One of the aims of this allegedly humorous column is to provoke discussion and controversy. Some of the attempts to do this have, at times, been outrageous. It is perhaps fitting that the largest postbag yet was prompted by a piece which was meant quite seriously ('Safe flying is no accident', in the October issue). Not all of the replies were directed at my main point either - which should also provide a lesson of some kind.
Interestingly, only one of the letters received was 'anti' to the point made. This came from John Greenfield, who was flight line organiser of the 'Wings and Wheels' meeting at North Weald. John accuses me of making inaccurate statements about this meeting, which is rather surprising since what I actually did was ask questions? The only statement made related to the fact that the pulse jet model which was flown had a glitching radio and I can produce as many qualified witnesses as you like to substantiate that one!
John seems unable to understand the significance of flying a model inverted when it is suffering from glitches of down elevator. It doesn't stop the glitching but they become glitches of up - OK? Incidentally, I always thought that 'ghosts' were insubstantial things...
There also seems to be some basic misunderstanding of the purpose of an exemption to the Air Navigation Order being required by models weighing more than 5 Kg. An exemption means that you are not covered by the usual rules and there is no doubt that the existing situation was created to allow what was originally anticipated to be a small minority to fly large models. The situation has now got completely out of hand and needs a drastic rethink.
Various minimum distances are laid down in the exemption requirements which acknowledge that it is a completely antisocial practice. However, being consenting adults, large model flyers want to get together and have obtained further 'clarifications' of the rules which allow them to operate similar devices in close proximity. No, gentlemen, they are not designed to make you fly together, the operative word is 'allow'!
Dereck Woodward, of RAF St.Mawgan, who should really be occupying this chair sent in a long letter which puts the whole thing into perspective:
"We are suffering from a bunch of loonies who want to fly real aeroplanes, but are too frightened to leave the ground, so they entrust control to a dubious radio link with no redundancy and total instrument free rules without so much as a stall warning or even a length of string turn and slip indicator. This must be the ultimate VFR.
"International scale rules are back on the same route as in the old days... - the road to extinction!"
Dereck goes on to draw a picture of larger and more expensive scale models employing larger and more expensive motors with only 4 or 5 able to afford to enter the Nats. Meanwhile, 'light scale' has its limit increased to 5Kg so that the 'pro's' can fly their old FAI models. The trend extends to the well-heeled clubman trying to emulate them with his quarter scale 30 pound Mustang and no more flying skill than he used to use for his 40 powered 'Wot 4'. Yes, he has an exemption certificate which says that he shouldn't fly it over or near car parks - but he always does, because he can't turn right anyway!
Which fits in very nicely with a letter from Chris Bromley, SMAE NW Area chairman, regarding the recent Woodvale meeting. Apparently the conditions there dictated the use of a right hand circuit for landing approaches and as many of the pilots could not do this there was a lot of flying over the crowd. In particular a large scale model airliner which was clearing the crowd line by as little as 6 feet on occasion.
As Chris says, it used to be felt that such matters should not be mentioned in the modelling press as it put ammunition into the hands of the anti-model flying lobby, "but we have got ourselves into a situation where nobody dare say a thing about safety at model displays".
My only experience of a Woodvale meeting was the 1978 World Championships for Scale and Control-line models which were held there. As mentioned last month, I was not impressed. The control-line champs were severely inconvenienced by being overflown by large display models.
One item which emerged from the above correspondence was the matter of flying on frequencies which are not legal in the UK. Apparently this occurred at the ASP 4 Stroke meeting (Ahem, glad I wasn't there) when one participant was allowed to fly a model on 53 MHz. This is a legal frequency in the US of A, but only if you are the possessor of a 'ham' radio license.
Well now, 53 MHz is not a legal ham radio frequency in this country so the whole matter could be very complicated. Let's see if we can simplify it. In this country you are granted an exemption from the need to have a license for controlling a model provided you operate in the correct manner and on a legal frequency. If you utilise an illegal frequency, you need a license!
Since 53 MHz is within the recently disused Band 1 television range (thats why its not a ham frequency in this country) it may well be vacant at this moment. Investigation just might reveal that a limited license could be obtained.
The need for a license should not be taken lightly, since there are problems to obtaining one. For example, while it is possible to obtain a license for operating a model aircraft on a non- legal frequency, there is no mechanism for granting a license for the commercial use of a model. Aerial photographers beware!
Roland Fincham (sounds like a pseudonym), of the Kings Lynn club wrote regarding my remarks about SMAE members not knowing everything that went on at the Nationals. He refers to the Fun Fly competition in which 19 modellers took part and only received one flight each rather than the best of three.
The results of all this were totally ignored by the magazines so that the future Mick Reeves and Ken Binks of this world went completely unrecognised. He ends with a plea for me to pull some strings (possibly he means lines) and get the club modellers recognised.
I have rather mixed feelings about this I am afraid. If Roland was one of those people who voted against the abolition of the SMAE newsletter and against the abolition of the competition license, then he has my sympathy.
Otherwise...
Dereck Woodward's letter, referred to above contains several gems, which we shall return to. For now, how about the following:
LMA actually stands for 'Lumbering Monsters Anonymous'. When you join, you are issued with a helpline phone number. If the urge to build a cheap, lightweight, model to fly all the time for fun strikes you, ring the number. A counsellor then talks you out of it and persuades you to get back to dreams of a quarter scale ply Mosquito.