All clubs have some official, and unofficial, dos and don'ts for the members and guests at the field, whether they are flying or watching. Lakeland RC is no different. The following are some of the guidelines/rules to follow if you are out at the field.
There are a few general rules for the field and rules that can be broken-up specifically for pilots . Here are the general rules and then below are the pilot's rules.
General Guidelines
Arriving at the field:
-The driveway to the field runs on the edge of a full-scale runway. Full-scale aircraft have the right-of-way. It's up to you to check the sky and the hangar area (to the left when pulling in) to ensure there is no aircraft traffic.
- The speed limit on the driveway is 15 mph, unless your vehicle produces a dust cloud behind you. If you can see a dust cloud following you, S L O W - D O W N.
- If the weather has been a bit wet and the road is spongy, do not drive out to the field. If you wish to walk your gear out to fly, that is acceptable
- Stay on the driveway. We are priveledged to have our field and require that no other vehicles other than the full-scale aircraft travel on the runway. If you meet an on-coming vehicle, the vehicle leaving should stay tight to the corn as possible and the in-coming vehicle will deviate from the driveway only as necessary to allow the vehicles to pass
- Do not park in front of the port-o-potty
- Members of Lakeland RC are responsible for their guests. Spectators must stay BEHIND the pit area
Pilot's Guide
- Make sure your equipment is safe to use/fly.
-Drop-off your AMA or Lakeland RC membership card in the Frequency Pin Locker before even considering turning on your transmitter
- Display your transmitter's frequency on your antannae so other pilot's can see who's on what frequency. If there is "pin sharing", it's nice to know who you need to ask to be able to fly. GET THE PIN PRIOR TO TURNING YOUR TRANSMITTER ON!!
- Prior to starting your engine/motor, make sure you have the right model selected on your transmitter and verify the controls work as expected. Does pulling back on your elevator make the elevator go down, hope not!
- When setting-up to start your aircraft, do not line-up directly behind one of the pilots. Having someone starting an engine when you are on final for landing can be un-nerving.
- It is mandatory that an observer be stationed at the West end of our field when the corn is too tall to see over to watch for full-scale activity and alert the flight line when necessary. Everyone who flies should take a turn at the station without having to be told. Normally each observer should spend about 20 minutes before being relieved. Most days, no one should have to be there more than twice if everyone takes their turn.
- Do not fly if the grass is being cut on the runway.
- Never fly behind the flight line, if you have issues with this, get some help on using your left stick, it not only moves up and down, but side-to-side as well and moves that thing called a rudder which is useful at low speeds in controlling the direction of your aircraft
- Except for take off and landing, Keep all passes out past the centerlind of the runway
- You should be able to shut off the engine from the transmitter. Either with the Idle-trim or set up your computer transmitter with an Idle Cut-off switch
- Anounce your intent to perform any of the following loud enough so that all pilot stations are sure to hear you:
A. Taxi on to the field
B. Take off
C. Landing
D. Low passes
E. On the field
F. field clear
- If you need to tune your engine, do not do so behind the pilot stations. Engine tuning should be performed at the East end of the field (by the "BALSA" tree, so as not to bother the pilots or interfere with pilot communications
Above all else, fly SAFELY!!!