PREFLIGHT
Identify Your Model
No matter if you fly at an AMA sanctioned R/C club site or if you
fly somewhere on your own, you should always have your
name, address, telephone number and AMA number on or
inside your model. It is required at all AMA R/C club flying sites
and AMA sanctioned flying events. Fill out the identification tag
on the back cover page and place it on or inside your model.
Charge the Batteries
Follow the battery charging instructions that came with your
radio control system to charge the batteries. You should
always charge your transmitter and receiver batteries the
night before you go flying, and at other times as
recommended by the radio manufacturer.
Range Check
Check the operational range of your radio on the ground
before the first flight of each day. With the transmitter
antenna collapsed and the receiver and transmitter on, you
should able to walk at least 100 feet away from the model
and still have control. Perform this same check with the
motor running at various speeds as well. Have an
assistant stand by your model and, while you work the
controls, tell you what the control surfaces are doing. If the
control surfaces do not respond correctly, do not fly! Find and
correct the problem first. Look for loose servo connections or
broken wires, corroded wires on old servo connectors, poor
solder joints in your battery pack or a defective cell, or a
damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.
MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to
operate motors.
Use safety glasses when running motors.
Do not run the motor in an area of loose gravel or sand; the
propeller may throw such material in your face or eyes.
Keep your face and body as well as all spectators away from
the plane of rotation of the propeller as you start and run
the motor.
Keep these items away from the prop: loose clothing, shirt
sleeves, ties, scarves, long hair or loose objects such as
pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of shirt or jacket
pockets into the prop.
The motor could get hot! Do not touch it during or right
after operation.
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)
Read and abide by the following excerpts from the Academy
of Model Aeronautics Safety Code. For the complete Safety
Code refer to
Model Aviation magazine, the AMA web site
or the Code that came with your AMA license.
General
1) I will not fly my model aircraft in sanctioned events, air
shows, or model flying demonstrations until it has been
proven to be airworthy by having been previously,
successfully flight tested.
2) I will not fly my model aircraft higher than approximately
400 feet within 3 miles of an airport without notifying the
airport operator. I will give right-of-way and avoid flying in
the proximity of full-scale aircraft. Where necessary, an
observer shall be utilized to supervise flying to avoid having
models fly in the proximity of full-scale aircraft.
3) Where established, I will abide by the safety rules for the
flying site I use, and I will not willfully and deliberately fly my
models in a careless, reckless and/or dangerous manner.
5) I will not fly my model unless it is identified with my name
and address or AMA number, on or in the model. Note: This
does not apply to models while being flown indoors.
7) I will not operate models with pyrotechnics (any device
that explodes, burns, or propels a projectile of any kind).
Radio Control
1) I will have completed a successful radio equipment ground
check before the first flight of a new or repaired model.
2) I will not fly my model aircraft in the presence of
spectators until I become a qualified flier, unless assisted by
an experienced helper.
3) At all flying sites a straight or curved line(s) must be
established in front of which all flying takes place with the
other side for spectators. Only personnel involved with flying
the aircraft are allowed at or in the front of the flight line.
Intentional flying behind the flight line is prohibited.
4) I will operate my model using only radio control frequencies
currently allowed by the Federal Communications Commission.
5) I will not knowingly operate my model within three
miles of any pre-existing flying site except in
accordance with the frequency sharing agreement
listed [in the complete AMA Safety Code].
Failure to follow these safety precautions may result
in severe injury to yourself and others.
CAUTION: Unless the instructions that came with your
radio system state differently, the initial charge on new
transmitter and receiver batteries should be done for 15
hours using the slow-charger that came with the radio
system. This will “condition” the batteries so that the next
charge may be done using the fast-charger of your choice.
If the initial charge is done with a fast-charger, the batteries
may not reach their full capacity and you may be flying with
batteries that are only partially charged.
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