MattJen
Elite Veteran
Location: UK,Gravesend, Kent
| it has been funny reading this thread...
there is deffinatly some strong opinions,
The biggest thing i have found was the introduction of indoor electric hellies, as soon as these came onto the market the need to go a field was removed, and before the 2.4 gig came we had hundreds if not thousands of these little machines all on the 35meg band flying in their back gardens or homes...
my biggest concern was my $12000.00 1/4 scale turbine jetranger was also on the 35meg band, and i was obeying all the rules, flying at a deidcated field, had propper insurance to fly a mcahine,and spent a couple of years having lessons... and learning BMFA(uk equivlent to AMA) safety codes on safe operating of flying machines...
But i could be flying at my club and someone within a 2 mile radius could be flying their little hummngbird or Trex in their backgarden completely unfamilier with rules and safety requirements, as it was sold to them as toy, they fly around and lock me out, and i end up with hefty bill....
Now suddenly the Council or Authroties get to hear of it, i have done training as health and Safety officer, and they hear of a large scale model hellie crashing, they type into google, Model Helicpters, an runryder comes up high on the list, they go looking through all the threads and videos, and see a load of questionable flying by so called WORLD AUTHORITES on heli flying...
these guys and ladies know nothing, about our beloved hobby, and have no empathy at all, in their mind they see people with no regard for safety flying machines which can seriously maim... although they are powerless to stop it what they can do and often do is refuse planning permition to a club that wants to start up, and that is what often people forget, ok in the states you have tonnes of land, here in the UK land is at a premium, as it is in other European lands,
Now i have 4 childeren, and natural curiosity is to go and have a look when they hear a weird or unfamiliar sound, and no matter how good apilot is, being prepared for the unkown doesnt come naturally,
and how sad it would be if it was your kid that was hurt...
Now i know Jason is a world class pilot, no one is saying he isnt, what people are questioning here is discernment, he is respected world wide and looked up to by a lot of young impressionable 3d lads, they see him flying in his front garden, all be it very controlled and safely, they think, well if he can do it, so can i, why should i travel 9 or 10 miles to my field when my garden is bigger than his....
and so the snowball grows.....
I am not against flying in the back garden, i often setup my scale machines and run them up in the garden, but it is very dangerous, very dangerous, and if i got a glitch and it went over the fence into the neighbours garden, what they were interested in at first out of curiosity now becomes a legal battle, i have seen and witnessed neighbours turn against each other, cos the insurance would not cover me, as it was my fault, and i have just wiped out an expensive greenhouse, or killed one of their childeren... extreme i know....
But life would never be the same....
My point is, be safe, and yes enjoy the hobby, but world class pilots should be setting a good exapmple, with great power comes great responsiblity....
Matt
I bought mymother in law a chair for xmas, but she would not plug it in. |
This is exactly the sort of thing that I've been moaning about in other threads. What if........ blah blah blah
