JUNE 2002 PRESIDENT's CORNER
By Gordon Anderson

I am sure many of you are aware of our watering problem. The grass is very green and it is getting all the water it needs, but the problem is the watering time. The sprinklers come on around 8:00 a.m. and go off around 10:00 a.m. We are working with the city to get a more convenient schedule, please be patient as we work out the details.

We have had a couple of gate problems already this year. Please remember to lock the gate when you leave the park. Check both field gates and make sure they are locked. Please remember the park is closed on Thursday’s and Friday’s and holidays, you will need to lock the inner access gate on these dates and any special event date. The events are listed on the inner access gate. Please make sure the gates are properly managed!

Tickets! This is a reminder of the tickets you will find in the frequency flag box. Take a ticket each time you visit the field. Also take a ticket for any visitor(s) you have or anyone who drops by to watch the action. The tickets are used by the city to monitor use of the field.

We discussed a few safety issues at the last club meeting and I would like bring this to everyone's attention. The season is just getting started and it’s a good idea to stop and think about the dangers we encounter every time we go to the field. Getting our engine started and our model placed on the taxiway is a very dangerous process and something we need to do with caution. Here are a few things to remember:

1.) Do not stand in the plane of the propeller. Do not let bystanders stand in the plane of the propeller.

2.) Do not sit directly in front of the aircraft as you start the engine. If it were to lunge forward unexpectedly you could be in trouble.

3.) Use the U shaped tail hooks to secure your plane, or have someone hold it for you. There are several of these U shaped hooks at the field and they are an excellent safety device.

4.) Stand behind your aircraft to tune the engine, reaching around the prop from the front is a bad plan.

5.) Be very careful picking up your transmitter, it is very easy to accidentally hit the throttle stick causing your airplane to take off through the pits!

6.) Take your time and think about what you are doing! Most accidents happen when we get in a hurry. This is a short list of things to think about. The main point is to be careful and take your time!

Field repair and aircraft modifications at the field are another area where we need to be careful. Often we find problems and we need to make changes, sometimes these changes can be significant. It is a good idea to get another experienced modeler to do a safety check after you finish the modifications and before you fly. This is especially true at an AMA event, we all sign a form that says we have test flown the aircraft and its airworthy, so take your time and check everything very carefully before you fly! One last issue for this month!

Spotters! It is a very good idea to have someone standing next to you while you are flying, especially if the field is busy. It’s hard to hear pilots call out their intentions when the field is busy and a spotter can be a great help. If you are at the field and the flight line is crowded, please help out. All you need to do is stand in the center of the line of pilots and watch. Make sure all pilots are aware of the runway activities, relay information and warn the pilots of any off normal situations.