Once again, Happy New Year to all, even though we’re just ending January and beginning February. Here we are starting our fourth year of bringing you all news, etc. that’s fit to print under the FWF banner. Hope the holidays were great for everyone, and that Santa brought all the goodies you asked for, since I know we were all good little boys (and girls) last year. I did not get the main item I asked for, which was for a slew of 36 hour days, with the additional 12 hours set aside exclusively for RC modeling. I guess Santa can do the difficult immediately, but the impossible takes a little longer.
We’ve started 2008 with a number of items everyone should be aware of. See the News portion of the web site for complete info. We expect your cooperation on one of the most important- from a Safety point of view- item going into effect, which is the requirement that all pilots have spotters at their sides while they fly. This is not, strictly speaking, a “new” directive- we have required spotters in the club since Day One. We simply have gotten away from enforcing the arrangement these last few years. Going forward, you’re going to have to “buddy up” with someone if you’re going to fly. Every other club I belong to, and every RC flying event I’ve ever attended, requires you to have a “co-pilot” at your side if you’re in the air.
While we’re on the subject of spotters, there is a specific protocol involved with being a spotter. The following is a primer on how to be a top-notch spotter, and asset, to your fellow pilots. First, ask the pilot you’re going to help if he wants you to be an ACTIVE or PASSIVE spotter. If you’re going to be a Passive spotter, your job will essentially be to look where your pilot isn’t looking, and be prepared for the “worst-case scenario” involving your pilot while flying is taking place. More on this at the end of our presentation.
When a pilot asks you to be a Passive spotter, he or she is basically saying that they will be taking responsibility for making all announcements required before, during an after the flight, including any permissible maneuvers involving MOMENTARY, in-flight use of the runway, such as “LOW PASS” or “TOUCH AND GO”. The pilot- not you- will be announcing the standard alerts, such as “ON THE FIELD” when their aircraft is either taxiing onto the runway, on being placed on same by you, “TAKING OFF”, “LANDING” and, of course, “DEAD STICK” when power (either engine or motor) is lost.
As a Passive spotter, your primary job is to keep an eye out for anything that will affect your pilot’s control of their aircraft, and IF NECESSARY, protect the pilot from harm that may result from such interference, physical or otherwise (what the heck did he just say?). Translation: you are primarily looking for obstacles to their concentration and work as pilots; from the moment they taxi out, to the moment they taxi in, or the aircraft is retrieved. We will, for the moment, once again purposely leave off referring to the “worst case scenario” briefly mentioned above. For the most part, you will verbally advise your pilot where everyone else is in the air when he or she IS in the air, or that it’s safe to land- as in there are no obstacles, etc. at the END of his landing area, NOT the beginning.

The pilot can, for the most part, see what’s immediately ahead of their aircraft. What they can’t see is the moron who’s decided to stroll onto the far end of the runway to retrieve a wheel that fell off, or some other bonehead move (all moves on or near the vicinity of the runway are bonehead moves, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED YOUR PRESENCE “ON THE FIELD” and your are not, in fact, doing something boneheaded). By the way- some pilots prefer a constant stream of information during the entire flight, including time left (if an agreed flight duration has been established). Other individuals prefer only sporadic info, or only a quick warning of imminent danger. Make sure you’ve worked out how much verbal input your pilot expects from you BEFORE he or she takes off.
If you and your pilot have decided that you’re going to be an ACTIVE spotter, then your duties will now include responsibility for relaying the pilot’s intentions to the rest of those flying, and on the ground, in the immediate vicinity. This means that if you’re at either far end of the flight station lineup, you have to make sure the pilot / spotter combo at the OTHER far end of the lineup can hear you. If you do that, then everyone else in between is covered. Make sure you tell both groups (to your left and right) what is happening if you happen to be in any other flight station other than at both ends.
In addition, your duties as an Active spotter may include the physical positioning of your pilot, or a change in his or her original position, as conditions dictate. This is typically more the case at the beginning of a flight if the pilot has elected to take off standing behind the aircraft on the runway, and he or she needs you to shepherd them behind the safety barrier and onto a flying station.
We’ve come to the end of our primer, and I promised we’d discuss the “worst case scenario” at this point, but this first epistle of 2008 is getting long, Lyle is running out of space on the web site, and we need to remind folks we’re looking for volunteers to man our booth at the WRAM show February 22nd through the 24th. Please let us know NO LATER than our next meeting on February 19th. We’ll continue our primer on how to be a spotter next time. Make sure you are renewed with the AMA before the end of the WRAM show, so you don’t get hit again with the Initiation Fee of $30 in addition to dues when you renew your membership for 2008.
Hmm- there are some 45+ degree days coming up, with clear weather. I wonder if I can make it to the field this weekend. Until next time-

… Fly safely, but FLY!