[NSRCA-discussion] Matt Finley ( Arming Plug )

[Steve Hannah]

I agree 100% with Jerry. 

The multiple throttle kill approach is the best. I have seen the same things as Jerry. The best safety approach is always a multi-pronged solution. 

I use a slider to drop the throttle below arming level and a switch to nullify the throttle stick. Then, for added security I always hold the stick down with my thumb as my caller/helper retrieves the plane. They usually don't turn off the receiver so I assume my plane is live until I prove otherwise and shut it down.  

An external plug is one way, but I fail to see how it provides any more safety than my method. Switching it off from my transmitter and disabling the throttle stick are very secure means and I know the ESC has been shut down. I don't rely on a person to pull a plug. 

Along with that, proving you have a failsafe is a reasonable request and shouldn't be an issue for anyone. 



> On Feb 23, 2015, at 08:50, Budd Engineering via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
> 
> At nearly every contest I've attended since I started flying electric in pattern (the 2004 Nats in Masters) I've seen at least one occurrence where someone retrieved a plane without removing an arming plug first.  Usually the pilot reminds the person to do it while they're carrying the plane back or as they're setting it down somewhere.  It happens with my planes too and I make sure they switch the receiver off and then I remove my canopy and disconnect the battery directly.  But before they even get that far I've taken the other steps to make sure there's virtually no chance the motor is going to run.
> 
> My point is this.  A layered approach is the only way I've found to effectively mitigate this particular risk to the levels of safety that you claim.  Relying on someone to remove an arming plug is not a complete panacea and may lend a false sense of security that the motor system has been de-energized, when in fact it may not have been.  There's many ways to manage the risk to the desired level, the use of an arming plug is one, and may not necessarily be the best.
> 
> Jerry
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Feb 23, 2015, at 5:29 AM, Matthew Finley via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I use the Ultra Deans stlye Arming Plug from F3A Unlimited, and It works very well. I would gather it provides you with a 99 % dagree of confidence that your caller , plane carrier , yourself, or anyone else will not be harmed. Yes... I do agree that there is a miniscuel chance that a pilot / caller could forget to unplug the safety, however I feel most pilots that have been doing it a while is like tying your shoes, or etc.... On all of my electrics except for indoor ships, I have some sort of disconnect. I for one would like to see it an inforced rule at all sanctioned meets not just pattern meets, that any plane over a certain size or weight must have one in order to fly. Just my three pennies 
>> 
>> 
>> Matthew E. Finley
>> QCI - Technology Assistant
>> 614-557-3846 Mobile
>> mfinley at quadcityinnovations.com 
>> 
>>  
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