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Flying Facing the Sun!


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Posted by Derek Stevenson on 27/01/2012 15:35:42:
Andy - at least now I've someone to disagree with! I think it is much easier to turn away from a road a quarter mile away than fly facing the sun? I'm off the opinion that facing into the sun is not good for your eyes and also has the potential to lead to a crash. Which has happened. i would agree that the sun is fixed so a sensible flight path should be taken - one with the sun on your back seems so logical to me????
 
Trevor - I like your statement
"As a committee member for our club, I'll say that the club should be run by the membership, not the committee."
One of our past Chairmen used to say that. As I've said there is a lot of moaning behind backs, so rather than join in, I sent an official letter. As for the AGM your correct but sometimes in life the folks that complain sit silent! I'm sure you have heard that before, I've done my bit now I've left it to those who told me I was doing a great job??
 
I've been surprised at the number of replies I've had, I think I've sparked quite a debate.

Edited By Derek Stevenson on 27/01/2012 15:36:57

Its not about turning away from the road, its about the roads proximity when something goes wrong and you are unable to turn away from it. One of the clubs I fly at you are facing the sun, its a minor inconvenience.

Edited By Andy Symons on 27/01/2012 17:31:52

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A quarter of a mile may seem a long way on foot from the said road but it's not that far for an errant model aeroplane, plus the model will only be 1/4 ml away from the road when overhead if I've read the post correctly. I sill can't see why we cannot be given details of the committee's repost.
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Posted by Ultymate on 27/01/2012 18:30:32:
A quarter of a mile may seem a long way on foot from the said road but it's not that far for an errant model aeroplane, plus the model will only be 1/4 ml away from the road when overhead if I've read the post correctly.

Precisely my point!!

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try flying with your backs to the M62,
 
Many clubs have to have a site where they can get a site, this island of ours is just too small for every club to have wide open free from anything sites, i have flown at some famous sites, where the proximity of roads has to be treated with respect, but ignored, as for the sun thing, be prepared, get some ski goggles, they really work, they look daft, but then with the gear we wear at the field, who cares?
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many dont like them, for they are restrictive when looking into normal sky, i use them when gliding in snow, another trick is to fit a green perspex shield to the tranny, i used to have mine clipped to the aeiral, but with 2.4, Hmmm no mount, but if you manage it, just hold the tranny up to cover the sun with the shield, works every time
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Posted by Derek Stevenson on 27/01/2012 19:16:53:
Since we fly from half way down the site with our backs to the road it means we are twice as close to the road when over head! Still seems better to have the sun on your back and be twice as far from the road. In the reply from the committee no mention was made of the road!
 
?? Not sure what your saying there. It's not where your stood that matters, more where the model is flying.
 
Most clubs I have been at fly the "normal" circuits out in front of the pilots box with all the airspace behind them being dead airspace.
 
As I mentioned earlier without seeing the site its difficult to make a truly informed decision. With no other factors in play flying facing the sun is just silly and I find it hard to believe any clubs do that, however for me where the sun is wouldn't necessarily be the prime factor for deciding the flying site layout, what is being overflown and areas where flyaways may go would be more important.
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Posted by Derek Stevenson on 28/01/2012 00:04:00:
"With no other factors in play flying facing the sun is just silly and I find it hard to believe any clubs do that,"
Andy we are if full agreement! I found it difficult to believe as well that's why I sent the letter. The over flown areas are fields.

But if you turn around so not facing the sun the overflown area could end up being the road. It appears there are other factors at play.

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There was no mention made of the road in the reply I received from the committee.  The way we do face there is also a road but further away.  There will always be something if you go far enough?
Some issues were the moving of the container we use as a "hut" but then there were suggestion made before we moved onto the site to fly from the top of the site with the sun in our backs.  It may be difficult for some folks to now say it would have been better to have used the site the opposite direction from the beginning?  When a number of us went to the site to test it before leaving our old site we all flew from the top of the site with the sun on our back.  The box facing the sun just came into use when the move became official. 
Human nature is a wonderful thing!

Edited By Derek Stevenson on 03/02/2012 17:59:22

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Derek... reading your last few posts with interest!



It's a well laid out site and has one of the best safety records that I know of which is a credit to the committees efforts over the years! Remember accidents are caused by the carless members not carless committees!

I believe the current site was looked at from a safety point of view and the decision was taken on safety grounds and that of the land owner!

The main a road is just over 200 yards from the pits and a business park is adjacent to the land. The flying circuit is more than adequate and the take off area is more than most clubs have. But a few members still persist in breaking the club rules and take off towards the main roan and fly over it! You must be there when this happens and probably remember the few occasions when they have crashed onto the main road ( on one occasion nearly hitting the land owners car and almost causing a serious accident!)

Not to mention the few occasions the same people have hit the large building in the business park! Sorry! Landed on its roof! Or where they just practising touch and goes?

The 15 years you have been a member you must know the difficulty's a committee member has to face , you must have been on the committee a few times? No?

Ask not what the club can do for you, but what can I do for the club!..

The committee looks after the many members the club has not the few who behind the scenes try to under mind it!

Buy a pair of sun glasses and a hat and stay away from the big shinny thing in the sky !

Unless you're a moth!..........

Edited By David Ashby - RCME Admin on 16/02/2012 19:18:12

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I somehow knew there'd be a safety based decision behind this, I've done my share of committee work over the years and know all about the divide and rule brigade. There's a lot of difference between the 1/4 Mile we were originally told and now find out it's half that at 200 yds and we now find out there's an industrial unit in the mix as well. wink

Edited By Ultymate on 16/02/2012 20:29:42

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Ultymate - it said OVER 200yds - the industrial site is at right angles so the distance will be the same no matter which direstion we fly. I find you judgment insulting "about the divide and rule brigade" If you read carefully I did not set out to say anything insulting about committee. I had the decency to write to them not to dived.

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