastrophic arterial bleeding or to call in a rescue helicopter.

And I actually enjoy cutting the grass. Doesn't terrify me at all. But some of these posts have.

Consider the real risks of flying alone and sensibly control them. It's no more dangerous than cutting the grass alone.

Yup that was my biggest problem too.

Cut left arm, holding it closed with my right hand, trying to dial for help, and passing out... not good if you are alone.

There has only been one time since I joined my club (beginning of last summer) that I have been there when there was someone else there (besides a Fun Fly) and it was only one person and he left within five minutes.[:@]

It gets pretty frustrating waiting for a battery to charge and having nobody to talk to but my mom[:@]

You need more packs!

I have to fly alone most of the time because I own a restaurant and on the weekend is when I have a lot of work so I did invite some of my fiends but they just cant go because they have to work, but It is nice to go out an fly with company chat about the planes, about the weather I wish I can fly on sundays