Field Rules & Regulations

I.Purpose

The purpose of the LHMAC Field Rules and Regulations is to promote safe and orderly operations of model aircraft by club members. The safety of the people in the flight area shall always be given the highest priority.

II.Enforcement Guidelines

1. The Field Control officers will supervise field operations to ensure that all activities conform to the field rules; however, all members are expected to be vigilant in anticipating and avoiding potentially unsafe situations.
2. It is recognized that it is not possible to anticipate all possible situations; therefore, the Field Control Officer shall use his judgment in enforcement to meet the intent of these rules.
3. Members may request waivers for specific situations, which the Field Control Officer may grant if the request does not in his judgment constitute a safety risk.
4. The club may waive or alter flight rules for special sanctioned events. For any such event, the specific exceptions shall be documented in the minutes of a meeting prior to the event.

III.General

1. All users must have a valid AMA card in their possession at all times. All non-club members must obtain a special use permit from the Department of Parks and Recreation and the same must be available for inspection upon request by any club or Westmoreland County parks representative.
2. No alcoholic beverages are permitted at the airfield.
3. Permitted hours of flying are from 10:00 AM until dusk.
4. No more than three (3) aircraft are permitted in the air at one time except on Sundays when five (5) aircraft are permitted.
5. All gas/glow powered aircraft must be fitted with mufflers.
6. Flying must be carried out within boundaries shown on the field map.
7. All automobiles or other vehicles must be parked in the designated area.
8. Spectators will remain in the designated areas.
9. All transmitters must be labeled with the owner’s name and telephone number.
10. All airfield users are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the rules and regulations of the “home” club. To facilitate this, a copy of said rules will be available for public inspection at all times.
11. All pilot qualifications will be recorded in a log maintained by the club Secretary. This log is a permanent club document. Log entries will include:
    1. Qualified Pilot First / Last Name and AMA number.
    2. Qualifying Instructor First / Last name and AMA number.
    3. Date Qualified.
    4. Internal Combustion (all types of aircraft) / Electric Only (including Park Flyer) / Park Flyer Only.
12. All pilots including guests must adhere to all flight rules and Mammoth Park Rules during their visit at LHMAC.
13. The club will appoint designated instructors annually for the purpose of training new students, and will provide a list to the membership.

IV.Flight Rules

1. All Radio Control field users shall thoroughly familiarize themselves with the AMA Safety Code and shall strictly adhere to its provisions.
2. The “home” club reserves the right to require all Radio Control Field users to exhibit safe and competent flying skills in accordance with the guidelines established in section VI., Gas/Glow Flight Qualification and Electric Flight Qualification, of this article. Those who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be permitted to fly without the supervision of a flight qualified member.
3. Upon arrival at the field, pilots will impound their transmitter and wait their turn to fly or otherwise operate their transmitter. Prior to turning on their transmitter, pilots will place their frequency control pin on the proper active frequency location, as the sole pin at this location. When finished flying (or otherwise operating their transmitter) pilots will return their transmitter to the impound location and remove their frequency control pin from the active frequency pin location. No one other than the owner of a transmitter is permitted to touch or move a transmitter from the impound. 2.4 users, while required to impound their transmitters, are permitted to operate concurrently and are exempt from the “sole pin” provision of this impound procedure.
4. The Field Control Officer of the “home” club oversees pilot adherence to club and AMA rules, subject to paragraph II b herein, and has the authority to ground unsafe aircraft or pilots.
5. Every transmitter will be equipped with a proper frequency number flag or steamer. 2.4 users are exempt.
6. Troubleshooting of equipment must not be permitted to impede others from flying (e.g., tying up a radio frequency). The person experiencing trouble shall yield to pending fliers after a reasonable period of time.
7. All radios should be checked for range prior to flying or by arrangement with the Field Control Officer. Engine break-in will be permitted only in designated areas.
8. Consideration must be given to the pilot while the airplane is in the air. Distractions must be kept to a minimum.
9. Pilots of radio-controlled aircraft must make every effort to keep the aircraft within the boundaries of the flying site. There will be no intentional flying behind the Safety line. All pilots will generally fly in one (1) direction over the runway. Pilots may fly in alternate directions over the runway when deemed reasonable under then-current airspace circumstances. All pilots are expected to be situationally aware and take care to maintain adequate spacing among aircraft. Pilots who stray from the current pattern will return to the pattern as airspace conditions warrant. Direction of landings and take-offs will be determined by the Field Control Officer each day. All take-offs and landings must be announced by the pilot or spotter.
10. There will be no flying during times designated as work details at the field. Work parties may be called when necessary to maintain safety or to keep the flying field in good condition.
11. All flying is to be conducted from the designated pads along the safety line; however, pilots are permitted to stand adjacent to one another along the safety line in cases where verbal communication is needed. Under no circumstances will flying be permitted from the benches or other pit areas. Any members needing to fly in a sitting position must have a portable chair that can be placed at the designated flight stations and must be accompanied by a spotter while flying.
12. Hand launching of any aircraft is only permitted in front of the pilot’s station. Aircraft should be aimed in the general direction of the flight pattern. Launching from behind the pilots station will be treated as an infringement upon the Safety line.
13. Special considerations will be given in emergency situations.

V.Muffler Regulations

1. All radio controlled aircraft shall be equipped with a suitable muffler. Mufflers may be commercial units or home built units of acceptable constructions.
2. Prohibited muffler types are:
   1. Flow through (with inner tube intact)
   2. Pulse Modulated (Murphy and Dubro types)
3. An exhaust extension or an un-baffled manifold is unacceptable.
4. Commercial units may not be modified in any manner that will reduce their noise abatement.
5. The Field Control Officer will be responsible for accepting or rejecting home built or modified units as well as enforcement of the preceding regulations.
6. If there are serious disagreements as to the acceptability of certain mufflers, the club will purchase or construct a DB meter and set an acceptable noise level in accordance with national or AMA standards.

VI.Gas/Glow Flight Qualification and Electric Flight Qualification

1. Qualification sessions must ensure that the flyer shows knowledge of and practices the field rules and can safely and competently execute the following:
   1. Set-up and check aircraft, engine and radio correctly prior to flight.
   2. Make take-offs to the left and right smoothly and under control (two each).
   3. Make left and right hand rectangular patterns with proper turns at a safe altitude (two each).
   4. Make horizontal figure 8 patterns parallel with the flight line with proper turns at a safe altitude (two each).
   5. Make landing approach and landings from the left and right smoothly and under control (two each).
   6. Make simulated or real dead-stick landings on the flying site safely and under control (one each).
   7. Keep within the designated field boundaries at all times.
   8. Any fail on a section of testing will require a re-test of that section.
   9. Qualification is only valid if completed in the presence of a qualified club member and a class-qualified (gas class or electric class) designated instructor.
   10. Pilots with a gas/glow qualification may fly any aircraft that is AMA legal.
   11. Pilots with an electric qualification are not permitted to fly gas/glow aircraft without the use of an instructor.
2. This section does not apply to pilots flying under Park Pilot rules.

VII.Park Pilot Designation Flight Rules

Park Flyer models, as defined by the AMA, shall be flown in accordance with applicable Field Rules and Regulations contained herein as well as the AMA Park Pilot Rules.

VIII.Grandfather Flight Qualifications

Members are not required to re-qualify due to alterations to elements of the flight qualification requirements.

IX.FPV (First Person View) Flight Rules

FPV Pilots must adhere to applicable flight rules as well as AMA Document 550.

X.Multi-Rotor / Helicopter Flight Rules

1. Multi Rotor Pilots must adhere to the Electric Flight Rules as well as AMA Document 550.
2. Helicopter Pilots must adhere to all gas/glow/electric flight rules.

XI.Infractions / Dispute Resolution

1. Pilots who are issued a flying rule infraction may be subject to a “demo re-qualification” under supervision of a club officer or designated instructor.
2. It is hoped that all members will accept input from each other if a violation of any club or County rule is thought to have been committed. If agreement cannot be reached between the parties involved, this process must be followed: A complaint must be filed with the Field Control Officer. This is to be a written report of the perceived violation with the signatures of three members in good standing. The Field Control Officer will then take the written report to the Executive Board (collectively the club officers) for appropriate action. The Executive Board must reply in writing to the complaint within 30 days of the filing.
3. Any decision of the Field Control Officer or Club Officer regarding flight restrictions imposed on a pilot or aircraft at the time of an incident shall remain in force until the Executive Board (collectively the club officers) reaches a decision and has notified the person or persons involved. If the Executive Board fails to issue a ruling within 5 days, the restrictions are lifted.