February President's Message

Hello all builders and fliers.  In this issue:

  • Spring is coming!
  • We need mentors. 
  • 4 ways people can learn to fly RC
  • Reducing Noise

I want to thank all of you for being such good sports about my last letter introducing new rules for reducing the number of people at the flight line, and wearing masks.  Neither was likely to be popular but it seems the vast majority of you see the importance.  Let’s be reasonable about both, and keep the fun and safety in our club.  For example, please don’t wear your mask while flying if it is fogging up your glasses. 

Snow?  Some intrepid flyers will put skis on their planes and fly!  Please share pics and videos on our Facebook page if you do.  But really, spring is just around the corner.  Look at your fuel hoses, check your batteries are stored at the right voltage, and do some light maintenance to be ready. 

If you would like assistance brushing up your skills and want some buddy box time or help with a first trim flight, ask around at the field or contact our training manager, Brian Burk at coffeebean1458@gmail.com to find an instructor.

Ian Morrow is organizing a mentorship program for new members.  He needs people willing to introduce them to other members, serve as a point of contact for questions and to make any new member feel welcome.  This is different than being an instructor, so no skills other than friendliness and a little experience are needed.  Ian needs more volunteers.  If you could help with this, please contact Ian at mentorshipmarc@gmail.com

We are often asked by visitors how learn to fly RC.  Tell them there are at least 4 ways, all good:

  1. Go to Hobbytown and buy a transmitter and simulator
  2. Just come to the field and ask around for an instructor
  3. Come to the field Sunday late morning or early afternoon, typically, and find Bryan Connelly and the youth members
  4. Enroll in our summer training program May through August on Tuesday evenings.

And tell them to search for Marymoor RC Club to find our website and all the information there under the Training and Education tab.  Advise them not to buy anything until they look there.

 

We got a polite but strong email complaining about noise last week - the first in recent memory.  The writer emphasized impact to their “neighborhood” on weekends and multiple planes flying at once.  We have replied back to the author explaining that we want to be good neighbors, have been for 50 years, and have training and STEM activities for the local community.  We asked if they could help us by telling us more about the specifics of their experience, but have not heard back.

The pandemic is tough on everyone and people are stressed.  We aren’t sure but the writer may be a mother trying to get kids down for naps and relax with neighbors on a weekend afternoon.  Our goal at this point is to listen, and educate the writer about who we are.

We will not over-react to this.  Because of electrics, the field is likely less noisy these days than it has ever been. But, where there is one person willing to write a letter, there are probably many more who feel impacted but haven’t written.  So what can, or should we do?

Voluntarily, if you have an airplane that is noisier than others, you can try not to get too close to the eastern boundary near the apartments, or throttle back some when you are over there.  By this I don’t mean you should fly in the sun on the west side in the afternoon and compromise the safety of your flight.  The writer specifically criticized several noisy airplanes flying at one time, so if you and friends are flying with noisier-than-most planes, it might be wise to take turns.

In 2012 to be good neighbors we established a rule that all airplanes must be at 90dB or below at 25 feet full throttle on the ground.  Only glow and gas planes with 2-stroke engines larger than .91 cubic inches, and 4-stroke larger than 1.25 typically exceeded that level, so those have been the ones tested.  All planes that passed as well as those in categories that did not need testing were “certified” with a small sticker.

We have not been doing the testing for a few years, so we will be setting up times when you can get your planes measured at the field.  Please make the time to get your planes checked if larger than .91 ci for 2-stroke and 1.25 ci for 4-stroke.

Nitro and gas helicopters are not common but we want to find a volunteer to work with us to develop a practical measurement procedure for them as well.  Please contact our VP Mike McGee if you can help at mcgee.mike@hotmail.com.

That’s all for now.  I look forward to seeing more of you at the field as the weather improves.

Have fun, be safe, and Happy Landings,

Brian D. Kelly (BK1)