Flying in public parks

[Mart61]

I want to have all of your babies!



Perhaps a thread that teaches people how to search for their local byelaws might be a good idea? At least then, should you decide to fly there anyway, you'll know which byelaw you'll be in breach of?



My point here is that, with all the risk assessment, caution, care, etc. in the world if you hurt someone;

1) you're gonna get screwed and
2) you'll not be insured.

[Brian Gifford]

What can i say 'im a muppet' too... lol ... a one that has lots of common sense though
Seriously i cant see the problem as long as the user brings common sense with him. Unlike the little loosers i see flying across my local field on their MX bikes (something i have also done as a hobby but with equal common sense). I actually had a few people come up to me on my local field and say 'why cant the kids be flying models here instead of ripping MX bikes up and down the fields?'. Im lucky as the people here dont seem to have a problem if i want to fly on the field. The houses are a good 1000m behind me. I dont fly when there are people doing activities on the field and i generally use my common sense. Been here about 2 year and never ever had any grief off anyone about it. It wouldnt be the only place i would have flown but due to Washington heli club field being dug up (as per Stuarts post) then there is no other helicopter club near to me. The local fixed wing club is about 1 mile from my house but i left them a long while back because they didnt want to know me when the helicopter came out. Some people just cant justify travelling silly miles to fly unfortunately (and i dont blame them). As long as people act with common sense and maturely then IMO its no diffrent to alot of other activities that happen on local fields. They can be just as dangerous if not more. When i talk about a local field i dont mean a 400m square area in the middle of a housing estate by the way. Thats a diffrent thing altogether and should be never done.

TBH, Lee, that's the crux of the matter. I was guilty of flying where I shouldn't, and we've seen vids on here where people are walking their dogs not far in front of the helis.

[Mart61]

To be fair to you Brian, you may recall that neither you or I could track down your park byelaws (must be in Welsh and not recognisable to Google perhaps?)

As such you may not have been flying illegally. Unwisely perhaps (with the benefit of hindsight)? But maybe not illegally.

[Made2Fade]

I didn't notice anyone tearing Bob J to pieces for hovering his 500 over the big brother house above say 10 housemates. Not to mention everyone else in close proximity ie camera crew, caterers, presenters? Need I go on?
But I suppose that was okay as it was in the name of entertainment?
As excellent and competent as Bob is on the sticks things could still have gone horribly wrong.
For some of us the only option if we want to fly us to do so on public land.
But speaking for myself I make damn sure I fly in a big open space well away from others and I carry out a vigourous risk assessment beforehand and I'm always aware of what is happening around me.

Bloody awsome point mate

[0h5h1t]

why is a 450 fine ?

please explain there not by any means safer than a 500 or 50 nitro

a 450 hits some one at head height it'll do enough damage be it a kid, adult, horse or dog.

Again bloody stupid if it's not permitted by a by-law

I say a 450 is fine as it will do a lot less damage than a 50 or 90 class heli and a 450 is regarded as a "park flyer" and fit within most R/C flying by-laws.

As stated I do not fly at all if anyone enters the field and always have a spotter on the look out for walkers, kids, dogs etc. The area I use (as stated on the odd occasion) gives clear visibility all around for well over 100M, plenty of time to land and spool down.

I am giving my own experience here and not making a general rule or suggesting that it is ok to fly in parks in general, how could I, without knowing everyones skill level and the exact area they intend to fly... And as stated, common sense goes along way to avoiding accidents.

[Made2Fade]

people are walking their dogs not far in front of the helis.

They break the law too though Every time the owner lets them crap in the field/park and they dont pick it up lol
I suppose if everyone kept to the rules then there would probably be nobody in a park lol

[Rob O]

Now i am CONFUSED , so what you are saying then is its ok to scream round a public park or field on a MX bike cause i dont think so . I was actually on your side at one point because of the distance you fly from public areas , but after your reply to my last post you seem to say the size of field or distance from buildings etc dont really matter . I really dont understand the logic with some people on here . Its actually quite scary the risks some will take in the pursuit of our hobby .

[sacko]

Farking ell..

If you fly at a park then that is your concern, dont be a dick a fly in the middle of a 5 a-side football game, just use a bit of common sense.

[trvo]

Just to confirm (since Ash and myself were brought up earlier) - we flew in public parks with no problem for several years.

The reason we were successful is that we had a lookout and plenty of space around us. If we saw something even slightly worrying we were back on the deck instantly. There was also plenty of room for any inflight incidents should anything go wrong.

If I was on my own I would not even consider flying and never have (even down our remote club flying site).

That's not to say it's right or wrong, just that we were REALLY careful.

Trev

[Made2Fade]

Now i am CONFUSED , so what you are saying then is its ok to scream round a public park or field on a MX bike cause i dont think so . I was actually on your side at one point because of the distance you fly from public areas , but after your reply to my last post you seem to say the size of field or distance from buildings etc dont really matter . I really dont understand the logic with some people on here . Its actually quite scary the risks some will take in the pursuit of our hobby .

Please quote where i said these because your way off the mark, youve obviously mis-read something as im saying quite the opposite. The bikes were used as an example of an illegal event that IMO is far more dangerous than me flying there. And its not about being on sides... this is a discussion simple as that... sides dont come into it. Where abouts did i say that the size dont matter? Quotes please

[Sao]

I do hope this isn't going to turn into a bun fight.


Well if it does I am ready.....

[Mart61]

Nice baps!

[Made2Fade]

Where i fly is still a public field regardless of size or how far it is away from the houses.

Rob ill quote myself to save you the bother...
all im saying there is... even though those houses are 800 - 1000m behind me and probably more than enough distance doesnt get away from the fact its a public field. I personally wouldnt fly if the houses were any closer (because i have the common sense not too... which is my decision either way) but just letting you know that at the end of the day its public. Basically im saying that this could still be seen as unsafe by some as its public still regardless of how far the houses are away. Im gathering you mis-interpreted what i was going on about? Hopefully that clears it up a little more by explaing more what my point was.

[Xige]

I agree, up to a 450 size is ok. Anything above that is a real risk to the public, as you get anyone using public parks, kids running around, dogs etc..
The main thing for us pilots is to keep it safe and responsible and have someone looking around the park for you while you fly and keep track of who is around you and what they are doing.

Our helis are good fun and enjoyable to play with, but safety is the top priority after seeing the damage these things can cause.

I always just fly in the garden =)

[Sao]

Even our two club fields are subject to members of the public appearing without warning. Sometimes they wander in to have a look at whats going on and other times there are suddenly 20 'ramblers' in the middle of the field trampling the farmers crops. So we just land and wait till they have passed on. IT's all about common sense at the end of the day.