Safety Report for October 2016

By Quan Nguyen
 
Our field is getting quite busy again, so I’d like to remind everyone about our flight boundaries. It’s imperative that pilots fly within the Flight Area marked on the sign at the gates. This means no flying past the line of palm trees. Not only is there a pedestrian walkway beyond that, but there’s also a sandy shoreline a little further out where beachgoers hang out and sun bath. The last thing we want is a model plane going down there. Flying over the water is an absolute no no. Equally important is to not fly over the parking lot, pit area, and porta-potty area. When in doubt, study the sign posted at each gate.
 
The next issue is aircraft setup. Beyond the mundane things like making sure wing bolts and aileron wires are attached, I noticed many pilots who maiden their aircraft have way too much control surface throw. This results in an aircraft that is difficult or impossible to fly. One such incident resulted in a jet being ditched in the shoreline… a major safety issue. For most aircraft, a nudge of up elevator throw, 7 to 10 degrees, is enough. No need to make it swing like a door.
 
Lastly, I’ll be stepping down as safety officer, and running for secretary. It’s been a great two years, and I appreciate you all making my job easy.
 
Thanks,
-Quan