[NSRCA-discussion] Arming Switch

[Peter Vogel]

+1 on that Keith!  It's less of an issue if the caller and pilot work
together all the time where pilot and caller both know the plane and all
its systems well. But that's certainly not the case with most of the
participants at the paltry 3 competitions I've been to.  We find a willing
pilot from another class (or even our own class) to call for us.  Now it's
even worse -- the caller doesn't know your bird at all, you're distracted
after competing and your caller is hurrying to get ready for their round.
 No one is thinking about ensuring the plane has been rendered fully safe.
 A simple plug removal (or re-insertion of a pin flag) is easy to do
quickly and takes < 10 seconds to explain to a caller.

Peter+

On Sun, Feb 12, 2012 at 7:24 PM, Keith Black <tkeithblack at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dave, I wasn't saying an arming pin is mandatory, I've had planes with and
> without (currently without for weight), though I much prefer with.
>
> My point (for everyone's consumption not only you) was to be careful
> trusting the fail safe and the receiver power down behavior because
> occasionally speed controls do malfunction. They are definitely better now
> days, but far too often I see guys do things that open the door for
> disaster (I'm not saying you're doing this), and it's pretty scary. People
> just don't always appreciate the danger involved.
>
> For example, I've seen guys finish a flight, turn off their radio and walk
> to the pits, meanwhile the caller brings back plane and sets it down in
> pits while pilot walks around talking for minutes with this potentially
> live plane sitting there still armed. If everything works as it should no
> one will get hurt, but the potential is there for serious consequences.
>
> Cheers!
>
> Keith
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 12, 2012 at 5:01 PM, Dave Harmon <k6xyz at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi Keith….****
>>
>> Actually I DID take into account that there IS a possibility that the ESC
>> could fail….but I feel the odds of that happening are as I said, a lot less
>> than someone mishandling a transmitter.****
>>
>> How about just plugging the battery in and putting the canopy on within
>> the 3 minute starting period??****
>>
>> The airplane should not have to just sit there plugged in and ready to go
>> like a fueled up glow powered airplane….****
>>
>> After landing someone picks up the model and turns off the radio
>> switch….if the helper picks up the airplane and the ESC malfunctions he has
>> ahold of it.****
>>
>> I understand your and others concerns but I just don’t think the external
>> plug thing is necessary.  ****
>>
>> I just don’t see the need to have a battery in the plane unless it is
>> manually restrained and going to be flown within the next 3 minutes.****
>>
>> I don’t mean to imply that I plug in the battery without straddling the
>> fuselage….I do!****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *Dave Harmon*
>>
>> *NSRCA 586*
>>
>> *K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net*
>>
>> *Sperry, Ok.*
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> *From:* nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:
>> nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] *On Behalf Of *Keith Black
>> *Sent:* Sunday, February 12, 2012 4:29 PM
>>
>> *To:* General pattern discussion
>> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Arming Switch****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Dave, you're points are correct, but you're not taking into account a
>> malfunction of the speed controller itself. They have been know to
>> malfunction, so the safest approach, as Earl suggests, is to assume that
>> anytime the battery is connected to the controller the motor may go to full
>> throttle. Until you unplug the battery the thing is hot and dangerous
>> regardless of your fail safe or switches on the transmitter. ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Regarding pulling the disconnect (whether under canopy or via external
>> arming pin), step over the model between wings and stab (just like we used
>> to run up the glow models) and reach down to pull the plug. If it goes full
>> throttle the back of your legs will stop forward momentum.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> I see far too often that people switch off their radios with the plane in
>> a potential dangerous position. This is putting a lot of trust in the
>> technology when it's not necessary. When I retrieve my model,  transmitter
>> in hand or not, I make sure it is pointed away from people or property.**
>> **
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Keith ****
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 12, 2012 at 2:28 PM, Dave Harmon <k6xyz at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> ****
>>
>> +1 on that.****
>>
>> Rather than having a disconnect, I think ensuring that the fail safe
>> function of the radio is set properly is the way to go.****
>>
>> Generally…with today’s 2.4g radios…..not 72mhz PCM radios….I trust the
>> electronics more than someone holding the transmitter. ****
>>
>> Besides….with a disconnect it would be my luck to rip the side of the
>> fuselage off and start a fire that way………or not being able to let go of a
>> full throttle model to pull the disconnect….in this case just turn off the
>> transmitter and/or have an external radio switch and turn off the receiver.
>> ****
>>
>> The ESC will shut off the motor when the ESC loses the pulse from the
>> receiver…even if the failsafe is NOT configured correctly.****
>>
>> Everyone already knows this….or should know it…. but it’s a good thing to
>> mention anyway…..****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> *Dave Harmon*****
>>
>> *NSRCA 586*****
>>
>> *K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net*****
>>
>> *Sperry, Ok.*****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> *From:* nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:
>> nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] *On Behalf Of *Keith Hoard
>> *Sent:* Sunday, February 12, 2012 1:44 PM
>> *To:* General pattern discussion
>> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Arming Switch****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> I'd rather not cut a hole in my plane in the first place, or add another
>> point of failure to the system. . . .****
>>
>>
>>
>> Keith Hoard
>> Collierville, TN
>> khoard at gmail.com
>>
>>
>> ****
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 12, 2012 at 1:37 PM, Ronald Van Putte <vanputte at cox.net>
>> wrote:****
>>
>> You can mount a female Deans connector in a piece of thin plywood, use
>> Pacer Pro Zap to glue the Deans connector to the plywood and, after cutting
>> an appropriate hole in the side of the fuselage, glue the assembly inside
>> the fuselage.  Use a male Deans connector with the leads soldered together
>> as an arming plug.****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> Or you can buy a SharpRC SafeArm (
>> http://www.sharprc.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=43)****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> Being cheap, I do the former.****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> Ron Van Putte****
>>
>>   ****
>>
>> On Feb 12, 2012, at 11:55 AM, Ron Hansen wrote:****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> What are the available arming switch options?****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> Thanks****
>>
>>  ****
>>
>> Ron****
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>
>> http://www.eset.com****
>>
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-- 
Director, Fixed Wing Flight Training
Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark
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