Early Warning

[Seared Ice]

It's time again to start wearing sun screen at the flyingfield!
The back of my neck, arms, and legs are red and toasty after a few hours of flying my Gentle Lady and IFO yesterday.

Get yourself a hat and sun lotion or face the wrath of the same force that gives us thermals: the sun!

Its time to also start watching out for our planes too. Don't keep a foam plane in a hot car... And start watching that the covering on our planes doesn't come loose or warp in the sun's heat.

If you take the right precautions, both you and your planes will have fun in the sun from now in early spring all the way to late autumn (hopefully!)

~John

[Ollie]

Cataracts can really spoil your enjoyment of this hobby/sport. They are caused by exposing the eyes to UV radiation. So, use UV proof eyeware. Skin Cancer, which is epidemic in the older population here in Florida, is caused by skin exposure to UV radiation.

[Seared Ice]

Good additions!

My eyes water if I look up into the sky to fly a plane so I bought some cheap clip-on sunglasses. They supposedly block UV and are polarized. Actually, I'm sure they're polarized because I can't look at LCD displays with them on! And I thought there was something wrong with my buddy's computer tx screen...he thought I was crazy for a few minutes until we figured it out! I have not had any visibility problems with my planes...stuff looks slightly darker (duh..reason of sunglasses) but contrast between plane and sky is fine.

Happy flying,
John

[thermite]

I noticed that the other day too! My Dad recently gave me an expensive pair of polarized Oakley sunnies that he didn't like, (Too hip for him!!)
Why is it that it makes LCD displays look like they're broken, can anyone throw any light on this?

[davekra]

lcd's use a polarized lens in front of the display. LCD's (liquid crystal display) work by passing a current through the liquid crystal. When the crystals are not alligned the light can pass through and you dont see any display. When the crystals are energized and alligned the light is blocked and you see the number's. Check out http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/lcd.htm for more info.

[KevinW]

I had the same issue with the lcd screen. Can be unnerving if you really need to see it fast!
Just for fun...take two pair of polarized glasses and hold them at right angles to each other. The lense will go totally black.

[Seared Ice]

Cool. Or, take your polarized glasses outside and put them infront of your face over a shiny surface. Slowly rotate the glasses around and watch the shininess go and then come back.
One way to prove a pair of sunglasses is really polarized.
Back to sanding foam parts,
John