RULES AND REGULATIONS

COUNTRY SQUIRES MODELERS - SHERWOOD ISLAND STATE PARK 

FLYING FIELD GUIDELINES AND PILOT RESPONSIBILITIES 

All members must abide by the official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code and the Country Squires Modelers Flying Field Guidelines and Pilot Responsibilities published here. Failure to do so will lead to disciplinary action including suspension and/or expulsion from the club. 

PILOT RESPONSIBILITIES 

All pilots must have a valid AMA membership card and a valid Country Squires Modelers membership card. 

Pilots will never fly alone without someone to keep people from entering the field and call for emergency help if required. 

No more than three (3) aircraft will be flown at any one time. 

If two (2) aircraft are in the air, the third pilot must have a spotter before taking off. 

All engines greater than .049 c.i. displacement must have effective mufflers. 

Pilots must fly ONLY from the designated pilot stations. 

Take-off and landing will be executed while the pilot in at the pilot station. 

Pilots will call out to others: “Landing.” “Taking off” and when entering the flying area to retrieve an aircraft. 

All flights are limited to15 minutes from engine start to landing. Engine tuning sessions are also limited to 15 minutes duration. During very crowded conditions, flight time maybe limited to 10 minutes. 

NEVER turn on a transmitter without (1) checking the Active bar to see if your transmitter’s frequency is in use and (2) putting your pin on the Active bar. 

Regulation pins must be used. They contain the frequency number, the pilot’s name and pilot’s AMA number. 

 2 

Only three flying pins and one engine-tuning pin are allowed on the “Active” bar at any one time. 

No one should ever move a pilot’s pin without that pilot’s specific permission. 

Pilots are responsible to remove their pin from the Active bar after they have shut down their transmitter. They are then to place the pin at the BOTTOM of the queue line to begin a new rotation. 

Only one pin per pilot is allowed in the queue. Pins in the queue determine the flight sequence. No pin in the queue should ever be “jumped” over without the permission of the pilots whose pins are at the top of the queue. 

Student pilots must use “buddy boxes” until instructors approve them for solo flight.  Instructors must ensure that the student can control his aircraft in a safe manner and demonstrates that he understands and abides by AMA and club guidelines. 

Members are responsible for their guests conduct at the field. If a guest wishes to fly, it is the member’s responsibility to ensure that the guest: 

1.      Has a valid AMA membership card. 

2.      Has been given a copy of the field guidelines. 

3.      Has read, understands and agrees to abide by the guidelines. 

4.      Has a regulation pin showing the guest’s frequency number, name and AMA number. 

PIT AREA SAFETY AND CONDUCT 

Absolutely no one, other than a member, is allowed in the pit area when an engine is running or being started. 

No taxiing is allowed in the pit area. Aircraft must be carried or rolled out to the taxiways. 

Engine tuning is not allowed in the vicinity of other aircraft or people. All engine tuning must be done outside the pit area in the infield. 

No full throttle run-ups are allowed in the pits. 

When engines are started in the pits, the aircraft will be placed on the ground in a position where the prop-wash will blow out onto the field and away from other aircraft, people and parked cars. 

 3 

Airplane stands are not designed for engine tuning. However, for those members who cannot start their engines on the ground, stands will be permitted but only in the infield, not in the pit area. 

FLYING TIMES 

Flying is not permitted when the parking lot is crowded or other large events are taking place at the beach on in the parking area. 

FLYING ZONE 

No flying is permitted inside the boundaries of the runways, including the infield, the pit area and the parking area behind the pit area. 

We are guests of a state park and must exercise extreme caution and courtesy to others in the park. Therefore, no flying is permitted over any area beyond the exit road to the South and West of the field. This area includes the beach, the parking lot, the circle and the guard stations. No flying is permitted over the picnic area to the East that is bordered by the brush line along the North-South runway. To the North, flying is prohibited anywhere near the white house at the entrance to the park. 

Academy of Model Aeronautics National Model Aircraft Safety Code 

Effective January 1, 2018 

A model aircraft is a non-human-carrying device capable of sustained flight within visual line of sight of the pilot or spotter(s). It may not exceed limitations of this code and is intended exclusively for sport, recreation, education and/or competition. All model flights must be conducted in accordance with this safety code and related AMA guidelines, any additional rules specific to the flying site, as well as all applicable laws and regulations. 

As an AMA member I agree:  I will not fly a model aircraft in a careless or reckless manner.  I will not interfere with and will yield the right of way to all human-carrying aircraft using AMA’s See and Avoid Guidance and a spotter when appropriate.  I will not operate any model aircraft while I am under the influence of alcohol or any drug that could adversely affect my ability to safely control the model.  I will avoid flying directly over unprotected people, moving vehicles, and occupied structures.  I will fly Free Flight (FF) and Control Line (CL) models in compliance with AMA’s safety programming.  I will maintain visual contact of an RC model aircraft without enhancement other than corrective lenses prescribed to me. When using an advanced flight system, such as an autopilot, or flying First-Person View (FPV), I will comply with AMA’s Advanced Flight System programming.  I will only fly models weighing more than 55 pounds, including fuel, if certified through AMA’s Large Model Airplane Program.  I will only fly a turbine-powered model aircraft in compliance with AMA’s Gas Turbine Program.  I will not fly a powered model outdoors closer than 25 feet to any individual, except for myself or my helper(s) located at the flightline, unless I am taking off and landing, or as otherwise provided in AMA’s Competition Regulation.  I will use an established safety line to separate all model aircraft operations from spectators and bystanders. 

For a complete copy of AMA’s Safety Handbook please visit: www.modelaircraft.org/files/100.pdf