You would all be well aware that the membership of our club, has increased considerably over the past twelve months, resulting in an increase in flying days and general flying activity. We have numerous new members or visitors, who maybe are not fully familiar with our regulations and safety requirements, as well as regular members who have maybe forgotten some of these requirements.

In the past few weeks we have had four incidents where our safety standards have been breached either intentionally or by accident.

I ask all members to be constantly vigilant regarding safety issues and of LARCS By-Laws. If you have, or notice an issue, please speak to the person concerned and/or raise it with a Committee Member or Instructor.

The major issues currently are;

• A frequency key must be placed into the board for all frequencies (including 2.4 GHz). Being the only one flying, is not an excuse. This can have very serious ramifications.
• The incorrect use of failsafe, particularly relating to Spectrum Radios. You should make this a standard part of the pre-flight check. Throttle must return to idle, if radio switched off.
• General safe ground handling and taxi-ing procedures.
• Sharing the airspace. It is a truism that "two models cannot occupy the same airspace, at the same time". We are sharing the airspace with various types of models and disciplines. Please be aware of the type of models you are flying with and be considerate of the other pilot's ability and needs.

LARCS By-Law Manual, which is the clubs Operation and Safety manual, is on the notice board, web site, with special notes posted onto the notice board in the radio pound. Please take the time to read and understand these, because, just like road rules, lack of knowledge is not an acceptable excuse.

Guys, we must get serious over the safety issue.

Dennis WAUGH

LARCS C.F.I.