Discussion Saturday Pictures

[Tomapowa]

Originally Posted by stangrob

Hey Mike,

Appreciate the feedback. It's interesting that some guys tell me that the flightline guys are too strict, and that we're putting undo restrictions on the pilots. On the other hand, we also hear that we need to be quicker to react to pilots not following the rules, otherwise we risk airplanes and spectators. Bottom-line is that we try and walk a balanced line. Naturally we can't make everyone happy, and don't want to p*ss anyone off either. Makes for an interesting day

FWIW, and this isn't specific to Mike BTW, guys should consider volunteering next year to help out, especially on the flightline. With the amount of experience we have on the forums we could use the help and input. Not only is the experience great, but also provides an opportunity to give input to the process.

Rob

Rob,
You are spot on! I volunteered this year and worked the flight line Fri and Sat. for a few hours each day (was late on Fri and was scolded but heck... I was late!). I'm a fairly low-key guy but I did find myself having to repeatedly inform some flyers of either the fly pattern or things like keeping away from other flight areas (i.e. park flyers area). I caught a little flack from some flyers but all-in-all, they understand the situation (i.e. safety, etc...) better when explaining it to them in a kind manner. Understand though that I was only on the line for a few hours each day, where other volunteers are there for many, many hours... it's a tough job (try it yourself!) and patience can run thin! All-in-all... I think it was exceptionally well run! Kudos to all that organized & helped!

[Block]

Originally Posted by aramsdell

I got some good aerial photos on Saturday am. Here's a quick edit. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showa...=2771937&stc=1

Nice pic. I'm into AP, but didn't want to spend the time and money to do it this year.

[Block]

Wow, I truly thought there was no pattern, wasn't trying to be sarcastic. I did not fly at NEAT, just based this on observation from the crowd (I have no idea what is said to each pilot).

I flew at a local event and everyone (only 3-5 planes at a time) flew counter clockwise. Nobody told me to, but it was a very obvious pattern.

Originally Posted by stangrob

Block,
Just FYI from someone who works the flightline. We try very hard to get guys to follow the pattern, oftentimes giving "input" to the pilot. Some follow it better than others. The last thing we want to see on our shift is any "rekitting" or worse. I'm amazed how many guys have problems flying a clockwise or counter-clockwise racetrack pattern...
Rob

[Tarro]

Here is a video I took from my FPV Demo on Saturday, I was getting beat up by the wind as you can see.

Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology Fair (3 min 52 sec)

I had a blast at the NEAT Fair and will be back.

[Tim Semeraro]

I was at NEAT. I flew Thursday threw Sunday. I agree the officals were working very hard , but there were allot of people flying that should never fly at a event.

I good rule of thumb. If you cant do your manuvers left and right it's not a good place to learn. I saw at least 3 pilots that don't even belong to a club. There were people crashing left and right. Every time I needed to land there was someone slowly looking for parts on runway.
In the future I would like to see stricter guidelines for sign up. Like being a active member of a club. IMHO

[Yellowspider]

Tim Semeraro, Does BEING IN A CLUB MAKES YOU BETTER?????? I have been flying and an AMA member since 1989 and have NEVER been in a club. I have flown at countless events and never had a problem with the other pilots in a club or not. If you can fly left to right understand direction and know your aircraft, have an AMA card and are over 16. You should be able to fly and enjoy the fun. I M H O
Gezz!
Dave

[Tim Semeraro]

My intent is not to offend, And deviously you are the exception.

Being a member of a club teaches you to fly with traffic, and makes you a better pilot for situations when there are many planes in the air at one time.

Ever sins the invention of easy to fly, foam planes(wings,etc). There are way to many people flying, that don't truly have control of the plane.

There is a time, and place for everything, and if we want people to except ower hobby as a "safe one". People need to educate themselves about safe flying, and a club is a good start. IMHO

[Kevin Murray]

Agreed, Joining a club dose not insure one is a capable flyer or competent to fly at a very lagge regional fly-in.
I was flying for five years with a group near my home in Kentucky before joining a club here in North Carolina.
Out place in Kentucky was a private 8 acre field with a hunderd acer fly over area of crops.
No formal club and no AMA nessicary. Just generaly safe hassle free flying.
I was an AMA member at the time so I could fly at NEAT, SEFF, and Lexington.

So IMHO you should not require club membership for flying at NEAT.
You should require being a competent pilot however, but how can this be enforced ?

Flight line staff.

[Yellowspider]

Yeah how do we enforce that? For all we know any one pilot may have just joined a club. Maybe never flew in traffic anyway. I think it would be a lost cause and a lot more headach to figure out who can and cannot fly in traffic. Most newbies would rather not fly in traffic for fear of wercking their own plane let alone someone else.
Crashes are going to happen Mid airs are going to happen. Weather the pilot is new, seasoned in a club or not. When the crash happens some one is going to be pointing a finger and yelling something like you are to young, you dont even belong to a club, you dont follow direction. Blah blah blah, I have seen seaaoned pilots hit head on and a bunch of stuff still hits the fan. It is a no win situation.
Dave

[datazman]

Hello all:

Just thought I would add my 2 cents for what it is worth.
The NEAT Fair is an event for the participants. It is up to the Pilot weather he or she has the skills to fly in the kind of traffic that is involved. On occasion that pilot realizes that he or she really needs more stick time to handle the kind of traffic but doesn’t know that till they try. I am sure that that pilot has safety in mind when that is realized and makes their best effort not to loose total control. It is an unnerving feeling. I know because I flew last year only to find out I needed to practice keeping within the boundaries of the air space.(not to fly over the park flying zone) I did land quickly after being coached by an official and took NO offence to it. With that in mind I did practice this past season in preparation of the Fair in order to keep it safe for everyone involved. Had I not had that experience, I would have never known to prepare for it.

In the end, I did not fly this year because of being busy but I was prepared.

Would you want to take that experience away from a pilot?

Ta Ta for now.
Paul

[sgtdirt]

Originally Posted by Tim Semeraro

I was at NEAT. I flew Thursday threw Sunday. I agree the officals were working very hard , but there were allot of people flying that should never fly at a event.

I good rule of thumb. If you cant do your manuvers left and right it's not a good place to learn. I saw at least 3 pilots that don't even belong to a club. There were people crashing left and right. Every time I needed to land there was someone slowly looking for parts on runway.
In the future I would like to see stricter guidelines for sign up. Like being a active member of a club. IMHO

it sounds like someone got in your way every time you wanted to fly so this made you a little mad. did it ever occur to you that someone was saying the same thing about your flying?

i don't belong to a club and i flew 5 or 6 times. yes, in all that traffic. am i a "seasoned" pilot? some would say yes, while others say no. like you, i don't want to be sky sharked and i don't want to take anyone out either but one has to accept the consequences when attending an event such as this.

as far as crashes "left and right", uuummm...i don't remember seeing hardly any?

i guess in your view, one of my planes would be considered a crash. while landing my DVIII the grass caught the under wing and it basically tore the LG off.

[aramsdell]

I taught myself to fly when I was 17/18. I learned the hard way but I learned and without the benefit of a club. Now I feel I can land the planes that I have in just about any situation short of major mech. malfunction regardless of wind or direction of flight etc. All that I learned before ever joining a club.
There were people at the event who did not fly at times because they felt pressured by those in the air. I spotted for one gentleman several times over the event AND even got him help with his plane and re-warped a wing with the help of Lazertoyz.com's heat gun ( Thanks Diane and Dan)
This man felt intimidated by some of the faster traffic down low----at the parkflyer area---- and wouldn't launch at times until some of the traffic had cleared. My hat's off to him for knowing his limitations.
Turns out he's a good pilot and flew his planes quite well.

Al (the heli-cam guy)

[weasel53]

I have been flying RC for a little over three year and have never been a member of a club. Last years NEAT was my first ever event flying with a group and in traffic. I went there expecting to fly both my planes and helicopter in all three areas. I started in the park flyer area and quickly got use to flying with traffic and actually did well. I decided at that point that I was not quite ready for the heavy iron area and not comfortable enough for the helicopter area so did the rest of my flying in the PF area. I went away that year knowing what I needed to work on and this year flew in all three area with confidence and in full control. So I am with Paul on this one.. each person needs to live the experiece and know their limitations and work within them. Unfortunately there will always some out there who will continue to fly beyond their abilities with no regard for others and are incapable of policing themselves...that is the dilemma.

[Tim Semeraro]

Originally Posted by weasel53

So I am with Paul on this one.. each person needs to live the experiece and know their limitations and work within them. Unfortunately there will always some out there who will continue to fly beyond their abilities with no regard for others and are incapable of policing themselves...that is the dilemma.

I agree. I learned to fly on private farm, and flew for years with friends. When I decided I wanted to start flying at events. I joined a club. At the time I thought I new what I was doing. Whith time I relized there were things I needed to work on. After a couple years I felt safe enough, and flew at my first event. By doing it this way I never felt in over my head, and I always felt safe.

I think my earlyer remarks were taken the wrong way. Im only talking about making the event more safe. Being there for 4 days I did see allot of crashes, and I'm not talking about LG ripping off. There was a GeeBee that had a headon midair. A plane flew over the main tent and hit a car. I plane flew into the heli area and hit a heli. At one point there was a mid air right over my head, and my spotter almost had to shade me from flying parts. These are just the ones I saw.

There were also countless times that people ran out on field, took off, and landed,without calling it. Also every time I flew, we were calling out the direction of rotation, and there was at least one person going in the wrong direction.
At one point there were so many people on field, I used up my extra 2mins and had to harrier land at my feet because there was no were to land, and people were dismissing my calls to land.

Dont get me wrong, I never got mad and I was always willing to help, but if some of those people flew at a club, they would make there calls and fly the correct rotation. IMHO

[markusvt]

Tim, I saw, what you saw. I flew many, many times over 4 days, and saw LOT's of crashes and collisions, some avoidable.

Sure there were electrical/mechanical issues, eveyone quick to label as "lock-out". Maybe......., maybe not.............

Never mind the countless landings resulting in toothpicks, how about the Jet full speed into the woods, or the plane into the telephone pole, or the midair with the big Swift wing, or the midair with the BeeGee ....... Lot's of planes in the air, ALL day, stuff will happen.

Flight line etiquette should to be enforced, one way or another to minimise the risks. For sure some folks may have never flown with any rules before.

I agree, regular club flyers generally know how to fly a pattern, call take-offs, landings and on the field, this helps keep things safe.

For all of the flying that was done, the mishaps were minimal. It is an almost impossible task with all of the different planes and skill levels on the field at the same time., (gliders, wings, pylon, warbirds, 3D, pattern, and oh the foamies!)

Got to remember the common theme that brought everyone there in the first place.

Originally Posted by Tim Semeraro

I agree. I learned to fly on private farm, and flew for years with friends. When I decided I wanted to start flying at events. I joined a club. At the time I thought I new what I was doing. Whith time I relized there were things I needed to work on. After a couple years I felt safe enough, and flew at my first event. By doing it this way I never felt in over my head, and I always felt safe.

I think my earlyer remarks were taken the wrong way. Im only talking about making the event more safe. Being there for 4 days I did see allot of crashes, and I'm not talking about LG ripping off. At one point there was a mid air right over my head, and my spotter almost had to shade me from flying parts. There were also countless times that people ran out on field, took off, and landed,without calling it. Also every time I flew, we were calling out the direction of rotation, and there was at least one person going in the wrong direction.
At one point there were so many people on field, I used up my extra 2mins and had to harrier land at my feet because there was no were to land, and people were dismissing my calls to land.

Dont get me wrong, I never got mad and I was always willing to help, but if some of those people flew at a club, they would make there calls and fly the correct rotation. IMHO