ACRC Club Inc. Flying Site Rules
To Download a PDF Copy Click Here1. DO NOT DRIVE ON THE SOD UNDER ANY CONDITIONS. Walk out to get your plane.
2. FREQUENCY CONTROL PROCEDURES: You may not have your transmitter on the flight line unless your membership card is clipped to the correct square of the frequency board. Guests must clip their current AMA membership card to the board. You may occupy a given frequency for a maximum of 15 minutes, after which you must give it up to someone who wishes to use the same frequency. When you place your transmitter in the impound rack remove your membership card from the frequency clip that you were using. Only AMA and FCC authorized frequencies are allowed at the field. Impounding of transmitters will be required at all organized events such as contests, fun flies and fly-ins.
3. Pilots and guests must have a current AMA membership and the proper FCC license, where required.
4. All non-Spread Spectrum transmitters must display the proper channel numbers. The AMA channel designation plan is recommended.
5. All aircraft must display the owner’s AMA number or have the owner’s name and address in or on the model.
6. Visitors are welcome, but flying is restricted to ACRC members and their guests. Spectators are not permitted in the flying area but must stay west of the pit area.
7. An expansion muffler is required on all engines larger than .049 cu. in. and must comply with the ACRC sound limit of 100 dB. Sound will be measured using AMA guidelines for meter setup and distance. (11/17/05) No engines may be run before 9:00 AM on Sunday mornings.
8. Pilots must fly from designated flight stations at all times. These flight stations may be changed for club-sanctioned events. The 5 flight stations by the downwind half of the runway will be the stations in use. On a calm day or when there is a 90 degree crosswind, the default direction for take-offs and landings shall be to the north and the 5 flight stations on the south side of the center taxiway shall be used. This rule implies that a maximum of 5 aircraft will be flying at one time and only one set of 5 flight stations will be used at one time.
9. Except when flying over the fields to the north and south of the ACRC field, for takeoffs and landings in crosswind conditions, ALL FLYING SHALL BE EAST OF THE INFINITE FLIGHT LINE DEFINED BY THE WEST EDGE OF THE ASPHALT RUNWAY. (08/19/04)
10. When student pilots are receiving instruction all high-speed passes and aerobatics maneuvers shall be done in the in the vicinity of the ditch east of the runway or to the east of that ditch. (08/19/04). (See ACRC FLYING SITE COURTESY, #2, for more information. 2/17/2011)
11. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE STARTED FACING THE RUNWAY. High RPM runups will not be made in the pits. The pits are defined as the west half of the area between the spectator area and the fence. The aircraft should be moved to the area between the pits and the fence for high RPM runups and needle valve adjustments. Run-ups are prohibited directly behind pilots. POWERED MODELS MUST BE RESTRAINED IN SOME WAY, EITHER BY A HELPER OR MECHANICALLY.
12. There should be no taxiing west of the safety fence. In the area west of the safety fence the aircraft should be carried or be under some sort of physical control. Updated (3/20/14) THERE WILL BE NO TAXIING BACK TO THE PITS. RETURNING AIRCRAFT MUST HAVE THEIR ENGINES KILLED BEFORE CROSSING THE PILOT LINE. The pilot line is defined as a line that runs the length of the field through the pilot stations. (4/17/08)
13. Except for emergency landings, all take-offs and landings will be made on the asphalt runway or on the grass area directly east of the asphalt runway surface. This includes hand launches. Dead stick landings have priority over all other landings and takeoffs. All emergency landings, including “Deadstick Landings”, will be called out Loudly and Clearly. (8/19/04)
14. No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the flight area. AMA safety regulations prohibit any flying after the consumption of alcohol or drugs.
15. All members are responsible for keeping the area clean. Take your trash with you. Don’t be afraid to pick up after a member not quite as neat and clean as you are.
16. If you are using a gasoline-powered engine, you are required to have a fire extinguisher at your pit station.
17. Any violations of these rules and any unsafe flying should be reported to the Field Safety Officer or to the Board.
1. All flyers should keep pilots informed of the runway condition so that they don’t have to take their eyes off of their aircraft. Call out your takeoffs, touch and goes, and landings so that other pilots are aware of your intentions. If you are standing on or near the runway when you take off it is especially important that you let the other pilots know that you are there. Clear the runway area and go to your flight station as soon as you take off. REMEMBER - Dead stick landings have priority over all other landings and takeoffs. If you are on final approach and someone calls out for a deadstick landing, call a go around and get out of the way. (2/8/05)
2. The airspace over the runway is normally restricted to Take-offs, Landings, Touch and Goes, and landing pattern practice; with high-speed passes, aerobatics and hovering* done east of the runway. High-speed passes, aerobatics and hovering* can be done over the runway in certain instances such as:
- Only 1 aircraft is in the air.
- At Fun Flies.
- For flight demonstrations at ACRC events.
- With prior agreement of all the on the pilots on the flight line.
- For any other instances pre-approved by the ACRC Board. (2/17/2011)
3. Pilots should use the five pilot stations at the downwind end of the runway. Example - if the wind is from the north, the stations at the south end of the field should be used. This is for the pilot’s safety in case something happens to the plane on takeoff or on rollout after landing.
4. There should be no taxiing west of the pilot stations. In the area west of the pilot stations the aircraft should be carried or be under some sort of physical control.
5. The flying field is not the place to break in a new engine. If you have an engine that needs major adjusting, wait for your frequency to become available and move to the end of the pit area to do the adjustments. Long term running of engines in the pit area can be detrimental to hearing. The 15-minute time limit for using a frequency applies whether you are flying or adjusting an engine.
6. When starting an engine, make sure that no one is in line with the propeller and that the prop blast is not blowing on someone’s equipment. Thrown propeller blades can go both sideways and forward. It is recommended that safety glasses of some sort are worn and some sort of hearing protection is used. All guests and helpers should be in a safe position.
7. Noise is the number one complaint about R/C aircraft and the main reason that flying sites are being lost. It is imperative that you be sensitive to the effects of excess noise. Design and fly your models with the flying site neighbors in mind. Put yourself in their place. How would you feel and react?
8. Fly in a manner that will be interpreted as being responsible by all observers. Flying fast or low near the pits or near any vehicle or building may not only violate club rules, but may turn people against our club and/or club members.