Presidents Corner

August 2004

 

The Hurricanes are history and thank goodness they did not hurt us. Thanks to Steve and Billy for getting our field ready by removing the covers off the tents. As it turned out I don’t think they would have been a problem but you can never tell.

Well here we are again another month is gone and what a good time we had. Always good to go out to the field and meet and greet old and new friends. I have several topics for this month so I will get right into one.

Safety is everyone’s business I will relate a true story and you can sum it up for yourself. A modeler was testing his engine is his back yard. Did everything right tied the plane down so it could not move. Started the engine and went to get up to go behind the prop to make the adjustments. Just then he lost his balance and his left index finger when into the prop. It did sever the first joint of his finger. His wife was there with him and called for help which arrived in minutes. He will remember this event for ever since he is now without one joint on his left hand index finger.

Moral of this story always have someone with you when you start or run any engine accidents happen in less than a blink of an eye and if you are alone it can be fatal. Just suppose this had happen at our field and he had been alone he could have bleed to death before anyone found him. If you are going flying take someone with you or call a flying friend to meet you at the field. Everyone is a little different on something like this, some people would have gone into shock at the sight of their blood. SAFETY FIRST LAST AND ALWAYS!! O K !

The next thing I am going to talk about may hit a few people where it hurts but here goes. It was brought to my attention that we have a new member that needs some training and he has been out several times and no one has helped him. Well there are two sides to this coin. First if I had paid the price to join this club I would be asking everyone for help. Also if I had just invested in the necessary equipment to get into this hobby I would be asking for help. As I did when I started about forty years ago.

Solution to this is very simple and in fact is already in place. On the application is a place to check that he needs help. The membership chairman then gets in touch with Jim Holloman or Dave Tuttle. Either of these people will put him or her in touch with a person to help with training. He or she is assigned a trainer. The new member should coordinate with the trainer so they are both at the field at the same time. If the assigned trainer can not be at the field. Then the following would apply.

As another way of making sure everyone at the field knows when there is someone there that needs help there is now a board just to the left of the frequency board for persons needing training to sign in when they arrive at the field and their assigned trainer is not present. Everyone is not at easy training so it could be that no one would be there to help but unless you let it be known you need help there is no way the people at the field would know.

Now the next thing is about the number of cards allowed on the frequency board at one time. We ask that only four (4) pilots be in the air at any given time. However the number of cards on the board can vary. Lets think about this one for a minute. There are four pilots in the air, one person has his radio and is testing his engine on the test bench on the west end of the field. Now we have five (5) cards on the board. Now we have a pilot learning to fly his helicopter and he is on the west one of the field trying to get off the ground. Now we are up to (6) on the board and that is fine. Lets say that someone else has a new plane and has make his first flight and needs to make some adjustments to his controls. Now we have (7) on the board. As you can see the number can grow and that is all fine and dandy. As long as when you are finished with what ever you are doing you return your radio to the impound area and remove your card so someone who may be in one of the ready boxes can get his radio. As a matter of fact there could be an additional six (6) cards on the board with persons in the ready or start up boxes. Still we only want four (4) planes in the air at once. This is covered in the recommended field safety suggestions (see # 17) we have posted at the field and are available to everyone.

At our meet we had on July 10, & 11, we had six (6) planes in the air at once and showed everyone why we like to keep it to four (4), the mid air collision in case you were not there.

There are about 60 different frequencies that we can use counting the ham band so lets not get excited if there are more than four cards on the board.

Everyone please as a courtesy to others return your radio to the impound area and remove your card when you are finished flying or testing/ checking your model.

There are two times your radio should be out of the impound area with out your card being in the slot. First when you arrive at the field and are unpacking and when you are packing up to go home.

As some that was at the last meeting heard we have purchased an old school module and have to move it to our field. The price of the module was nothing but the cost to move it is going to put us back where we were when we finished the building we have now. Almost broke and we still need to get the apron at the entrance put in. Looks like we will be doing some more work on and at the field. First we need to go and remove the ramp going into the module so it can be moved. The mover does not remove the ramp or the under penning. Please get in touch with either myself or Billy Dilworth and let us know if you can help with this project.

We had 35 people attend the supper at Splendid Buffet on August 4. Very good turn out, it is nice not to have to cook and clean up once in awhile. We are always looking for more places to hold our suppers so if you find a good one let us know so we can check it out. It seems most folks prefer a buffet so keep us in mind when you are out and about.

Some changes to the persons heading up the committees as you can see from the list and also there are some changes to e-mail address and a correction to a phone number.

Billy Dilworth is now heading up the Field Design and Upgrade Committee. If you can help him with this or have any suggestions let him know. The function of this committee is to come to the board with recommendations as to what we need to do with the field to make things better or to complete a project. We are always looking for people to help on the committees and the work that needs to be done.

We have three people coming off the board at the end of the year and need some replacements. Billy Dilworth as vise president will be heading up that committee in October so let him know if you are willing to run or if you want to place someone else in nomination. Now is the time to start talking about it and thinking about what we need to do for next year.

The way it is set up now under the new by laws that was voted in in 2002 we need three (3) new people every year. Each person is elected for a three year term. Remember this is your club so get involved.

Once again if you have an e-mail address and are not getting anything from me please send me a note by e-mail and I will add you to my address book. I have everyone on there that I know about. Also if you get a computer or just sign on for e-mail let me know. This is a quick way to get news to you about things going on like a reminder about the supper and the meetings and when the field was closed due to the drive way being torn up.

Until next month keep them flying and above all have FUN.

Ray Thompson

________________________________________________________________________

Manatee County Radio Controlers Inc.

Membership Meeting Minutes

Auguest 29, 2004

 

The meeting was called to order at 12:30 PM by with Ray Thompson presiding.

A Quorum was established with twentyfour members present.

The minutes of the meeting on July 25, 2004 were read by Robert Siller. Roger Jones

made a motion to accept as read. Jim Hollaman seconded the motion. P.U.

Rick Wheeler reported the clubs current finiancial status.Steve Bevington made a

motion to accept as read. Robert Siller seconded the motion. P.U.

RoseMary Musgrove announced the next MCRC Dinner will be at Stacey's at 4848

14th St.West, Bradenton on September 1st. Drinks available at the field for 50 cents.

Bruce Gross introduced two new members: Stanley Roman and Al Yeagle.

Steve Bevington announced that the runway is being mowed on Monday and the

whole field on Friday.

Laura Long has started organising a class A compition fun-fly on October 16 & 17 at

our field. Don Shearer made a motion to raffle a TV at the fun fly. Don Williams seconded the

motion. P.U.

Announcements:b

Sparks Fly-in Sept 11, 2004 Sparks Field

Next Board Meeting Sept 8, 2004 Jones Aviation 7:30pm

Next Member Meeting Sept 26, 2004 field 12:30pm

Charles Johnson won $29. in the 50/50 drawing.

At 1:12 pm Steve Bevington made a motion to adjourn. Laura Long seconded the motion. P.U.

Robert Siller

secretary MCRC