[NSRCA-discussion] Noise - Overfly - and Different Aerobatic Model Types

[Earl Haury]

Dean / Bob

You're both right on regarding noise footprint. Probably the biggest issue with the large gassers, and not necessarily IMAC. 

I'm involved in helping a club with noise abatement to avoid upsetting the neighbors. The sound levels at the property boarders have been measured, typical and local laws reviewed, maximum sound levels and methods of measurement established, and club rules enacted. Enforcement is active and peer pressure working - there's even a bit of competition to have the quietest set-up. This part is working great.

However, most or the folks flying the 100 - 150cc powered airplanes are relatively new flyers (none compete). While they're generally competent flyers, or fly with assistance, they have no appreciation for distance. It's typical for these folks to fly a 30-40% airplane at a distance so that it looks like a 40 size trainer at 200 yards! Downwinds on landing may be 300 yards away. They don't realize how far away the airplane really is and it takes continuous "coaching" to keep these things closer - enough that it creates "friction". The bigger footprint alerts neighbors, regardless of noise (noise doesn't help) and raises their (justifiable) safety concerns.

Along comes a competition flyer practicing rollers and he becomes the example that the distance is OK, and enforcement becomes even more difficult.  I agree that rollers are neat maneuvers and that they simply don't fit within the "smaller footprint" concept. Dean, I like your proposal that they be replaced with rolling loops - keeps the complexity and solves the distance problem. Have you suggested this to Bob Skinner (F3A Subcommittee Chair)?  We're our own worst enemy - rollers can be flown much tighter, but no one does that - no wow factor! My alerts that the pattern rules don't provide a distance exception for rollers only resulted in a quasi exception. 

Earl

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bob Richards 
  To: NSRCA Mailing List 
  Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 6:35 AM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Noise - Overfly - and Different Aerobatic Model Types


  Dean,

  Right on point. I've been involved with a flying field lost due to noise, and was also involved in a successful fight to keep a field open after neighbor's complaints. Better to be reasonably quiet in the first place. Once you have upset the neighbors to the point that they start to complain, their "threshold of pain" becomes much lower. Once they have made up their minds they don't like you, they probably never will like you again, regardless of what you do.

  The one - maybe the only - big negative that I see with IMAC is the noise level along with the noise footprint.  But, you know, 20 years ago you could say the same thing about pattern. I just hope the guys in IMAC (and giant scale in general) can learn from the mistakes made in pattern --  BEFORE flying fields are lost for both camps!

  Bob R.


  Dean Pappas <d.pappas at kodeos.com> wrote:
    Hi Dave,
    What I hope we are saying here, is that being smart and making our aerobatic planes quiet is good for the continued survival of both events. Of course, if flyers with large, loud, and far-away 40% planes lose all our practice fields and practice sites ...

    This is just how the West Windsor contest in Jersey became a "first annual and only ever" event.
    Sadly, I have to say that two or three IMACers joined the club, and within a few months, we had no Pattern Contest, a 6:00 P.M. weekday curfew on wet power, and neighbors who are now very aware of our existence. Being noticed ain't always a good thing! Smart noise abatement programs are aimed at preventing that first complaint. Once it happens, it's almost too late.
    ..............................



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