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Simi Valleys Flyers
Flight Safety Rules and Regulations

Introduction

     The rules contained in this document govern flight operations of the Simi Valley Flyer’s Flying site. These rules are intended to promote safety and the enjoyment of the facility by all club members and their guests. Members and their guests are to conduct themselves in a manner which promotes safety, courtesy, and consideration towards others at all times.
      Simi Valley Flyers is an AMA chartered club. As a chartered club, all members are subject to the rules and regulations contained in the Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code. These rules and regulations are subject to change on a periodic basis. It is the responsibility of each club member to be aware of the current regulations. As stated in AMA regulations all additional rules and regulations imposed by the Simi Valley Flyers must also be observed. Violating any club rules and regulations is in violation of AMA rules and regulations. The following excerpt is from the Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code:

Model Flying MUST be in accordance with Simi Valley Flyers Flight Safety Rules and Regulations and AMA safety rules in order for AMA Liability Protection to apply

Flying Site Rules and Regulations

1. General Rules

  1. All members and guests flying at the Simi Valley Flyers Facility must have proof of current AMA insurance coverage. Proof of insurance is limited to the presentation of a valid membership card issued by the Academy of Model Aeronautics or a faxed temporary membership on AMA letterhead. This proof must be in immediate possession at all times while flying at the facility.
  2. Junior members must be under the direct supervision of their legal guardian or a non-junior club member.
  3. All flyers must sign-in on the log located in the frequency control box before flying and sign-out when leaving.
  4. All guests that intend to fly must sign-in on the guest log.
  5. All new members and guests are required to demonstrate their ability to maintain control of their aircraft to an instructor, Safety Officer or Safety Officer’s designee.
  6. All members and guests are required to exercise good judgment and the ability to control their aircraft at all times.
  7. All members and guests shall abide by all current rules and regulations contained in the Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code.
  8. All guests must be accompanied by a club member at all times. The club member hosting the guest is responsible for the actions of their guest.
  9. All members and guests are expected to behave in a manner which is not offensive to others sharing the facility. All club members and their guest are expected to behave in a sportsman like manner at all times while at the facility.
  10. Guest privileges are extended by the club to encourage and promote club membership growth. All members are to use good judgment when using the guest privilege. Abuse of the guest privilege by any member will not be allowed.
  11. Frequency control is to be observed at all times.
  12. All aircraft must be subjected to a flight safety checkout prior to flight for the first time or after a crash.
  13. As a courtesy to others, flight times are limited to 15 minutes.
  14. All aircraft are limited to a maximum 100 decibels as measured in a 360-degree circle with a radius of 9 feet.
  15. Only pilots and helpers are allowed beyond the pit area.
  16. No aircraft shall fly within 100 feet of fence located at the north end of the field.
  17. No flying over the pit area at any time.
  18. No piloting of aircraft from the pit area.
  19. No launching of aircraft from the pit area.
  20. No taxiing in the pit area.
  21. All pilots must fly from the designated pilot area.
  22. When two more fixed wing internal combustion powered aircraft are flying, pilots must fly from within the pilot boxes.
  23. No aircraft shall be flown that cannot be safely operated at the facility.
  24. No aircraft of any type shall be flown that creates a safety hazard with another when flown simultaneously.
  25. Dead stick landings have priority. All other aircraft are to remain clear of the dead-stick aircraft until safe.
  26. A fire extinguisher must be present in the area of any aircraft while fueling or starting a gasoline engine.

2. Powered Fixed Wing Aircraft with Small Displacement Engines

All fixed winged powered aircraft of this category are limited to an engine displacement of .65 cubic inches for 2-stroke engines and .91 cubic inches for 4-stroke engines.

  1. No more than 4 aircraft are allowed in the air at the same time.
  2. Pilots must coordinate flight operations from the pilot’s area. When flying more than one aircraft simultaneously, pilots must announce their use of the runway (i.e. taking off, landing, touch and go, dead-sticks, on the runway and etc.). Pilots should clear the runway area as soon as possible.
  3. All aircraft shall fly in the area designated to this type of aircraft.

3. Powered Fixed Wing Aircraft with Large Displacement Engines

Large Displacement Fixed Wing Aircraft Requirements:

  1. Maximum engine displacement is limited to 2.0 cubic inches two-stroke and 2.5 cubic inches four-stroke.
  2. No turbine powered fixed wing aircraft.
  3. Aircraft must be "sport" type aircraft. No Hi-performance or racing type aircraft permitted.
  4. Maximum take-off weight is 18 lbs.
  5. Maximum wing loading is limited to 24 oz/ft^2. Wing load will be calculated from the following formula.

    Wing Loading=(Weight(lbs) / WingArea(sqin)) x 2304

Note: Weight is with full tank empty.

Pilot Requirements:

  1. Pilots intending to fly large fixed wing aircraft must have the approval from the Safety Officer or Safety Officier's designee for each large fixed wing aircraft to be flown. The Safety Officer or designee will issue a permit to operate each model. The Safety Officer or designee may decline to issue a permit if he believes either the aircraft cannot be flown in a safe manner and/or the pilot cannot fly the aircraft in a safe manner under the guidelines included in these rules.
  2. All members who wish to fly large displacement fixed wing aircraft must have their aircraft inspected by the Safety Officer or safety officier's designee prior to being flown for the first time.
  3. All pilots must demonstrate flight proficiency as described below prior to flying large fixed wing aircraft.
  4. No guests will be permitted to fly large fixed wing aircraft (unless qualified as defined by the rules in this section).
  5. The privilege to fly large fixed wing aircraft may be revoked at any time for failure to comply with any flight safety rules.
  6. A log sheet with the pilot name and aircraft description will be kept near the frequency board indicating pilot's authorization to fly a specific aircraft and will serve as the permit.

Flight Operations:

  1. All pilots must fly within the permitted boundaries for large fixed wing aircraft. See map below.
  2. All pilots flying large fixed wing aircraft pilots must have a spotter at all times while the aircraft is aloft.
  3. No more than two aircraft may be aloft at the same time when a large size aircraft is flying.

Pilot Proficiency Program:

  1. All pilot / plane combination must go through a demonstration flight with the safety officer or safety officier's designee present at the pilot area and a designated spotter at the northern boundary. The pilot will be required to demonstrate proficiency in take-offs and landings along with demonstrating the ability to maintain the aircraft in the permitted boundaries at all times. The flight will require a minimum of three (3) takeoffs and landings (or touch and goes) each from both South to North and North to South. Downwind landings are at the descretion of the pilot. The proficiency flight may be continued to another day if wind conditions become unsafe or other problem prevents completion of the flight. No other aircraft will be permitted to fly during this check out flights. The safety officer or designee will be in communication with the spotter via walkie-talkie during these flights.
  2. Upon satisfactory completion of the demonstration flight, the safety officer or safety officier designee will issue a permit to the pilot for that aircraft. The pilot's name and plane description will be added to the large aircraft flight approval log that will be posted at the field. Only the safety officer, designee or the president can add pilots to the lists (after satisfactory completion of the demonstration flight).
  3. It is the responsibility of each pilot to make arrangements with the safety officer for the proficiency demonstration flights. The safety officer may designate a person to act in his place for the purpose of the conducting the proficiency demonstration flight.
  4. In the event the safety officer is unavailable or unwilling to designate a person, a majority of the Board may designate a person for the purpose of the conducting the proficiency demonstration flight.

4. Gliders

  1. Glider pilots must fly from one of the designated pilot stations if powered fixed wing aircraft are currently flying. If no power fixed wing aircraft are flying pilots may stand at the far southern end of the field.
  2. Gliders may be flown south of the center of the runway when helicopters are hovering north of the center of the runway. Pilots must coordinate their flying patterns before their flying begins.

5. Electrics

  1. Pilots of electric aircraft shall only connect motor battery just prior to flight and disconnect battery as soon as possible after flight.
  2. Pilots of electric aircraft must fly from one of the designated pilot stations if powered fixed wing aircraft are currently flying. If no power fixed wing aircraft are flying, pilots may stand at the far southern end of the field.
  3. Small electric planes maybe flown at southern end of the field remaining south of the center of the runway while helicopters are hover on the northern end remaining north of the center of the runway. Pilots must coordinate their flying patterns before their flying begins.

6. Helicopters

  1. During normal flight operation pilots must fly from the designated pilot area south of the pit area.
  2. Hover practice may be performed in the designated area at the north end of the runway. The area is restricted to a 20 foot radius around the “no-fly X”. Altitude is limited to 25 feet. No sustained forward flight is allowed in this area.
  3. During hover practice the pilot must stay clear of the access road and pit area by a distance of no less than 50 feet.
  4. No more than 2 helicopters may be flown simultaneously.
  5. Pilots may air taxi down the runway towards the designated pilot area. Altitude is to be limited to 25 feet. Pilots must follow the runway centerline or fly further west of the centerline. Pilots should proceed directly down the runway until clear of the pit area before undertaking normal flight operations.

7. Enforcement of Rules

The following is an excerpt from the Club’s Bylaws:

“ARTICLE VIII         FLIGHT SAFETY RULES

SECTION I         GOVERNING RULES
Flight operations at the Simi Valley Flyers site are governed by the document entitled “Simi Valley Flyers Flight Safety Rules”. In addition to rules mandated in the flight safety rules, all applicable rules of the Academy of Model Aeronautics must be observed.

SECTION II        INSURANCE COVERAGE
Members are cautioned that violation of these rules may invalidate your AMA insurance coverage.

SECTION III       MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY
Any member who observes a violation of any of these rules must notify the Safety or a member of the Board.

SECTION IV       SAFETY OFFICER
Any member who disregards any safety related request by the Safety Officer or the safety officer’s designee is subject to immediate suspension. Any member who willfully disregards a rule that could cause injury or damage to any person or property is subject to immediate suspension by any member of the Board of Directors. The Safety Officer or the Safety Officer’s designee may impose a temporary rule will remain in effect until the next regular membership meeting.”

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