Originally Posted by beerbrewer

In early December, I read in the local paper that our wise and all knowing city council was considering banning all model airplanes from flying in the city parks and limits. I have tried to find out more but no luck.

Terry

In Little Rock area, one community park director, with city council support, has built a launching ramp for float flyers because citizenry enjoys our flying (electric, glow and gas powered) our models, which we do only between the hours of 8 and 5. A second community keeps an area in one park area mowed short for rc airplane use, and invites rc flyers to display and demonstrate at two community sponsored events each year. One of the larger communities bans rc aircraft of any type, the other allows lightweight electrics in the parks and verbally supports a 58 year old AMA club on the outskirts. But, it is getting more difficult to point out to the city councils the difference between responsible, concerned flyers and the haven't-got-a-clue, don't give a d#$n, punks. I suspect in the not too distant future flying will be banned in most of the urban parks.

Some decades ago, my family traveled from Aurora to visit friends in Waverly. Their son and I launched Estes powered rockets and flew screaming .049 control line planes from a park there. I don't remember the name of the park. One elder gentleman, who was then probably my current age, complemented us on our rockets and suggested we might not want to launch the rockets due to possible fire hazard. He then sat and watched us flying our control line planes, complementing us on our plans and our flying ability. I moved away many, many years ago but on my last visit to Aurora, I saw kids launching rockets in one of the parks there.

Times have changed. In many places we would now be classed as noisy hooligans creating at least an ear-damaging noise problem, if not absolutely being a major threat to the health of anyone in the park who might come in contact with the hazardous fuel, toxic fumes, lead in the starter battery or paint fumes coming from the burning hot engine. Not to overshadow the danger they would see in the spinning propeller or the threat of the 8-9 oz plane striking someone. Were/are there dangers, certainly to some extent. But people then were smart enough to stay out of the way of the plane (remember control line), and simply acknowledge the skills and imagination of the builder/flyer. It should got with out saying that it is inherent on the owner/flyer to operate their Radio Controlled or Free Flight craft in a manner which respects the safety of others, and does not disrupt others use of a public facility.

I act as "an expert" when two of the local elementary schools have an aerodynamic theme for a school project. Today's youth are just as interested in aircraft (much greater variety now) and flight as I was. They have easier and more vast sources of information, unfortunately, they have a lesser chance of being able to personally apply the knowledge they can access. I do as much as I can with "non-pointy" paper airplanes. Can't even use chuck gliders lest a child be injured.

I will not get off my soapbox now. Thanks for reading this far, if you did.

TonyS

Well said Tony. I wish we had more of a chance to teach our hobby to younger kids. When i was in school(Back in the late 70's) we could take a model rocketry class. We built and flew a small rocket in the 9 weeks of the class. It was great fun and taught us some responsibility and safety.

I fly in my neighborhood, there's a large retention field that easily accommodates planes upto about 1m wingspan. The neighborhood park is at the back of the field and sometimes the kids get all excited and watch from behind the hedges.

Here in France it's absolutely forbidden to fly outside a federal r/c airfield.
We can fly in our private property but at our own risks... no insurance if things goes wrong...

I fly at a few places here in Chicago... large city parks or the beach, during the off-season when there are no crowds (I use common sense). Technically I think it is against city ordinances, but I have been stopped by police officers many times and they only want to ask how they can get their kids started in the hobby. Either they don't know the law or don't care as long as I'm not bothering anyone or endangering wildlife.

I think the laws are a bit out-dated... they were created in the days when all RC planes were heavy, unreliable, noisy, and flammable -- so naturally cities created ordinances to ban them both as a noise-nuisance and as a potential fire hazard. With modern DSM radios, electric power and foam construction, there's much less risk of seriously injuring someone should you lose power or lose signal.... providing you are still using common sense and flying away from crowds.

Yes... spinning props and Lipo batteries can still be dangerous... but nothing like getting hit with a runaway .60-size engine or doused with burning nitro fuel. A bicyclist, baseball, or football would likely hurt as much or more than being hit by a foam/electric plane (unless you are flying at 100mph -- my planes are pretty slow).

I dont have any problems flying around IL parks . I was building subdivisions for a living before the market crashed and i had new black top to fly off of and always a retention pond to fly off also. My Phaze two in the back of my last subdivision had 1800 ft of straight paved road to fly off of till to many homes got built.

Your replies are encouraging. My average electric is foam flies slow and weights less than 14 oz most are only about 10 oz. It would be great if more parks would open to the new lightweight electrics. It might make the difference between this sport going on or dying. At the rate things are going in my area it is a dying sport. When the older generation is gone so will the sport be gone.

I honestly do see that coming, I hope as safe responsible fliers we will be able to change that.

None of the neighbors seem to complain when i fly around my place.....

But that's because my closest neighbor is an eighth mile away.

On the other hand, we get together during the summer at a local metropark picnic area that's been kept mowed by the park just for flyers. Nearly all are flying electrics, and I think that helps with the image.

I do not know how this will affect us recreational rc fliers, but this was introduced during this session. Here in Nebraska, it is a direct result of the EPA flying over farming operations looking for "violations".

What I have read is that there are 9 states that are introducing bills this year to address searches without search warrants using UAV's.

Terry

Why put a camera on perfectly good airplane anyways. I have rode my motorcycle through 40 different states and through alot of mountains plus canyon of fire /red rock in vegas and the redwood run in CA so looking at a couple of tiny trees or grass from a tiny plane does not do a thing for me. joe

Originally Posted by cracksmeup

Why put a camera on perfectly good airplane anyways. I have rode my motorcycle through 40 different states and through alot of mountains plus canyon of fire /red rock in vegas and the redwood run in CA so looking at a couple of tiny trees or grass from a tiny plane does not do a thing for me. joe

heh..... to each his own, FPV is HUGE

Ha Ha if i wanted to see anything from the air i have plenty of friends with full size planes that would love to getme air sick. Its guys flying these big fpv's thats getting the rest of our hobby in trouble and just like the ama and others we want to stay clear of them and of what the faa might do to them in the future.

I fly in a small public park right behind my house, it must be ok the last time I was there I had four police officers watching me, nothing ws said.

Originally Posted by Army Dad

I fly in a small public park right behind my house, it must be ok the last time I was there I had four police officers watching me, nothing ws said.

Not if your flying small ones in the park ,i seen a guy bragging about flying his over the city and a bay yesterday and his was 350 pounds. Those are the knuckel heads who are going to get restrictions put on them by the FCC and us to if they think we like them. joe

350? Was he in it?