AMA National Club Field Rules

July 23, 2003

AMA Recommended Field Safety Rules
Ground Rules
1. Flying is restricted to club members and their guests, provided that the latter have current FCC licenses (if relevant) and AMA memberships.

2. Cars must be parked in the designated areas only.

3 . Flight boxes and models being prepared for flight shall be restricted to the pit area.

4. On arrival at the field, all transmitters shall be placed in the impound area with the antenna collapsed.

5. No transmitters shall be removed from the impound area unless the appropriate frequency pin is in your possession.

6. All transmitter antennas should display a frequency flag color?coded to the frequency in use.

7.. Possession of the frequency pin shall be limited to 12 minutes if others are waiting.

8. When engines are run up to full throttle in the pits, keep bystanders out of the propeller arc. ; ,

9. Extended running of engines for break?in purposes in the pits is not allowed.

10. Do not aim: prop wash at other modelers or their models.

11. .Spectators are welcome but must remain in the designated area.

Model Requirements

12. All models must comply with AMA safety requirements (rounded spinners or prop nuts, no metal props, no knife?edge wings, etc.). .

13. All new models, or models repaired after major damage, shall be inspected for structural integrity by the club safety officer, instructor, or an experienced pilot before flight.

14. Any radio newly installed in a model or having been in a model during a crash shall be range checked before flight.

15. All internal combustion engines over, .051 cu. in. in displacement, shall be equipped with a muffler.

16. No nylon propellers (unless reinforced by glass fibers) are permitted on engines over .40 cu. in. displacement.

Flight Rules

17. Taxiing a model into the pit area, from the runway, is prohibited. Unrestrained taxiing of model aircraft in the pit area behind the flight stations is also prohibited. You may taxi out to the runway from the pit area outside the pilot stations, however use extreme caution. (Adapted for SPARKS Field)

18. Takeoffs and landings must be made only on the active runway in a direction into the wind (or a mutually established direction at flight time if no wind direction is obvious).

19. Hand launching is permitted only from the designated area. Positively NO hand launching from the pits.

20. If a model must be carried out onto the runway for a takeoff, this intention must be previously announced to any other pilots. Members pursuing this practice must promptly clear the runway when the model is released.

21. Pilots must stand only in the marked "pilots' box." Only pilots, instructors, and spotters are permitted to stand in the pilots' box.

22. No persons shall stand on the edge of the runway.

23. All takeoff and landing attempts shall be previously announced to other fliers.

24. A landing aircraft has the right of way over any aircraft taking off.

25. A "dead stick" aircraft has the right of way over all others.

26. When an engine goes dead in flight, shout "Deadstick" loudly several times to warn others of the impending landing.

27. In any case of model malfunction in the air (radio or mechanical) promptly announce the problem to the other fliers in a loud voice.

28. Any person wishing to retrieve a model from the runway shall previously announce this intention to other fliers.

29. No engine restarts shall be made on the runway.

30. There shall be no flying over the pits, spectator area, parking lot (or any area where people are permitted to congregate). Note: At some fields this rule may state, "All flying must take place in front of the line formed by the near edge of the runway extended to infinity in both directions."

31. There shall be no flying over adjacent houses.

32. Low fly?pasts are not permitted closer to the pilots' box than the center of the runway.

33. No models shall be flown above an altitude of 500 ft.

34. No more than five (5) powered models are permitted in the air at once.

35. There shall be no flying before 7:00 a.m. or after dark.

36. There shall be no flying during runway mowing operations.

40. Members must display a club identification badge on their person while at the field.

41. No person shall attempt to fly a model unaccompanied by an instructor unless they have reached the minimum flight proficiency level.

42. Gasoline fueled models shall be confined to the No Smoking area while in the pits.

42a. Gasoline powered engines must be fitted with a kill switch.

43. No person should attempt to start an engine or fly a model while alone at the flying field.

Other Rules (not necessarily related to safety)

37. Fliers shall not consume alcoholic beverages or drugs at the flying field.

38. Anything you bring to the flying field shall be removed when you depart. Particularly food related refuse.

39. Pets shall be confined to the spectator area.