New JR DSX12

[raptorheli2]

mark, sorry i missed your post about the accident in phoenix.

i won't get into a debate or comment too much but suffice to say it was a tragic accident which the pilot went to jail for on the spot if memory serves.

last word about the familes involved in the accident. i hope they have a merry christmas and thoughts are with you.

cheers

[ChrisB]

I suppose everbody has noticed Fast lads have already knocked 200 quid off the price.

And Inwoods are 80 quid cheaper again.

[mchristyuk]

Scallybert,

Yes everything is negotiable.. as you can see a number of retailers are discounting it already. Of course I'm sure if the UK importer could order them in by their thousands like the US we'd get even better pricing.. but being such a small market means we end up having to pay a premium on just about anything!

Cheers

Mark

[mchristyuk]

Raptorheli2,

Actually I believe nobody was imprisioned over that incident (if I remember correctly here.. it was a long time ago). From what I recall from talking to people involved the radio gear was all fine and I think there was actually a mix up on the frequency board.. at least that is one incident 2.4ghz can save us from in the future..

However had the equipment been a grey import, even though that wouldn't have contributed to the accident directly, I dread to think of the ramifications.. which were already dire.

If nothing else I hope this thread can serve to remind us that we are not playing with toys and we all have a huge responsability on our shoulders each time we turn on to fly. The machines and the rules & laws that govern us are not something to be flippant about.

Cheers

Mark

[raptorheli2]

mark, i must have the incident mixed up. i do remember a 42% pitts going into a crowd somewhere and killing someone. pilot was from germany i think and he was arrested for it. it was later found to be a local radio station was bleeding outwith their alloted frequency.

cheers

[Ashley Davis]

I think that was more recent and was a flying display. It made international news.
There was also some video of it from what I recall.

[Mouldy]

I suspect Marcus will find that on YouTube then......

[Ashley Davis]

hello mucca, yeah, I expect we will get treated to that at some point.

[Mouldy]

Mornin! Was feelin left out so thought Id come and see the fun for meself!!

[mchristyuk]

Raptorheli2,

Yes that was a separate incident.

Here is a link on the BBC to the Phoenix accident:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/503181.stm

Cheers

Mark

[barney]

The Phoenix accident. The model in question had entered failsafe (PCM) but the throttle had not closed and the model continued uncontrolled. All equipment involved was taken by the CAAfor further testing to ascertain the cause of the accident.

PCM Failsafes.

The coroner recommended Radio Manufacturers change there default setting in the radio programing so when a radio system enters failsafe mode the throttle defaults to to cut/low idle. At that point in time most sets had the default setting to Hold Last good Position on the throttle channel.

Also he recommended we introduce improved frequency control systems. ( I think the BMFA opted for Peg On/Off if I remember correctly).

Unfortunately there have been other fatal accidents over the years in the UK.
An Acrowot R/C plane had a structural failure in flight (poorly glued or repaired tailplane from memory) which went out of control crashing beyond some trees hitting a young Girl out with her parents on common ground.

A long time back now.

A R/C glider hit a stray hanglider who encroached into a recognised R/C flying area (shared ridge) causing a rigging wire to snap. The R/C glider used a metal joiner which severed the cable causing the hanglider to spiral out of control.

The Accident abroad you are thinking of was in Hungary? I think at a model airshow involving a German Pilot..A large petrol powered scale Pitts crashed into the crowd killing 2? The Pilot and shows organisor were immeadatly Jailed untill it was investigated.

Be assured all accidents like these are fully investigated by the relevant authorities.

It is up to the operater to ensure his equipment conforms and is in good condition prior to flying.

Sorry to have to talk about such sad things but we must learn from these accidents to prevent them hapening again.

Brian

[Bugster]

CE marking

Just my 2p worth. We get involved with CE marking at work and, as I understand it, CE marking was conceived to allow free trade of products within the EEC. The idea being that the importer or manufacturer of goods in the EEC is required to ensure that they comply with all relevant EEC directives (and there are 1000s of them) before marketing them. He must keep and maintain a technical file showing that this has been done to the letter of the law. The importer/manufacturer must then sign a certificate of conformity after which a CE sticker can be legally shown on the goods. A copy of the certificate of conformity can generally be found somewhere in the paperwork/handbook that comes with the goods.

It's a pedantic procedure but it's here to stay and like it or loathe it the intention behind it is good - i.e to protect the consumer from unsafe goods.

Now here's the little known bit - the owner of any imported/manufactured goods in the EEC can be challenged by the authorities to prove a CE mark is valid. Yes that's you or me. And if the CE mark is invalid for any reason the goods can be seized and you can be prosecuted.

So I would ask the purchaser of any grey imported goods is it worth the risk? Because as has been said earlier in this thread, in the event of an accident you would probably not have a leg to stand on. And you can bet any insurance you have would be invalid.

I know this is a worst case scenario but felt I should let folks know what I've learned at work.

And finally I hope a friend of mine won't be offended if I tell you of his clash with the authorities over CE marking. Like us, his firm imports goods from China and at a trade fair he spotted some snazzy little radio controlled golf carts. You kept the controller in your pocket and the cart would follow you round the course at a safe distance. Being a keen golfer he homed in on them and arranged for a batch to be sent with his next shipment. They duly arrived and he proudly took one out with him for a round of golf. It caused a sensation with his mates as no one had ever seen anything like it at that time. He sold quite a few.

Well he was at work a couple of weeks later when a group of official looking types arrived and announced he was in contravention of the Wireless Act (I think?) and asked to see his certificate of conformity. He hadn't bothered to check whether these caddies had one. They seized the lot. He was prosecuted and had to pay a hefty fine. Apparently his golf carts had been running on a frequency reserved for civil aviation.

How did they find out ? He had sold one to a mate who worked for the Ministry of something or other who showed it to another mate who was involved with certificates of conformity and noticed it had no CE sticker

[scallybert]

Of course I'm sure if the UK importer could order them in by their thousands like the US we'd get even better pricing.. but being such a small market means we end up having to pay a premium on just about anything!

This is one of the arguments in favour of a single European market.

The downside is that for this to work, the regulations have to be harmonised across member states. This can slow progress, and can also result in regulations being harmonised to those of the most restrictive state.

This tends to bring prices down, both down to competition (eg if prices are cheaper in Germany, customers can legitimately buy pukka kit in Gremany), but also because the manufacturers'/suppliers' costs are reduced, as they only type-approving or developing against one standard, and the costs are spread over more units than if they were developing to many national standards.

[barney]

Thing about the CE mark is all the sets I've seen all have a CE but with a circled exclamation mark ( CE!) apparently meaning it may only be compliant in SOME EU countries

cheers Brian

[Ashley Davis]

At the end of all this what we learn is that the CE sticker really means f'all as anyone can stick one on there, you can buy them a roll at a time on ebay and basically it's existence is really of no use to anyone as it can't be trusted.

We may as well all phone up the manufacturer and send off our sets to be tested as the existence of the CE sticker is absolutely no guarantee of anything.