Rules & Safety Regulations of the Greensboro Radio Aeromodelers, Inc. GENERAL All members of the Greensboro Radio Aeromodelers (GRAMS) using this facility and club flying field shall abide by its rules, regulations, and by-laws as well as all AMA Safety Code Rules, the latest version at the time of flying. Every club member has the responsibility and authority to assist in enforcing these rules. Violation of these rules could result in the removal of flight and club membership privileges. Questions as to adherence to or ignorance of these guidelines should be addressed with the club President or other officers. Any decision made to discipline or terminate a membership will be the final decision of the Board. The field is used at the sole risk of the members (or their guest). The GRAMS Club, its Executives and its Instructors shall not be liable for damages to any model, equipment or vehicles. 1. Hours of operation, on Monday through Saturday, non-electric powered flying is limited from official sunup to 30 minutes after official sundown. Electric powered flying is limited from official sunup to 11 pm. On Sunday, FLYING of electric powered aircraft is allowed BEFORE 12:30 pm and shall be terminated as previously stated. It is our intent not to disturb homes, churches, or nearby landowners. 2. If you are involved in an incident that involves personal injury or property damage to someone other than yourself, you must make a full report in writing to the club President. Remember to keep a copy of this report for your insurance company. 3. Flying guests are allowed three days to visit the club field and must be an AMA member and have a current membership card on their person and prepared to present it to any other club member that requests to review it. Non-AMA members must fly on a buddy box with an AMA member. Flying guests must comply with our field safety rules including the noise abatement rule and the no-fly zones. Spectators are always welcome but must remain behind the fence for safety reasons. 4. Each club member is responsible for keeping the area clean. If you generate any trash please put it in the cans provided. Smoking is permitted. Please discard smoking items in the sand jugs located on the fences. 5. We are proud of the fact that we have several lady members. Our wives and children are frequent visitors. There is no excuse for bad personal conduct or foul language. 6. Children not participating in flying activity will remain behind the fence on the spectator side and will have a responsible adult with them. 7. Pets must be leashed at all times while on club property. No pets are permitted past the fence defining the boundary between the parking lot and the pit area or on any part of the field used for flying. Pets are allowed in the area under the carport as long as they remain leashed and well behaved. 8. Helicopters and autogyros are permitted and must follow the same guidelines as and fly the pattern like fixed wing aircraft. Beginning heli pilots learning to hover should use designated area at the end of the east-west runway. 9. DO NOT FLY ALONE. A second person should be available in case of an emergency. 10. Only four (4) aircraft are allowed to fly simultaneously with pilots standing at designated flight stations. 11. GRAMS is a family-oriented organization. Therefore, no convicted sex offenders may be a member of GRAMS. The consumption of alcohol on club property is strictly forbidden. The consumption of or sale of illegal drugs at the field is strictly forbidden. Anyone intoxicated due to use of alcohol or drugs consumed before coming to the field will be treated the same as those consuming on site. Use care when using prescription drugs for medical conditions. 12. The last club member to leave will check the impound for forgotten transmitters and AMA cards, close and lock the building, the Port-A-John, and on departure, close and lock the gate. 13. It is MANDATORY that all club members hold a current Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) license.
AIRCRAFT & POWERPLANT 1. The AMA and GRAMS require any aircraft flown at GRAMS contain proper identification on or inside the aircraft. This information must include your name, address, phone number and AMA number. Fuel-proof labels are available through the AMA. 2. Any member can inspect a new or used airplane by request to ensure that all safety aspects are followed for that aircraft and pilot. It is recommended that all unflown, new or used aircraft be inspected before first flight. 3. Mufflers are required on all internal combustion engines .10 cubic inches or larger, 2- or 4-stroke. Keeping noise levels to a minimum is critical to our facility and our club. Noise is the number one enemy to this hobby! If we want to be good neighbors, we must make an effort to keep our engines and aircraft as quiet as possible. From time to time we will check the engines for excess noise. If we find an engine to be too loud, you will be asked to modify the engine to meet the standards of the AMA and our club before running the engine at the field. 4. Engine “break-in” must be done in the designated area, west of the Shelter, not in the Pit Area. This designated area should also be used for extended tuning or repair, other than normal flying. 5. When starting aircraft, use approved restraining device or a helper/spotter. When you start engines or motors, position aircraft so that prop blast will not be directed toward other aircraft, pilots, or spectators. 6. Keep starting area clear of debris that might get sucked into prop arc or blasted toward others. Eye protection is recommended around spinning props and rotors. 7. NO ENGINE or MOTOR of any type shall be started or run up in front of the Shelter at the tall fence. This area is part of our Spectator and Concession Area. IV. FLYING 1. There will be absolutely NO FLYING intentionally over the Pit Area, Parking Lot, or Spectator Area at any time. Your aircraft should be in front of you and on the runway side of the flight line at all times. 2. Use loud, clear vocal signals ("Taking Off", "Landing", "Dead Stick", "I Ain't Got It", "On the Runway", "Touch and Go", "Low Pass/High Speed Pass", etc.) to alert others of intentions. All take-offs and landings should be announced. All pilots taking off must yield to pilots landing. Dead Stick and powerless craft have right-of-way. If you must walk on the runway to retrieve your aircraft, let the other pilots know your intentions prior to getting on the runway. Watch for traffic! 3. Pilots must take off from and land on the Runway, parallel to the long dimension of the Runway. Take-offs and landings should be made into the wind, when possible. With wind in your favor, the preferred take-off direction at GRAMS is North-to-South, left-to-right, to enter a left base pattern. After rotating on take-off, turn and bank left away from the Pit Area, Parking Lot, or Spectator Area. 4. Avoid flying beyond the north of the end of the Runway, except for landing. This keeps aircraft away from houses, the church, and Hwy 150. 5. Hand launches should be made from edge of Runway not the Pit Area. 6. While flying and preparing to fly, you must not block or obscure the openings in the hedgerow for exiting or entering the Pit Area. Pilots are encouraged to stand on or near Pilot Station Pads while flying. 7. Do NOT taxi in the pits. Carry your aircraft a safe distance from the pits. After landing, stop the engine as you depart the runway and carry/tow the aircraft back to the pits. 8. All aerobatics should be flown over the open field to the east of the runway. Take care not to get too far east over the no-fly zone. Pilots performing maneuvers out of the pattern, including hovering and other 3D flight must do so parallel to but east of the runway. 9. Low passes should be flown down the center of the runway into the wind and no closer to the pilot stations than the center of the runway. V. HAVE FUN, BE SAFE & SHARE THE HOBBY These rules and regulations were built on a foundation of the charter members' by-laws, formulated through years of experience and were adopted by the members of GRAMS to promote safety and good flying habits. Each year a greater number of guests, visitors and spectators are drawn to our facility; therefore, strict rules and regulations are necessary to maintain traffic control in order that all model aircraft flyers and spectators can enjoy this hobby to its fullest extent. These safety rules and regulations will be updated and modified in the future as necessary. Please feel free to make your ideas and suggestions heard. Remember, GRAMS is not the ground we occupy or the airspace we use, but the people that make up our group.
If you attract the attention of passersby, introduce yourself and tell them what it’s all about. They probably always wanted to do this too!
Getting Started In RC Wow, where to begin? If you are asking, "Hey, how can I get started in radio control (RC)?", the GRAMS Club can help. There are so many sources for advice—hobby shops, flying clubs, magazines, internet, friends or neighbors, public events or displays. These sources will likely have a few pieces of advice in common. You need a flight instructor, a trainer aircraft, and a plan!
An Instructor—Your New Best Friend! Using an instructor makes your introduction to RC more successful, more fun, and hopefully less expensive! While it is possible for you to buy an aircraft and teach yourself, it is rare. Even if you get one hour with an experienced pilot, you will increase your rate of success by a huge factor. No matter how well a model is marketed "ready to fly" or "flight tested" out of the box, you need a pilot to check it out so at least you know it flies. Otherwise, you may not know that the reason you are constantly fighting the controls is because of a warped wing, a loose motor mount, or just a model that is poorly trimmed for level, hands-off flight. So, get help. One hour is better than nothing, but extended instruction is the best. And, you'll have a flying buddy, too!
Speaking of buddies, the greatest tool ever for teaching a new pilot is called the Buddy Box. The Buddy Box is a transmitter system that allows the student pilot's transmitter to be connected to the instructor's transmitter. If the student gets disoriented, the instructor can release the Trainer Switch and take control of the plane to save the day. It's like Driver's Ed for RC!
A Trainer —The Right Stuff! Nearly as important as an instructor is the correct choice of aircraft. This is the fun part; that is, until you are standing in front of a wall of cool airplane or helicopter kits all screaming "pick me, pick me". Or, you are surfing the web and they are popping up on every click of the mouse. Take a deep breath and step away from the mouse! You need to think about this.
A Plan—Have You Filed Your Flight Plan? Once you get an instructor and a trainer, you need a plan for learning. The GRAMS Club has dedicated Flight Instructors that use a proven Flight Training Manual (FTM). This manual is a great learning tool that allows you to progress at a comfortable pace with clear goals. There is a lot of info about engines, electric motors, and other equipment-related processes. Using this plan gives the student complete and robust instruction on how to fly and maintain their aircraft.
Who Do I Call? The GRAMS Club Flight Instructors are dedicated modelers. They have many years of experience in building and flying. Whether you start with an Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) model or one that you have built from a kit, you will be in good hands. Their job is to help you prepare, preserve and protect your plane. Let's face it; if you are working on your plane after every flight, you really aren't learning to fly are you?
The great thing about being in a club is being close to such a huge resource—the members. We have members that have been building and flying models since the days where radio control was, well—subject to change without notice! Never has it been so easy to get into this great hobby/sport. Never have we had such reliable, powerful and accessible equipment. So, don't wait any longer. Get started today!
A Word About Helicopters… Helicopters are a different animal. There really is no such thing as a trainer helicopter. Sure, there are these little electric indoor coaxial-rotored models that are incredibly stable and easy to fly. They will teach you how to hover and are great fun. But, for the larger glow-engined or more powerful small electric models flown at the field, they all have the same inherent instability that make collective-pitch helicopters a challenge to fly. We have several heli pilots at GRAMS. Contact any of the Club Flight Instructors and they will point you to those that can help you.
COTES OF MANY COLORS WHILE WORKING ON A 3D ARF PROJECT, I HAD TO STRIP AND REBUILD THE BELLY PAN. BEFORE I TOUCHED ANYTHING, I WANTED TO BE SURE I COULD COVER IT WITH THE SAME MATERIAL THAT CAME WITH IT. MOST ARFS ADVERTISE HANGAR 9'S ULTRACOTE. THIS IS ACTUALLY ORACOVER, A MATERIAL CREATED AND USED EXTENSIVELY IN THE UK.
MOST OF THE HANGAR 9 AND SEAGULL MODELS WILL LIST THE COLORS USED IN THE KIT. MY PHOENIX MODELS FUNSTAR 3D DID NOT, BUT IT WAS EASY TO FIGURE OUT. AFTER SOME DIGGING ON THE WEB, I RAN ACROSS A CROSS-REFERENCE FOR ULTRACOTE AND ORACOVER. I COPIED AND CLEANED UP THE DOCUMENT AND POST IT HERE FOR ALL TO USE.
PEARL HANU 835 ROYAL MINT 28-043 ROYAL MINT HANU 840 PEARL WHITE 21-016 PEARL WHITE HANU 841 PEARL RED 21-027 PEARL RED HANU 842 PEARL BRIGHT YELLOW 21-036 PEARL YELLOW HANU 843 PEARL DARK YELLOW 21-037 PEARL GOLDEN YELLOW HANU 844 PEARL GREEN 21-047 PEARL GREEN HANU 845 PEARL BLUE 21-057 PEARL BLUE HANU 846 PEARL CHARCOAL 21-077 PEARL CHARCOAL HANU 847 PEARL PURPLE 21-056 PEARL PURPLE
SOLID HANU 866 TRUE RED 21-023 FERRARI RED HANU 867 DEEP PINK 21-024 PINK HANU 868 SMOKE PURPLE 21-054 VIOLET HANU 869 SMOKE LAVENDER 21-055 PURPLE HANU 870 WHITE 21-010 WHITE HANU 871 DEEP RED 21-020 RED HANU 872 BRIGHT YELLOW 21-033 CADMIUM YELLOW HANU 873 DEEP BLUE 21-050 BLUE HANU 874 BLACK 21-071 BLACK HANU 875 SKY BLUE 21-053 SKY BLUE HANU 876 COCOA 21-081 BROWN HANU 877 ORANGE 21-060 ORANGE HANU 878 CREAM 21-012 CREAM HANU 879 GOLD 21-092 GOLD HANU 880 GREEN 21-040 GREEN HANU 881 SILVER 21-091 SILVER HANU 882 LIGHT GRAY 21-011 LIGHT GREY HANU 883 FLAME RED 21-022 BRIGHT RED HANU 884 CUB YELLOW 21-030 CUB YELLOW HANU 885 MIDNIGHT BLUE 21-052 DARK BLUE HANU 886 CHROME 21-090 CHROME HANU 887 TRANSPARENT CLEAR 21-000 TRANSPARENT HANU 888 LIME GREEN 21-042 LIGHT GREEN HANU 889 DARK YELLOW 21-032 GOLDEN YELLOW
POKA-DOTS HANU 920 WHITE/SILVER DOTS 41-010-091 FUN 1 HANU 921 TRUE RED/SILVER DOTS 41-023-091 FUN 1 HANU 922 SKY BLUE/SILVER DOTS 41-053-091 FUN 1 HANU 923 BRIGHT YEL/SILVER DOTS 41-033-091 FUN 1 HANU 924 BLACK/SILVER DOTS 41-071-091 FUN 1 HANU 925 TURQUOISE/SILVER DOTS 41-017-091 FUN 1
CHECKER BOARD HANU 930 1" SQUARES WHITE/BLACK 43-010-071 FUN 3 HANU 931 1" SQUARES YELLOW/BLACK 43-033-071 FUN 3 HANU 932 1" SQUARES WHITE/RED 43-010-023 FUN 3 HANU 933 1" SQUARES WHITE/BLUE 43-010-052 FUN 3 HANU 935 ½ " SQUARES WHITE/BLACK 44-010-071 FUN 4 HANU 936 ½ " SQUARES YELLOW/BLACK 44-033-071 FUN 4 HANU 937 ½ " SQUARES WHITE/RED 44-010-023 FUN 4 HANU 938 ½ " SQUARES WHITE/BLUE 44-010-052 FUN 4 HANU 940 2 " SQUARES WHITE/DK BLUE 491-010-052 FUN 5 HANU 941 2 " SQUARES WHITE/BLACK 491-010-071 FUN 5 HANU 944 2 " SQUARES WHITE/RED 491-010-023 FUN 5 HANU 945 4 " SQUARES WHITE/RED 691-010-023 FUN 6
TRANSPARENT HANU 950 TRANSP RED 21-029 TRANSP RED HANU 951 TRANSP ORANGE 21-069 TRANSP ORANGE HANU 952 TRANSP YELLOW 21-039 TRANSP YELLOW HANU 953 TRANSP GREEN 21-075 TRANSP GREEN HANU 954 TRANSP BLUE 21-059 TRANSP BLUE HANU 955 TRANSP VIOLET 21-074 TRANSP VIOLET (BLUE-PURPLE)
LIGHT-WEIGHT TRANSPARENT HANU 964 LITE TRANSP CLEAR 31-000 LIGHT TRANSP HANU 965 LITE TRANSP WHITE 31-010 LIGHT TRANSP WHITE HANU 966 LITE TRANSP RED 31-029 LIGHT TRANSP RED HANU 967 LITE TRANSP YELLOW 31-039 LIGHT TRANSP YELLOW HANU 968 LITE TRANSP PURPLE 31-058 LIGHT TRANSP PURPLE HANU 969 LITE TRANSP BLUE 31-059 LIGHT TRANSP BLUE