Model Airplanes

CLOSE

Flying a drone requires common sense and following local and federal guidelines.
Wochit

If a drone is on your Christmas wish list or you plan to buy one during the holiday sales season, be aware of a long list of rules to stay out of trouble.

It’s not as simple as tearing open a drone box and becoming an instant amateur pilot in your backyard. And most of the cool places you might want to fly are off-limits, such as the Sundial Bridge, Whiskeytown Lake, Burney Falls and Castle Crags. Don’t go there with your drone.

“Pay attention to local rules. Federal lands tend to be off-limits and always be safe and use common sense,” said Brad Finch, manager of Redding RC Hobby.

Basic rules for hobbyists include not flying a drone higher than 400 feet and don’t soar over people and buildings, Finch said. Don’t intentionally fly over moving vehicles and it’s a good idea for drone pilots to bring a spotter along, according to national instructions. Another guideline: Don’t fly while drunk or on drugs.

To prevent drones from colliding with airplanes and helicopters and to keep the airspace safe, 5-mile, no-fly radiuses have been established at Redding

Article source: http://www.redding.com/story/news/2017/11/22/getting-drone-holiday-season-heres-what-you-need-know/876680001/

Ho-ho-ho … Santa is practicing his deep belly laugh, shining his black leather boots and grooming his snow-white beard in preparation for his appearances this weekend during Planes, Trains and Santa at the Military Aviation Museum.

“I get to talk with so many children and make certain that they get their wish lists to me in time,” said Santa, who will make his arrival via vintage plane at 11 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

During his visits, Santa will hear what kids want for Christmas, and hand out free balsa wood gliders for them to assemble and fly. Holiday movies will show in the theater; and food trucks and the museum gift shop will sell snacks and beverages.

In addition, young and old can see the museum’s vintage airplanes and watch model trains chug around tracks that roll through villages and towns.

“Trains make people happy, no matter the age,” said Teena Vogel, secretary and membership chairman with the Tidewater Modular Railroad Club, which will feature HO scale trains, or 1/87th the size of the real thing.

Here, Military Aviation Museum pilot Boom Powell and Santa mentally prepare for the big weekend:

When flying Santa, remember to …

• Check the weight and balance of aircraft carefully. Santa’s magic bag of toys may fit in the small baggage compartment, but there’s a lot in that sack – and there’s his “bowl full of jelly” belly to consider.
• Do not let Santa take the controls – he

  Article source: http://pilotonline.com/entertainment/festivals/checking-it-twice-here-s-santa-s-list--/article_3fa79ecb-ca7e-5a95-bb2c-5fe511ad3c02.html

• Article source: http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/New-children-s-book-set-at-Danbury-Airport-12378006.php

Two individuals from the American Modeling Association expressed concerns about the town’s proposed drone law to monitor takeoffs and landings, but the Town Board has unanimously approved the new local law.

The town held a public hearing on the change in code during the Nov. 15 Town Board meeting.

Ellis Road resident Frank Zbytek, a model airplane flyer, said he was worried that Orchard Park would try to limit the use of a drone by hobbyists.

“Everybody that flies model airplanes is not some renegade out there with a drone that’s going to cause trouble or spy on neighbors,” Zbytek said.

Zbytek added that the AMA board is constantly working with the government and the Federal Aviation Administration to make drone use safer for the public.

Donald Robinson, a resident of Wright Avenue in Buffalo, attempted to educate the board on drones.

Robinson said the DJI family of drones has geofencing in the software to prevent the drone from taking off in a congested area, using the airport as an example.

“That’s just the way the technology nowadays is changing,” Robinson said. “It’s changing so fast that if the town can just hold off and give the droning community a little bit of time to begin to sort through some of this, you’ll find out that the majority of people that do have drones are good people.”

Robinson added that if the company doesn’t force modelers to do a software update, the company could be culpable if a drone were to break above New Era Field and cause

Article source: http://www.orchardparkbee.com/news/2017-11-23/Local_News/Town_enacts_new_drone_law.html