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An arming plug was never intended to be the cure-all for all
electric safety issues. I consider it a baseline that is easy to
comply with. All the anecdotal evidence in the world that each
responder to this list is safe does not help establish a minimum set
of standards. Each one of you has a good process that works for you.
Each one of those processes could be easily amended to incorporate
an arming plug if it doesn't already.<br>
It isn't those with a good process that are the safety problem. It's
the neophyte that hears the experienced pilot expound on why he is
safe without an arming plug because he does everything else right.
The beginner doesn't hear or doesn't understand all the issues with
setting up failsafe, throttle cut, arming conditions, thumb on
throttle stick that are part of that process of achieving safe
operations in the pits and on the runway whether you have an arming
plug or not.<br>
I have seen models without arming plugs, without external receiver
switches and canopies that require two hands to remove. Last time I
checked failsafe operation at a contest, full throttle kill was
running about 50%. Most of the remaining were simply going to hold
which doesn't help at all if you already have a problem. Eventually
a setup like that will cause a disaster.<br>
An arming plug is a small thing to add. It can be done lightly,
cheaply and reliably. It provides a visual indication to all that
the motor/ESC is unpowered. It is not dependent on any other
function in the model to operate. <br>
John<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/23/2015 10:49 PM, Steve Hannah via
NSRCA-discussion wrote:<br>
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<div>I agree 100% with Jerry. </div>
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<div>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. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Along with that, proving you have a failsafe is a reasonable
request and shouldn't be an issue for anyone. <br>
<br>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><br>
On Feb 23, 2015, at 08:50, Budd Engineering via NSRCA-discussion
<<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>>
wrote:<br>
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<div>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.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Jerry<br>
<br>
Sent from my iPhone</div>
<div><br>
On Feb 23, 2015, at 5:29 AM, Matthew Finley via
NSRCA-discussion <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>>
wrote:<br>
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<div dir="ltr"><b>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 <br
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</b><br>
<br>
<i><b>Matthew E. Finley</b></i><br>
QCI - Technology Assistant<br>
614-557-3846 Mobile<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:mfinley@quadcityinnovations.com">mfinley@quadcityinnovations.com</a>
<br>
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