will airshow go ahead

[og]

was planning on going to the scottish model airshow on sat but the wind forecast is saying 40mph winds -surely you cant fly in these conditions

[Paul Marsh]

I doubt the flying will go ahead. Under CAA rules, when the wind speed reaches 25 knots, flying must cease.

It happened at the Teeside show a few weeks ago, the show stopped at 3pm when it was legally too windy to fly and flying ceased.

[John Lee]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 22/06/2017 09:00:43:

I doubt the flying will go ahead. Under CAA rules, when the wind speed reaches 25 knots, flying must cease.

It happened at the Teeside show a few weeks ago, the show stopped at 3pm when it was legally too windy to fly and flying ceased.

Which Rule/law is this?

Within CAP658 there is no specific wind limitation, whilst Chapter 12 of that publication on model displays starts 'This section provides general guidance' - not rules.

The BMFA Safety Code for Model Flying Displays recommends 'No flying should take place if the surface wind speed exceeds 25 knots.....' but again the whole section starts 'This Code is issued for guidance only'.

I think this is excellent guidance but unless you can quote me specific legislation I don't believe flying in 26knot winds at a display is illegal.

[Essjay]

post removed.

Edited By Essjay on 22/06/2017 11:43:48

[John Bisset]

It's the likely strong gusts which would worry me more than the base wind speed. I suspect the microlight folk will be reluctant to fly the full size if the gusting is more than 25 knots. Certainly at 30 knot gusts I'd stop, even if there was excellent wave above!

The risk is mostly of wrecking beautifully built models.

Like John, I wasn't aware of any rule or law which specifies a wind speed. It is normally up to the judgment of the pilot as to when he/she calls it quits. (Always remembering the old saw: "It is better to be down here wishing you were up there, than up there, wishing you were down here". True for full size, and for much loved models too)

The forecast may prove pessimistic, of course. Only one way to find out...

Cheers,

John B

[Allan Bennett]

Whether it's a "rule" or not, if you ignore "guidance" or "code of practice" or whatever, issued by an relevant official body, you'll find you have a major fight on your hands if you ever need to claim on insurance. So I suppose organisers need to play safe.

[John Bisset]

Very true Allan, though that is as much to do with insurance outfits trying to find ways to avoid payment than safety, necessarily. The risk averse society?

If the BMFA wanted to be really clear or definitive about that, they'd have worded it differently and/or added explanation/justification to add emphasis.

Plus there is the small matter of how and where the speed is measured, by whom etc. ! Personally I am cautious at these speeds when flying full size light aircraft (something I should be doing this weekend), and my models would have a hard job getting back upwind at that speed. Flying a pattern would be - um - challenging.

On the plus side, think what the downwind passes would look like !

John B

[LMA Dave]

The show is still on, wind set to increase on Saturday as the day goes on but it is anybody's guess whether it will be strong enough to halt the show. We won't know that until the time, a lot of time and effort goes into these show so it won't be cancelled on a prediction, unless it is bad weather from the word go. If that happens we will post it on the LMA forum ASAP. Hope this helps.   

http://forum.largemodelassociation.com/viewforum.php

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited By LMA Dave on 22/06/2017 21:54:21

Edited By LMA Dave on 22/06/2017 21:54:57

Edited By LMA Dave on 22/06/2017 21:56:10