Waharoa Model aircraft in the weekend 30-1-10

[Efliernz]

Something different - but aviation. A large-model rc competition was held over the weekend with pilots from NZ, Aus and USA here.



Many of the models were over 2.5M wingspan with power-plants in the 80-150cc petrol size. Photos are here in my web gallery: Gallery - click me

Pete

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Efliernz @ Feb 1 2010, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Something different - but aviation. A large-model rc competition was held over the weekend with pilots from NZ, Aus and USA here.

Many of the models were over 2.5M wingspan with power-plants in the 80-150cc petrol size. Photos are here in my web gallery: Gallery - click me

Pete

Pete, Im sorry i dont know why i didnt see your post before. Great shots....those in flight ones look like the real thing
So much money involved in those things....Ive seen a few crash....really makes you feel sick, God knows how the owner feels......imagine pranging some other guys plane

Is that giant C-130 still about.....amazing beast, and some guy in the UK has a monster C-17.

Thanks for shareing that Pete .....cheers

[Naki]

Hey I missed this post too....my dad flys RC (scale) aircaft and has flown at Waharoa....

here's some pics I posted a couple of years back

http://nzff.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...amp;hl=matamata

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Naki @ Feb 25 2010, 10:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey I missed this post too....my dad flys RC (scale) aircaft and has flown at Waharoa....

here's some pics I posted a couple of years back

http://nzff.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...amp;hl=matamata

Wow.....amazing pics.I didn't know there was such a large scale following in NZ. Like the look of the seafury and the 190, but all of them are awesome.
Naki, do you know if there is a limit to the sze they can fly ,before some kind of CAA rules apply? Something that big could cause havoc if it floated off into controlled airspace

The ultimate r/c would have to be one of those QF-4 Phantom drones. ......or the r/c moths they played around with during the war.

Thanks
Cheers

[Efliernz]

The national model aircraft body, Model Flying NZ have details on their site, www.nzmaa.org.nz. We do need to follow CAA rules in relation to where we can (or cannot) fly etc.

For large models, here are the rules...

Legally, this Certification Process gives effect to CAA regulations and to NZMAA
safety rules as follows:
Category 1: Models 15kg – 25kg
Authority is delegated to NZMAA by CAA to issue Permits to Fly to owners of
radio controlled model aircraft in the weight range 15kg – 25kg. It is illegal
under NZ law for models of this weight to be flown without written permission
from NZMAA. Certification is also required by NZMAA safety rules.

Category 2: Models 25kg – 100kg (in law, actually ‘pilotless aircraft’)
CAA authorizes NZMAA to manage the certification process and to
recommend that CAA issues written permits to owners of pilotless aircraft in
the range 25kg – 100kg, to be flown for recreational use only. NZMAA has
sole authority from CAA to inspect such aircraft, to make recommendations to
CAA, and to issue Permits to Fly at Public Sites, relating to aircraft/pilot
combinations. Certification is also required by NZMAA safety rules.
Category 3: Models less than 15kg but with IC motors 75cc or electric motors
5,000 watts input or larger
NZMAA safety rules require that these models be certificated.

For those that are interested in some slightly smaller modelling, here is my gallery from the Hamilton Model AeroClub's amphibian flyin early last year... Click me

[Splitpin]

Pete, great shot, and another impressive gallery. Thanks to for regulation info.....i really did wonder if there were limits.

Cheers

Marty

[Efliernz]

We also have testing officers in each club.
Modellers are encouraged to get their "Wings Badge" in various disciplines. We are tested on basic club rules as well as watched as we pre-flight a model. Then we have a flight-test of the basics. Nothing difficult - just encouraging safe practices.

Wings badges cover disciplines such as Jet / turbines, fast (pyplon racing), aerobatics, gliding, helicopters and large models. We also used to have "Instructors" cards (which I used to hold at my old club 10 years ago).

Many of the rallies require you to have a Wings Badge - or fly with a "winged" observer. I actually don't have my heli one as I haven't bothered even though I fly commercial rc heli photo ops. I have my own insurances instead BUT I am attending a huge rc heli rally this weekend so I will get tested Sat morning.

That is how proper safe modelling happens.

Soapbox time...
Unfortunately for reputation of the hobby, anyone can buy anything from anywhere and try and fly it anywhere anytime. That isn't a bad thing as far as I'm concerned but... Thanks to our politically correct pathetic way of bring up kids with no morals and accountablilties, we now have models on parks (which itself is ok) but they are flown with kids and dogs on the loose without any thought of safety.

OK, happy now, off to lunch