POLL...Remote control planes verses airparks

[flybynight55]

Hi, guys... It may sound a little silly but i was wandering how many of you guys fly remote control model planes too.

My story is this... I recently purchased a lot in an airpark with a grass strip. Was ready to build a home and hangar. Mentioned to a future neighbor (airpark resident) that i looked forward to flying my models after i built my hangar and he went ballistic..LOL.. Needless to say an emergency home owners association (unofficially) meeting was called and it was decided to pass an ordinance banning rc model flying. 3 days later i sold the parcel of land to that same guy that started the fued.. I would like to know how many of you guys fly rc models and what your opinion is on the subject... I undertsand some of the concerns, but my opinion is that a model airplane in the hands of a skilled rc'er is as safe as a full scale plane and pilot.. I could come up with just as many concerns about full size planes. I saw this same guy take a friends wife up in his plane after having several "social" drinks..Just my thoughts and opinion...Thanks, Tom in Ga.

[lorne green]

I think r/c/ a/c are great, just not at airports. But what does my vote mean... I live in Canada!

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by flybynight55

my opinion is that a model airplane in the hands of a skilled rc'er is as safe as a full scale plane and pilot.. I could come up with just as many concerns about full size planes.

While true, there are a lot of people who see you fly your RC with lots of skill and run out and buy an RC plane only to smash it into someone's house or plane. How do you determine if someone is a "skilled rc'er"?

At my airport, RC planes are allowed and I wish they weren't! One guy was out flying his RC when I pulled my plane out, loaded up, started up and started back taxing. I stopped and waited for him to move his plane. All he did was fly it higher so I could taxi under. This was NOT cool and I made my feelings known to the airport owner. Now they have to land the things when an airplane is operating on the field. He too was a very "skilled rc'er", just not a bright one.

BTW, I like RC planes but I have to agree, not at airports. What if your radio signal was jammed and you hit another plane? Sure you could pay to fix it but then the guy has damage history AND he can't use his plane until it is fixed.

Originally Posted by flybynight55

I saw this same guy take a friends wife up in his plane after having several "social" drinks..

If that was the case, it is your responsibility to call the authorities. How would you have felt if this guy killed your friend's wife and you did nothing to stop it?

[TSwezey]

I probably won't fly any of my RC planes around an airport with planes parked along the runway. I couldn't afford to pay for the repairs. But if the planes land and go to their house then maybe I might fly. I fly my RC planes in my neighborhood, well mostly behind my house over the marshes. I don't think I would want to dent anybodies plane.

[flybynight55]

i understand and agree with with the concerns so far. I guess my point is> if your going to let me live in your airpark and accept my ability and sense of "responsibilty" to fly a full scale airplane with maybe only a 100 or so feet from your plane, home, family, etc. then why not set some rules and also accept the same for flying an rc plane. I know each airport is different from the next, but most of the airparks that i have visited, mostly grass, are not exactly what i would call "active". I was at the airpark mentioned above for about 4 or 5 months and never saw but 2 planes leave the ground. Of course i was not there all the time. Most of the planes are in a hangar and are not airworthy anyway(being worked on or being built). The other thing that bothered me was none of the residents seemed to have a problem with their dogs running up and down the runway or they themselves driving golf carts up and down and across the runway at all times of the day to visit each other. The dog thing was a real concern for me, but i figured, what the heck, i'm out of here anyway..Besides, the homeowners meetings were nothing but fueds about the rules and who and what new rules were needed..I don' think i am a "homeowners association" kind of guy anyway..I too used to living on my own acreage and minding my own business... LOL

[bsacks05]

Reminds me of an episode of Wings to Adventure where Bruce Bohannon is flying his full scale cub while his passenger is controlling a 1/4 scale cub model and they are flying in formation!
Of course, he owns his airstrip.
Whatever happened to Wings to Adventure anyway?

[asav8tor]

When you live on your own property out in the middle of nowhere you can fly your RV. Ride your dirt bikes with no muffler. Shoot your gun. Crank your stereo. Let your kids run wild. Let your dog run wild. Dump your garbage in the yard. Let the grass grow. Let the weeds grow. Run the rivet gun at 3am. Spray paint and let it drift. Burn trash in a barrel. And yes fly your radio controlled airplane!

If you choose to live in military base housing, a gated community, on a golf course, waterfront, view, or airpark type properties you must accept a higher level of responsibility. You must limit your activity from what you could do in the middle of nowhere. These "specialized" communities are interesting in that they bring out agitators and agitates. Much more so than a track home in Vanilla estates subdivision, Anytown USA.

When someone pays the premium to live in a "specialized" community they have a higher expectation. If you fly a radio controlled airplane it could easily been seen as a physical and financial threat. You are just asking for trouble. Don't be an agitator.

Likewise if you do buy a "specialized" property accept what it is. Don't buy on a golf course and get ticked off finding balls in the yard or a broken window once in a while. Don't buy waterfront and then get ticked when someone goes by making waves causing your boat to rub against the dock. Don't buy on an airpark and get ticked off when someone with a C/S amphib is doing a 6am takeoff. Don't be an agitatee.

[cytoxin]

the insurance provided has such limitations that i doubt it would pay off if you had an accident. i have flown r/c at an airpark and it made the pilots very uneasy. there main gripe was they never kenw where i was and my planes were faster than theirs and would out climb them.never did it though, i always stayed very clear of them. i understood and quit flying there....several members and the airpark owner regularly flew r/c. but the complaints soon outweighed the flyers.... some just didnt want to come out and complain for a bit but jumped in on the group dynamic thing. i dont think i would want r/c near my stuff either. i can see without any problem why they would not want to allow it...like the old man told me, if you dont like the rules dont join the club.

and yes to all th reasons to live in the sticks...now my neighbors think "those little toy planes will scare the horses.....1000 ft away minimum. why is it everyone else can do what they want to do but you cant??????? i hate the smell of horse ****...i guess i should try to get them to stop feeding their horses. they dont even seem to mind riding through the yard and leaving little presents for me. they stop my flyin,,,,they have to find another route to the trails. it would be a shame for them to have trailer their horses across the street.i call it peaceful coexistance .BTW they are very nice folks...

[Brian Denk]

I fly RC at my airpark home but mostly just electrics. If there is anyone in the pattern, taxiing or starting up. I land. Period. I fly close, tight and quiet (acro/3D). Sometimes we have hours with nothing on the runway or the pattern, so I get in a few rc flights and call it quits. I don't operate near the runway, just in front of my house or even further away back towards another non-airpark subdivision where there are no aircraft at all. Neighbors have come out to watch and enjoy the show and no complaints have been noted. A buddy of mine also flies electric pattern/acro ships and helos. No complaints either. You just have to been respectful, talk it over and be reasonable. You can only hope the other guy/gal will also behave in a similar fashion. I'm blessed with very friendly neighbors who love aviation in all it's forms.

It's unfortunate you sold the lot. With some further negotiations, it might have turned around for you. Then, maybe not. Non rc savvy people can be hard to deal with. The city sponsored RC park in town has been threatened numerous times by people who chose to build a house RIGHT NEXT TO IT and then complained about the noise.

Why does this sound so familiar...

[videobobk]

I think it boils down to which "click" you're in. We trust our fellow pilots because they are pilots. Got a license, had all that training. But watch out for them ultralight guys! Or R/C, in this case. We have R/C'ers put on an airshow during our Airport Awareness day. There is always someone who wants to break what few rules we have them follow, and someone else to take his side. It isn't any wonder that we are dubious. R/C'ers are to pilots what pilots are to chicken farmers--something else to be afraid of. (We have BIG chicken farms here. Don't EVER buzz one! And, no, I haven't.)

Don't take any of this personally, as you may well be totally "in control" of your planes. It is just a lack of trust, plus they don't want someone who would not be so safety minded to think it open to them, also.

A couple of years ago a golf course opened on the same section of land as our airport. So far, no dented planes that I know of, but coming down final and seeing a golf cart crossing the runway isn't pleasant. Life is a narrow road if we want acceptance. Walk straight.

Bob Kelly