Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

We spend so much time focused on our planes we may be overlooking some important items that bring comfort and safety to our hobby. Here are a few of mine. You add your own items to the list.

I am posting this in the beginner forum because many of the new flyers I teach do not think to bring these things. In fact some seem resistant, but eventually they come around as they realize the benefits.

Here is my start to the list:

Hat - I never fly without a hat. I keep my flying hat in my car so I never forget it. The brim helps shade my eyes from the sun and it protects my head, since there isn't much hair to do the job anymore. It is also where I display my flying permit, as required by the county.

Sunglasses - I never fly without sunglasses. I even have a spare pair in my field tool box. If I happen to fly too close to the angle of the sun, the sunglasses help me keep the plane in site. More importantly they protect my eyes from harmful UV rays.

When I am flying I am looking directly into the sky, with tons of UV A and B rays raining down on my face and directly into my eyes. Whether I realize it or not I am probably going to sunburn my retina if I don't wear sunglasses. I even wear them on cloudy days since UV rays penetrate clouds.

Your turn

I have more on my list, but I would rather hear what you bring along to the field. Tell us what you bring and why. Do you keep these in the car, in you field box or do you pack them each time?

Let the listing begin!

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Since I have begun flying 1/2a I use earplugs around those noisy Cox motors.;)

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Since I fly at an electric/glider field I would not have thought of ear-plugs. Great item.


Great items.

Winter is coming! Flying in the cold.

I tend to fly all year round, even when there is snow on the ground. When
the winds are light, I fly electrics and gliders at the club field. Landing
on snow is fun and can be quite beautiful but you have to be careful about
where it reaches in the plane, so I carry paper towels so I can clean up any
snow or water that has gotten inside the plane.

When it is windy, flying at the field can be a problem but, if the wind is
from the north, I leave my regular flying field and head for the North shore
of Long Island to go slope soaring. Temperatures can be in the teens and
winds in the 20s so it can be quite cold, but I am dauntless.

I have a winter pouch that I put in my field bag starting in November. I
also have one I keep in the car. You never know when you are going to get
stuck on the road in the cold. It has a ski mask, a bunch of heat packs that
I can put in gloves and sox. The gloves have thumb holes cut out so I can
feel the sticks. Add ski goggles and a scarf.

I also keep a hunting shirt and a wind breaker in the car, just in case.

Batteries are kept in an inside pocket of my coat to keep them fresh.

When I go slope soaring in the cold, aside from the obvious thermal
underwear, I wear insulated bibber ski over pants and insulated hiking boots
that work well in the snow. It is quite a bundle but if I put a heat pack in
each boot and each glove, I can fly for hours under those conditions, so
winter is no problem.

Somewhere I find room in the car for planes too.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Good post aeajr. I wear safety sunglasses that I get at Harbor Freight. They are rubberized so you don't have to hassle with them falling off when you bend over. These are great for everyday use as well as yard work etc.

PS, They do not seem to cause depth perception problems like some glasses do (or did). I had problems with this back when I rode motorcycles and it was not funny.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Extra props for my Slow Stick and wrench to change them.
Extra rubber bands
Set of jeweler's screwdrivers.
Set of Allen wrenches.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

http://image.rcuniverse.com/market/i...433-0-2166.jpg
Here's what some of us in Arkansas use when it's cold. They are available here on RC Universe.

Happy Landings!

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

...and take a good attitude along. There are too many grumpy pilots out there. This is supposed to be fun, remember!:D

Safe Flying!

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Here is my standard kit. I bought an aluminum case from harbor freight and built a small plywood holder into it to hold everything.

1. Thick Foam-Safe CA
2. Thin Foam-Safe CA
3. Accelerator
4. 6 min Epoxy
5. Screwdriver kit with phillips, flathead, torx, ballend hex (check RadioShack, they have some nice screwdriver kits in cases)
6. X-acto knife with spare blades
7. Tiny adjustable wrench (for those pesky prop nuts)
8. Hemostats
9. Jewelers Hammer (check harbor freight, great thing for pounding out motor shafts, or banging aluminum gear back to shape.)
10. Butane soldering iron/torch (RadioShack again)
11. Silver solder (I prefer silver solder, because you'll need it for lipo repairs. Regular solder doesnt adhere very well to the delicate tabs)
12. Ball Link Pliers (for us heli pilots)
13. Wire strippers/cutters
13. 6" metal ruler
14. Jewelers files
15. Tachometer
16. Laser Thermometer
17. Pocket Scale (for weighing airplanes or parts)
18. Dial Calipers (heli pilots again)
19. Assorted Zip-ties
20. Spare velcro in sticky and regular
21. Prop Balancer
22. Spare props in assorted sizes
23. Radio instruction manual
24. Transmitter
25. Transmitter neckstrap
26. Small charger with assorted dongles (Hyperion or Multiplex work well and are small enough)
27. Lipos for the planes
28. Parts box with spare servo screws, replacement servo gears, crystals,etc.

I take this kit with me EVERY time I go fly. With this kit, I rarely ever find myself without the tools to do a job, and this also includes enough stuff so that if you had too, you could build just about any electric plane at the field.

I also always take.
A jacket
A hat
A folding chair
Gatorade
Cellphone
Sunglasses


Thats my kit. This kit stays ready all the time. It doesnt matter if Im flying in the backyard, or off to a contest. Ive got everything I need for a fun day of flying.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Yes, a cellphone is a must. Sometimes people aren't around if you get hurt.

I usually take along everything I would need to repair my plane if anything breaks. I need to get some CA and an activator. Never thought of that. I just use tape and balsa until I get home.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Just a reminger that what it takes to care for the plane is not part of the subject of this thread. What it takes to care for you, personally is the subject of the thread. Unless you are bringing CA as a wound closer, it doesn't fit with the topic.
;)

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

I was flying yesterday. The temperature was in the 40s, but I came hope with a sunburn. I tend to forget that you can still get a sunburned face in cold weather. :(

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Sandwhiches, crisps, sweets, a nice cool drink and a prayer mat !!! Ohh and toilet roll for when the prayer mat's not working :) !!!!

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

ALL outdoor sports REQUIRE aeajr's minimum protection.

Thanks aeajr. :)

Rich

Edit I NEED EAR plugs at full sized plane shows. Especially when big USA jets are flying.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

In the summer, insect repellent is a must-have for me especially near sunset. Without it, it is almost impossible to fly as tiny no-see-ums will begin biting almost immediately after launching. I like the natural repellants using citronella and soybean oil that avoid using toxic chemicals.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

I always take a small First-Aid kit and a fire extinguisher. I was surprised at the number of times I had to take it out for small cuts and injuries that fliers got at the field. A bag of jelly beans also helps me fly better.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

aeajr

Don't even THINK that you can take the Sun seriously enough!

If you do take it lightly, then look up your nearest Mohs Surgeon and visit his/her outer office for a few morning hours.
You will be horrified to see the number of people (many, many wowen included) with the tips of their noses surgically removed. The men too, particularly with ears, and noses.
It is a horror story not a mild case of light surgery.

Reconstruction is also completed but don't think for one second that it remotely resembles what God gave you.

Unfortunately NOT a joke nor is it an exaggeration.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Onewasp is right on, about sun exposure causing skin cancers.

My best summer time friend, from the winter time Bahamas is a scarred, Red skinned, mess. Constant surgery & the " Burn off " the skin lotions with chemicals.
I do not mention skin to him. Fantastic guy who still WILL NOT COVER UP...[&o][&o]

Rich

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Here's what I recommend:

1) Hat with a brim all the way around, to keep the sun out of your eyes and off your face/neck
2) Dark Sunglasses
3) Sunscreen
4) Insect Repellent (depends on where you fly)
5) Cell phone turned on and on your person (pocket or belt)
6) First aid kit

At first I just wore baseball caps and sunglasses. After I realized I was getting too much sun, between my flying time and other outdoor activities, I decided to start using sunscreen and a full brim hat. I personally don't like the look of a full brim hat as well as baseball caps, but I'd rather not have sunburned neck/ears! I agree with onewasp, do what you can to protect against those UV rays! First aid kit can take care of small mishaps/injuries, while the cell phone will come in handy if there is a serious injury. Insect repellent is probably the most recent addition to my list, since a small local field that I fly at often has some pesky bugs on occasion (mosquitos, gnats, etc).

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

I am real new to r/c flying and found lots of items on these lists that I would not have thought of. I have a new Super Cub although you wouldn't know it looking at the glue and tape, I have decided to wait until the next time a local club has lesson night. I am running out of glue. I do know that the wheels will last quite a while since I never land on them. Tom

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Sunglasses is the one that I often see skipped by newbies.   It always surprises me as they have them in the car.

You are looking directly into a UV storm, perhaps for hours.  Those retina will get sunburned and you will never even fell it.  You will just start to have degraded vision, or go blind.

Wear dem shades.   Makes you look cool too!  :D

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Also, it seems to me that sunglasses (not necessarily prescription) bring out more detail, especially when lighting conditions are flat. Cloud edges are more discernable and contrast is generally improved. Perhaps that's an effect of light polarization.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

I found Blue Blocker safety galsses at my local welding store. I also wear them when riding the atv and mowing the lawn. I have three pair. I don't think they are "official" blue blocker.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

Sunglasses (forgot them yesterday, man I regretted it! Never again!)
Hat
Water or Sprite
chapstick
sunblock
INSECT spray!!! (where I fly this is a must!)
MP3 Player
Tevas (I fly near water, haven't needed them yet!) while flying, and an extra pair of shoes and socks in case I have to go for a swim.


Some ideas I will definitely adapt from this thread:

folding chair
Ready-to-go winter bag
and many more...thanks for the ideas!

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

I was flying at a 2 day contest a couple of weekends back and the bugs were so think that you really could not fly without insect repellent.

I took my first flight before I sprayed. What a mistake! The gnats were so thick that they were all over my sun glasses. ALWAYS keep insect spray or lotion in the car so you can't forget it!

A Tarp - I always put a tarp on the ground. (but Ed, you said this was about stuff for ourselves.) Have you ever dropped a tiny piece, a screw or a clip, and watch it go into the grass? Somehow you can see exactly what blade of grass it hit but you can't find it. So, for my funmble fingered benefit I have a 6X8 Tarp that I carry in the car that goes on the ground before I do anything else. It has saved many flying sessions. It also has come in handy when I have had to check something under the car or change a tire. And I have used it to cover my things when an sudden shower has come by.

A tarp is cheap insurance, to help prevent lost parts and a lost flying day.

RE: Tips - Hat, Sunglasses and Whatelse?
 

It's going to get cold here soon and I still want to fly when I can, does anyone know of a place where I can get some winter gear like gloves that are thin enough that I can still feel the controls and keep warm at the same time? I just started flying this spring and I am new to the winter weather!