Bob Cotsford Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by Vecchio Austriaco on 16/07/2014 09:19:41: In all 3 clubs I was (or still be) member you were allowed to fly alone. In all 3 clubs I had the situation that sometimes nobody was at the field. So if I am not allowed to fly alone - what to do? go home again? Of course you need to be careful and know what you do - but this is valid even more if there are others - especially as I remember "close shave" situations in all 3 clubs. VA In one club there is a no flying on your own rule and several times I've rocked up to find an empty field meaning a marginally pleasant afternoon sitting doing nothing. I've just joined another club where I will be able to fly without adult supervision. Edited By Bob Cotsford on 16/07/2014 10:55:03 Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 16/07/2014 11:12:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Excellent, two post modded so far, it must be the heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 My my usual powered model flying club does allow solo flying but very much discourages it. A policy I totally agree with. My slope flying club allows it too but I tend to avoid it otherwise I can't send someone else to get my model if I land out , actually that's not a joke, I don't have the best legs in the business. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Herron Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Solo flying is allowed at my local club provided you have passed the relevent certificate,we have training nights on wednesday and sometimes at the weekend. as other flyers have said if you have to travel 30/40 mins to get to your patch and there's no one there i would be looking for another club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuphedd Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Our club does not allow solo flyers due to 3 previous incidents where members needed hospital treatment.! 2 for severe prop /hand damage and one fall on a broken bottle. All before mobile phones , and all people involved were no longer capable of driving themselves to help . better safe than sorry . cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wright Stuff Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by stu knowles on 16/07/2014 09:02:49: This subject has been done to death several times. Should people be allowed to drive alone on quiet roads? be home alone? cut the grass, use power tools - the list is endless. The world inhabited by lawyers is not the real world. Honestly - get a life, - and I mean that in its most literal interpretation, get out there and climb a mountain or something. All this needs to be confronted at every opportunity. Nothing personal here but I do detest this sort of thinking which is curbing the lives of everyone. **edited for language** stu k Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 16/07/2014 09:27:56 +1 in support of that! At the risk of being even more contraversial, I have to say that in 15 years, the only model I have written off with a crash was a mid-air collision with another model. Therefore flying alone is much safer, in my experience. Joking aside (I realise that statistic is probably atypical), my club doesn't prohibit flying alone, even without an A. The only requirement is that someone in the club must have seen me fly and be satisfied that I am under control. With a sensible, methodical approach, bearing safety in mind at all times (which, as others have said, is often easier to concentrate on when there are no other distractions around), a first aid kit and mobile phone in the car, I am perfectly happy that flying alone does not pose a risk that is unacceptible to me. Eating alone! Now that's dangerous! I was alone in the house on one occasion and damn well nearly choked to death. Coughed it up when I was close to sticking a biro in my windpipe! So, there are some things which make me uncomfortable/vulnerable when alone, but model flying isn't one of them! Edited By The Wright Stuff on 16/07/2014 13:36:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tee Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Not reccomended solely as our strip is three fields off the nearest B road and isolated. But it does happen. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 We are allowed to fly solo. I have flown solo more times at the club field than with other members; different lifestyles, working arrangements, free time etc. means this will always be the case for me. I know this is the case for several other members. As a general point could it be that restrictions on solo club flying might lead to some people to choosing to fly solo in a none club environment. If there are hazards leading to risks associated with flying model aircraft solo how does this compare with flying a 'real' aircraft solo? Edited By avtur on 16/07/2014 14:27:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 If tree falls down in a deserted forest, does it make a noise? On a pseudo-philosophical (and not very serious) note along the same lines, is it actually possible to fly alone? If you are apprehended by another member, he must be there to witness it, ergo you were not alone... More seriously, we don't encourage lone flying but let members use their judgement - there is an enhanced risk of course, as with any lone activity but many accidents seem to occur when people are distracted by others. My own concession to lone operation is a wilful disregard of the BMFA guidance not to take a mobile phone into the pits/flight line. I suspect that the risk of serious injury are much higher when I'm working alone in my workshop or cutting the grass. We can all help by trying to get people into safe habits - and learning to appreciate/consider the risks - while operating models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by Martin Harris on 16/07/2014 14:29:23: More seriously, we don't encourage lone flying but let members use their judgement - there is an enhanced risk of course....... It's not an enhanced risk to fly alone - it's a different risk. Flying alone you don't have the risk of being distracted, of being hit by another model/loose prop, of having a mid air, of someone walking in front of you when you are landing.....etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy48 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Our club does, provided you have an "A" licence. Personally, I find there are times when flying alone is a real bonus. I can then practice such things as take off and landings with a difficult plane (most planes are difficult for me ) to my hearts content. We have well over a 100 members, but there are times when I can go down on an ideal flying day and find the field deserted. However, I am aware of the dangers, and am extra careful about safety, and how close my plane flies, and I would not fly without my phone close by. I go off walking by myself on the moors. Is that more dangerous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sticky fingers Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Some excellent commonsense comments on this issue thanks to stu k ,wright stuff and perce verance and others .My slant on the issue is that ! We should all take responsibility for our own well being and safety, we are living in a massively risk averse society nowadays, but if we take too much notice of all the do gooders we would do diddley squat, and just sit around getting fat dumb and miserable, there are a few contributers on this site who fall into the category Iv,e just mentioned I,ll say no more Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wright Stuff Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by John Lee on 16/07/2014 14:37:53: Posted by Martin Harris on 16/07/2014 14:29:23: More seriously, we don't encourage lone flying but let members use their judgement - there is an enhanced risk of course....... It's not an enhanced risk to fly alone - it's a different risk. I suppose actually, there is an argument that says the risk (i.e. probability) of having an accident as a lone flier is less, BUT the hazard (consequence) could be greater IF an accident occurs and there is no-one to assist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Aside from the eminently practical aspect of having someone else to apply the bandage when you've given your good hand a bit of a chopping, I wonder how often the 'Don't fly alone' rule has been written in just to protect the club from criticism or litigation if such an accident occurs? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iqon Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Somebody is going to be the first one there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 One aspect of my club's ban on lone flying is that it is still permissable to ground run a model with all the inherent dangers of starting and tuning a motor alone - surely the highest risk part of flying? I'm pretty sure the primary reason for the lone-flyer ban is so that there is witness if the witch lady down the road complains to the council about 'jets' being flown too low again. We have NEVER allowed jets but Birmingham Airport is just a couple of miles away! pre-edited for language by Bob Cotsford Edited By Bob Cotsford on 16/07/2014 15:48:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by David Ashby - RCME on 16/07/2014 10:04:27: Posted by john stones 1 on 16/07/2014 09:38:22: I just put yes because I knew where it would go In the 'yes' box? Well I asked for it I suppose John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster prop Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Our club does, sensibly, allow solo flying. I made my views on this topic clear in a post on another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtom39 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 As a club we "advise" members that it would be a good idea to have someone accompanying them when they fly. Purely for safety This was a result of an accident many years ago when a member slipped onto a running prop which cut into him pretty badly. I turned up some ten mins later to find him on his own drifting in and out of consciousness. I always advise new members to use their judgment and fly according to conditions and surroundings . A case of common sense! Edited By Tomtom39 on 16/07/2014 20:21:17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Well I hope your not flying alone when you die flying, someone will need to take the tx over John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Yes thankfully. Ours is a small club with low membership, so like it or not if you want to fly sometimes you don't have a choice. I don't always get a lot of time however and it suits me that I can grab an hour after work if need be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by john stones 1 on 16/07/2014 21:42:29: Well I hope your not flying alone when you die flying, someone will need to take the tx over John By that time I don't think I would be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Posted by The Wright Stuff on 16/07/2014 15:28:27: Posted by John Lee on 16/07/2014 14:37:53: Posted by Martin Harris on 16/07/2014 14:29:23: More seriously, we don't encourage lone flying but let members use their judgement - there is an enhanced risk of course....... It's not an enhanced risk to fly alone - it's a different risk. I suppose actually, there is an argument that says the risk (i.e. probability) of having an accident as a lone flier is less, BUT the hazard (consequence) could be greater IF an accident occurs and there is no-one to assist. That's what I meant, the risk being that you're operating away from passers by in the event of accident or illness - or of course, if there are passers by, you could be less aware of them than if there were other eyes not concentrating quite so much on your model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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