Flying Site Rules
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- Member of MAAC, in good standing
- Member of the Soo Modellers in good standing
- Clear understanding of the Elliot Sports Complex flying site rules (below) and a clear understanding of the flying times and restrictions.
- Create a current Site Survey – RPAS Wilco, the site survey can be created in advance of flying and will be automatically emailed to you, keep a copy of this email with you while flying
For the following it is best to register for an account at the Transport Canada’s Drone Management Portal page.
- Acquire your Remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) Basic Operations from Transport Canada ($10.00) and keep a copy of your certificate in your field box / transmitter case.
- Register your model with Transport Canada ($5.00 per model) Keep a copy of your registration in your field box/transmitter case.
- Ensure you meet all the CARs Part IX,
A copy of these rules must be available to all RPAS pilots while at the site, either electronically or in print. The club will endeavor to provide a copy at the site.
Flying times
- We are permitted to fly daily from 10am to 2pm.
- We are NOT permitted to fly when maintenance on the sports fields are being done
- When tournaments are taking place
Safety Requirements
Members must take note of other activities at the Sports Complex and ensure there is no potential hazard prior operations.
FLYING FIELD RULES AND REGULATIONS:
(A) ELIGIBILITY
The following persons may use our flying field facilities:
1. Only members “in good standing” of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (M.A.A.C).
2. Members in good standing (paid up) of the Club.
3. Only qualified pilots who have passed their tests may fly.
4. Out-of-town guests and out-of-town club members are always welcomed if they are accompanied by one of our Club members who shall be responsible for them.
5. Mufflers will be required on all engines greater than .15 cubic inches. Any Club Executive shall have authority to enforce this rule. The site may be restricted to electric only, if noise complaints are received.
6. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be allowed at the field and no one under the influence of the same shall be allowed to fly.
7. Club members will not fly their aircraft, until they get their wings and become a qualified or approved flyer by the Club, unless assisted by a qualified pilot. A qualified pilot will be defined as a member who has demonstrated full control of their aircraft from takeoff to landing.
(B) FLYING:
1. Transmitters must be operating on 2.4 GHz. There is no frequency control for 72 mhz.
2. Field boxes or any other equipment shall not be placed on runways or taxi strips.
3. Normally, aircraft engines shall be started and adjusted only in the designated pit area.
4. Club members will abide by the safety rules dictated for this site. They will not willfully or deliberately fly their aircraft in a careless, dangerous, or reckless manner.
5. If a pilot is required to be on the runway to facilitate model launch or take off, immediately after take-off, the pilot shall leave the runway and stand in the area designated as “pilot area”. At no time is the pilot, helper or instructor to remain in the
path of aircraft landing or taking off.
6. No spectators shall be allowed in designated pit and flying areas, unless in the company of a pilot.
7. All hand launches are to be released beyond the point where the aircraft could possibly go into the pits, other flyers or spectators.
8. Aircraft shall be flown parallel to the runway away from the pit areas. At no time shall a pilot fly over the pits or within 30 meters of any parking area. Aircraft must stay within the confines of the designated flying area.
9. At any time that a pilot loses control of their aircraft, or it appears that the aircraft is headed towards persons or objects and may cause injury or damage, the pilot shall “DUMP” the aircraft.
10. Pilots will announce take off, landing, low approach and runway clear to all other pilots present. If a pilot is required to retrieve their aircraft from the runway area, they will announce to all pilots “on the runway.” Once the aircraft has been retrieved, the pilot will announce “runway clear.”
11. No “3D” maneuvers will take place over, or near the runway area.
12. Before making a low pass over the runway, the pilot must make sure that the runway is clear and inform other pilots flying.
(C) PRIORITY USE OF RUNWAYS:
Landing priority shall be given to a Pilot, landing an aircraft dead -stick. The runways, in such a situation, shall be kept clear from the moment such a landing is announced until the aircraft has landed and has been removed from the runway, at which time the Pilot, or helper shall yell, “ALL CLEAR TO LAND” or “RUNWAY CLEAR”.
(D) FULL-SCALE SAFETY PROTOCOLS
1) Visual observers and MAAC “spotters” are required at our site. The following are club procedures for ensuring full scale aviation safety:
a) When any member or other person spots a full-scale airplane that might come
near the site, they are to yell out “AIRPLANE” in a loud voice.
b) ALL Pilots must immediately descend to as low an altitude as possible and
then land as soon as safely able.
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c) When the full-scale airplane is no longer a threat, the person who gave the
warning shall yell “ALL CLEAR”, or the pilots may make that determination
themselves, and resume flying.
2) If there is any type of near miss or safety concern between a full-scale aircraft and our RPA, ALL FLYING SHALL cease immediately. The members involved should fill out a MAAC reportable occurrence report and submit that to the Club executive and follow MAAC policy with the following exceptions:
a) If the member(s) involved believe the risk was very minimal, they may complete their own self declaration or risk assessment using the MAAC form. Submit a copy of the form to the club executive when able and recall you must keep this form for one year (CAR901.49 (2)). Resume flying when done.
b) If the member or Club executive deems the event serious, flying will not resume until members are given permission by the Club executive – in writing.
i) If there is actual contact between an aircraft and a MAAC RPAS – all flying will cease until MAAC confirms we may resume operations.
ii) This process is for your protection.
3) No RPA or other model aircraft flying will occur below the Club mandated weather minimum. Members may determine the weather themselves with direct observation or use any other source:
a) If cloud is present below 1000’ above the model flying area.
b) a horizontal visibility requirement of less than 3km around the flying area, and
c) if there are other obscuring conditions (fog, smoke, haze etc.) which could make spotting full-scale aircraft difficult.
4) There are no other risk mitigating strategies required at Sault Ste Marie R/C Club. The MAAC “see and avoid” technique has been determined to be adequate to ensure
aviation safety.
5) The Club executive will review these rules at least once a year.
(E) ADJACENT AERODROMES
The Elliot Lake Sports complex site operates within 3nm of an aerodrome as listed in the CFS or CWAS and is required to provide all members with the following information:
a) The aerodrome’s name is Sault Ste. Marie (Sault Area Hosp) (CSM9), and it is located 1.98 nautical miles east of our modelling site.
b) The aerodrome is a certified heliport serving the Sault area Hospital. The arrival and departure paths do not normally come over our modeling site, but vigilance is still required.
3. There are no CFS RPA procedures and no other CFS PRO comments that affect our modelling site.
4. In the event of a “fly-away” towards CSM9, you may call the aerodrome operator at 705-759-3434 and advise them of the issue. Our site is in uncontrolled airspace so there is no need to notify ATC.
5. Club members should check for CYAM or CSM9 related NOTAM either using the NAV CANADA NOTAM portal or using RPAS Wilco app or similar. If you are the first pilot of the day and have printed a RPAS Wilco site survey, please leave it at the site for fellow modelers to reference.
6. The club executive has contacted the operator (OPR) of CSM9, and they have expressed no issues with our RPAS site.
7. No flying will commence until half an hour after sunrise and will end a half hour before sunset, the time of which is available on the Weather Network App for the town of Sault Ste. Marie. Night flying is not allowed at this site unless your RPA is
brightly lit.
(F) CLEANLINESS:
Each person shall be responsible for disposing of his own litter and garbage. All members shall ensure the site is left cleaner than when we arrived.
(G) ENFORCEMENT OF RULES:
It is the duty of all Club members to report to the Airfield Manager or other member of the Executive Committee all violations of these By-Laws.
(H) VIOLATIONS:
1. Any member of the Executive Committee has the authority to ground a violator on the spot for serious violations. The Executive Committee would determine a suitable period of grounding and inform the violator.
2. Members or guest flyers that do not abide by these rules will be given at least two reminders of any one rule. A “third” reminder of any one rule will be grounds for cancellation of flying privileges for a period decided by the Executive. Repeated rule offenders will have their flying privileges revoked for the remainder