WELCOME TO FCRCC RULES AND GUIDELINES

FAA REQUIRED PERMISSION TO OPERATE WITHIN 5 MILES OF AN ACTIVE AIRPORT

DOCUMENTATION CAN BE FOUND HERE ->    

PLEASE REVIEW THE UPDATED SAFETY SIGN (7/2016) LOCATED ONTHE FRONT OF THE CLUBHOUSE

Links to AMA documentation can be found at the bottom of the page

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, INCLUDING FIRE AND/OR MEDICAL PLEASE FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW.  THESE ARE ALSO POSTED IN THE CLUBHOUSE WITH CONTACT INFORMATION:

IN CASE OF FIRE:

1. QUICKLY ASSESS THE SITUATION AND IF THE FIRE IS SMALL, UTILIZE ONE OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS LOCATED AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE OR ON THE PIT FENCE. AFTER THE FIRE IS CONTAINED AND EXTINGUISHED, WHERE THERE IS DRY GRASS/LEAVES/GROUND PRESENT, PLEASE USE THE WATER JUG LOCATED IN THE CLUB HOUSE TO SOAK THE GROUND TO PREVENT SPREAD OF FIRE
2. IF FIRE IS IN A REMOTE LOCATION WHERE IT IS NOT EASY TO EXTINGUISH CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY TO CONTACT THE MONTAGUE PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCH LOCATED ON TURNPIKE ROAD. CALMLY AND CLEARLY STATE THAT YOU ARE AT THE "FRANKLIN COUNTY RADIO CONTROL CLUB" AND DESCRIBE THE SITUATION.  LET THEM KNOW TO SEND THE TRUCK TO THE TURNERS FALLS AIRPORT GATE 4 LOCATED BETWEEN PIONEER AVIATION AND THE TECH SCHOOL
3. ONCE THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL AND THE FIRE IS NO LONGER A THREAT, NOTIFY A CLUB OFFICER IMMEDIATELY.  CONTACT INFO IS POSTED WITH THIS INFORMATION AT THE CLUB HOUSE.
4. THE CLUB OFFICER NOTIFIED WILL NOTIFY THE AIRPORT MANAGER IMMEDIATELY
5. IF PROPERTY DAMAGE OR PERSONAL INJURY OCCUR REQUIRING AN INSURANCE CLAIM, THE PRESIDENT AND/OR VICE PRESIDENT WILL FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT WITH AMA WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BEING INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT

IN CASE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY:

1. CONTACT 911 IMMEDIATELY
2. NOTIFY A CLUB OFFICER IMMEDIATELY
3. A CLUB OFFICER WILL NOTIFY THE AIRPORT MANAGER IMMEDIATELY
4. IF THE MEDICAL EMERGENCY WAS CAUSED BY INJURY FROM MODEL AIRCRAFT, THE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESIDENT WILL FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT WITH AMA WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BEING INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT

EMERGENCY CONTACTS: PLEASE SEE UPDATED PROCEDURES AT THE FIELD.

2018 Safety Officer - Robert Rigby

Please be mindful that each and every one of our members is really a Safety Officer themselves.  If you see something that isn't Safe, please don't hesitate to speak up.  Safety is the Life of our club and being Unsafe just once, could be the End of FCRCC.

We would like to express that we are not in any way, shape or form, attempting to take the FUN out of the hobby.  FUN is what brings us to the field and gets us to come together to do something that we all truly enjoy.  The following Guidelines, Rules and Regulations are set as "Common Sense" items that everyone should be considering while piloting an RC aircraft (here or any field).  These rules are both general and specific to our flying site and the conditions that may arise being that we are close to the airport.  SAFETY is our main goal, regardless of rules. If there is a Safety issue regarding our aircraft with people and/or scale aircraft it could very well be the end of FCRCC as we know it.

With that being said,  I would like to preemptively thank everyone for being cognoscente of COMMON SENSE, SAFETY and FUN!  Please be mindful of the rules below and LET'S GO FLYING!!!!

-Ted T.

SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL RULES

(Effective Jan 01, 2014)

• This field (FCRCC at the Turners Falls Airport) is governed by AMA Rules and Safety Codes.  AMA membership is required. These safety and operational rules are the minimum safety requirements for flying at this field
• Each Member of the club is responsible for safety.  Each member shall prepare for and conduct flying activities in a safe manner.  It is the obligation of each club member to conduct themselves and their flying so as not to cause injury to others or their property
• When two or more aircraft are being flown at the same time:
  • A traffic pattern SHALL be flown for takeoffs and landings to avoid collisions
  • Takeoff roles SHALL start in the vicinity of the midfield taxiway to protect other pilots in the Pilot Stations
  • Pilots wishing to takeoff must "hold short" of the active runway until given permission to proceed by all other pilots on the line
• GENERAL RULE: The active runway will be determined by the wind direction.  ALL pilots SHALL fly from the established runway.  Pilot Stations are there for your protection.  When three (3) or more pilots are flying, Pilot Stations SHALL be used. NO FLYING over the pit area, spectator area, vehicle parking area or the Franklin County Technical School grounds is permitted.  ABSOLUTELY NO FLYING NEAR OR AROUND THE ACTIVE AIRPORT RUNWAY.  If your aircraft is headed in the direction of the runway, once it leaves our airspace behind the parking area or roadway, we ask that you put it down in the grass immediately before it comes within 500 ft of the runway and its airspace.  Do not try to regain control and bring it around, it will be too late!  If this happens, contact a club officer, IMMEDIATELY!
• Takeoffs, landings and emergencies will be announced in a loud clear voice.  Once aircraft have cleared the runway, a loud announcement of "clear" SHALL be made so that others flying know the runway is clear.  "Dead Stick" landings need to be called out in a loud manner when they occur, so that others flying have the opportunity to get out of the way or get off of the runway.
• A maximum of three (3) aircraft may be flown at one time with exceptions to combat and AMA sanctioned events
• When field maintenance is under way, NO FLYING WILL BE ALLOWED UNTIL THE FIELD IS CLEAR AND MAINTENANCE IS COMPLETE.
• Fly below 400 feet to remain out of the traffic pattern for scale aircraft.  Always be mindful that Full Scale Aircraft ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!  Follow AMA's "See and Avoid" guidance from the link below.
• Should a crash occur, remove all debris from the field once it is safe to do so.  Please do not fill trash barrels or the dumpster with aircraft debris.  Notify a club officer if there is an accident involving one or more aircraft that causes personal or property damage. If an incident involves flying too close to the Active Runway (behind our parking area or within 500 ft) (16-34), Notify a club official IMMEDIATELY!

THESE RULES ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT DURING CLUB SANCTION EVENTS

FIELD MAP

SEE AND AVOID GUIDANCE (AMA Doc 540-D)

A. General:

1. The Primary means to avoid collisions between all aircraft flying within our National Airspace System (NAS) is "See and Avoid"

2. Vigilance must be maintained by each person operating an aircraft (whether model or manned) so as to "see and avoid" other aircraft

3. Model aircraft must avoid manned aircraft.  Our privilege to fly model aircraft in the NAS depends on our commitment to remain "well clear" of manned aircraft.

4. Simply avoiding an actual collision is not enough.  A "near miss" is not acceptable.

5. Unless flying at a mixed-use site where manned and model aircraft routinely share airspace through their own site-specific rules, model aircraft must fly sufficiently far away from manned aircraft so as not to create a collision hazard.

6. Model aircraft flying must not only be safe, it must be perceived to be safe by the greater manned aviation community.  Modelers must continually demonstrate their respect for the safety of manned aircraft by remaining vigilant and well clear.

7. Whenever a potential conflict arises between model aircraft and manned aircraft, the pilot of the model aircraft must always give way to the manned aircraft.

8. The pilot of a model aircraft must never assume the pilot of a manned aircraft can see the model or will perform any maneuver to avoid the model's flight path

9. Visual Line of Sight is required by the Safety Code.  It means that visual contact with the aircraft must be maintained without enhancement other than by corrective lenses prescribed for the model aircraft pilot.  All RC flying must remain clear of clouds, smoke or any other obstruction to the line of sight.

10. "Blue Sky" is a term used to explain the method used to increase separation between a model and a manned aircraft in the same vicinity.  The modeler should maneuver the aircraft in such a way as to increase the amount of "Blue Sky" perceived between the model and the manned aircraft.  By increasing the "Blue Sky" separation, the question about depth perception is taken out of the equation and the modeler need not worry whether the model is closer to him than the manned aircraft or further away. Increasing the "Blue Sky" between the model and the manned aircraft automatically increases separation between them.

11. A modeler should never place any consideration for  the well-being of the model aircraft above the safety of manned aircraft.  Maneuvering to avoid the conflict may require that the model aircraft be sacrificed.

12. Free flight models should not be launched with relativity to low altitude manned aircraft in sight and downwind or headed downwind from the launch site.

B. Spotters:

1. Before a flight, the pilot must insure that the spotter understands his/her duties and expectations.

2. A spotter should be used to assist in monitoring the surrounding airspace for manned aircraft whenever a flight is expected to exceed 400 feet above the ground and that operation is expected to be in proximity to known manned aircraft traffic.  Examples include, operation at a mixed-use facility or within 3 miles of an airport.  The spotter must have sufficient visual acuity and be mature enough to take this responsibility very seriously.

3. A spotter should also be prepared to assist his/her pilot in the event that another model aircraft or spectators become endangered or in turn are perceived to be a danger to the pilot or the pilot's model aircraft.

4. If a model aircraft pilot experiences what he or she considers a near miss, with a manned aircraft, that model aircraft pilot should notify AMA, that model aircraft pilot should notify AMA Headquarters with a written report of the incident, including action taken by the model aircraft pilot to avoid the manned aircraft.  This report is intended to help the modeler, the club, and the AMA capture as much detail as possible so that it may be used to assist all parties in recalling the particulars of the incident at a later time.  Call 1-800-435-9262 (1-800-IFLYAMA) extension 230 or 251 for assistance with this report.

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE REFERENCED AND

INCLUDED IN THE GUIDELINES ABOVE

AMA SAFETY CODE http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf

AMA 2018 UPDATED SAFETY MANUAL http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/100.pdf

AMA "See and Avoid Guidance" http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/540-D.pdf

AMA COMBAT SAFETY CODE http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/525.pdf

AMA MEMBERSHIP MANUAL http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/memanual.pdf