Jonathan M Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 (edited) I've never understood this requirement. Unless one has such a large model that both hands are needed to carry it back, then (leaving aside a neck-strap) surely it is safer to carry the TX out to the model in one's hand? If IC then the throttle should have been killed completely before the walk out - in which case the issue is redundant anyway. If electric then both the kill-switch and one's thumb holding the throttle stick fully down until one reaches the model to physically disconnect the Lipo before picking it up should not only be safe enough in itself but give you the opportunity of some control should something go strangely wrong and the motor start up. Is this rule universal at all clubs - what do people do? Edited February 9 by Jonathan M 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Bowers Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 As far as I know it's a throwback to the pre-2.4 GHz days. The thinking being that transmitters closer to models than the one supposed to be in control could cause interference. Happy to be corrected. I've not seen transmitters being left in the pilot area when recovering a model from the strip for many a year - unless practicalities of model size were a factor. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 It could be a legacy carry-over from the days of 35mhz (and 72mhz in the USA) where there was potentially an interference issue of the models still in the air getting closer to the transmitter which is carried out onto the field. I don't believe that is a valid concern now and IMO if the model is live the pilot should have the transmitter with him. under control. Personally I've never understood folks who leave the transmitter behind when they go to collect a model, especially where the model has "landed out". 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 After a transmitter fell over, and opened the throttle of an electric model that was being retrieved, we got rid of this rule. I think it was only there in the first place because it was in an SMAE 'standard club rules template'. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Never, it's always in my hands, maybe from the crash days when you fiddled with the sticks in long grass hoping to hear where it crashed at the sound of the servos. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wagg Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Always taken the Tx with me. Not been a rule in our club AFAIK. 27/35 MHz days would normally have pushed the aerial down anyway. Sometimes used the Tx to locate a hidden model in the jungle surrounding the strip, by operating the controls and listening for servo movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 The "Tx in the pits" rule evaporated when 2.4Ghz came on the scene. It is now safer to take the Tx with you when retrieving a model, especially if it is electric powered. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Burch 1 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 2 hours ago, Brian Cooper said: The "Tx in the pits" rule evaporated when 2.4Ghz came on the scene. It is now safer to take the Tx with you when retrieving a model, especially if it is electric powered. Yes Brian - I think that's the case, and I certainly agree that, with 2.4GHz kit, it's safer to take your TX with you when retrieving an electric model (with throttle cut selected and throttle held closed). The following extract from the current BMFA Handbook 13.3 appears to confirm this view: (p) When using 35mHz care must be taken at all times to avoid overflying operating transmitters. Pilots should stand together and should not be allowed to wander over the flying area when operating transmitters. If an TX is taken onto the landing area there is, perhaps, a greater chance of it being overflown. Apparently, this could cause problems with 35MHz kit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Z Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 (edited) In at least one case I was happy to have the TX with me when trying to find and retrieve a model from thick and thorny bush. It was a cheap 2.4 GHz set, but it did have transmission quality feedback from RX to TX. By turning away from the area where the plane went down, and keeping the TX in front of me, I turned around until the transmission was at its worst, as my body was effectively shielding it. I then turned around by 180 degrees, sighted the direction and started moving in that direction. By repeating the procedure several times I eventually nearly stumbled over it 😁 Edited February 9 by Max Z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Is this a club rule? If so, it might be an idea to suggest a review and reasoning behind any refusal to adopt the sensible approach, in, I believe, the majority’s view, which is to retain control of a model until it can be made safe. I’m pretty sure this subject was debated on this forum a few years ago and this was the consensus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 To be honest I can't remember if it is strictly still a club rule, but when I did my A Test around 2012 or so the club examiner expected it of me. I was reminded of it when reading through a BMFA examiner's notes file I found on my computer about the B Test which I'd downloaded in 2018, but I don't know what year that version was actually produced (as I'd selected just the content I wanted from the PDF and pasted it into a Word file). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Cracknell Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Surely, handing the Tx to A N Other while you retrieve the model could be a risk. It is clear when an IC model is not running but what would happen if you were retrieving an electric model and the throttle got accidentally moved by the Tx keeper? Keep control of the Tx until the model is disarmed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickw Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 9 minutes ago, Jonathan M said: ..................................... I was reminded of it when reading through a BMFA examiner's notes file I found on my computer about the B Test which I'd downloaded in 2018, but I don't know what year that version was actually produced (as I'd selected just the content I wanted from the PDF and pasted it into a Word file). That completely changed a while ago:- (m) Complete the post flight checks as required by the BMFA safety Codes. The candidate should agree with the examiner beforehand whether they intend to take the transmitter with them when retrieving their model or choose to leave it with a competent person. The candidate must explain the safety considerations behind their decision, which must be agreed with the examiner. If the candidates elects not to take the transmitter and no one else is available to hold it then you should offer. Whatever process is agreed, it must also be in accordance with any relevant club rules, as appropriate. Generally, for 2.4GHz operations and with suitable consideration, candidates should be able to give a robust safety-based argument for taking their Tx with them to recover the model, if it has landed on the normal landing/takeoff area. Conversely, it is difficult to see how any such argument could be made for candidates using 35MHz or 27MHz equipment. Dick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 The pilot should retain control, More so if electric as there may be assigned safety switch which is unknown to holder. Ah, Robert and Dickw got in first. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 Thanks Dick for the chapter and verse. I tried having a look for the current regs, but trying to find anything on the labyrinthine BMFA website remains as hard as it ever was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickw Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 1 minute ago, Jonathan M said: Thanks Dick for the chapter and verse. I tried having a look for the current regs, but trying to find anything on the labyrinthine BMFA website remains as hard as it ever was. From the main page look under the "More..." menu for the 'Achievement Scheme' item. That takes you to a page where you can access and download all the Achievement Scheme information and documents. Dick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 Thanks, found it here: https://achievements.bmfa.uk/the-tests/standards-guidelines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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