ON THE SAFE SIDE
Safety Reminders for the New Season
by AMA Staff
AMA would like everyone to have a safe flying year
with no accidents. Here are some items that might
help in that regard.
The first is the use of Li-Poly batteries in our
models. If you are flying electric airplanes with
Li-Poly batteries, it is highly recommended that a
fire extinguisher be kept in your car. Fire caused
by Li-Poly batteries can happen through a shortage,
improper charging, or crash damage. Standard
household extinguishers (Class A, B, C or a
combination of these) will not put out a lithium
fire. Rather, it can increase the blaze. Class D
extinguishers (metal/sand) are the only type capable
of putting out flammable metal.
If a class D fire extinguisher cannot be obtained
for your vehicle or flying site, at the least, keep
buckets of sand ready and available should a fire
start. (The sand must be dry because water reacts
with lithium fires to make them worse.)
Second, remember to cycle the batteries in
transmitters and airplanes to ensure they are up to
par. Airplanes can go down because either the
transmitter or the flight pack batteries have
failed. If you should by chance get your airplane to
respond long enough to land, do not taxi back toward
the pits. Get it down and kill the engine. A running
airplane with dying batteries is little more than a
loaded gun waiting to go off and injure someone.
Most folks have a winter project that is now ready
for a test flight. New airplanes mean new additions
to the transmitter. Remember to always check to
ensure it is the correct one for the airplane.
Always look to see that the control surfaces are
moving in the correct direction when you are ready
to taxi out. Also, as a new project, make sure it
has been finished with your name and address or AMA
number.
Lightning produced by electrical storms can travel
amazing distances. If you are flying and should see
lightning in the distance, just think of that radio
antenna as a lightning rod. Lightning has been known
to come 10-20 miles across the sky and strike a
person just standing there—and that is without a
3-foot lightning rod in his or her hand.
Engine failure on takeoff is a common occurrence.
Every time, when you taxi out, always think, “What
am I going to do if the engine quits?” Remember that
the best way to land is into the wind and with the
wings level. If that means a walk out in the weeds a
couple of hundred yards to get your airplane in one
piece, that’s much better than taking a broom or
shovel out to the middle of the runway to scoop up
the pieces.
Lastly, it is strongly recommended that members do
not fly alone. In a hobby where things can go out of
control with the slightest of error, potential
dangers are not far behind. It’s helpful to have an
extra set of eyes to watch for any interferences or
problems the pilot may not be able to see while
following his or her model. Better to be overly
prepared then under prepared. At the very least, you
have a buddy to talk to and show off for!
Q
|
|
