Forgive me for being cynical but after a recent event at our field I feel obliged to make warning noises to fellow modellers. I fully appreciate the utter convenience of ARTF if we are to get to the prime objective of the hobby fastest, i.e. the flying. I am however, quite alarmed at some of the so-called structural integrity of some of these models. In the good old days, (yes I've been flying R/C for well over 45 years now), we were forced into learning skills in building by necessity. Not everyone, but most, began to understand about grades of wood for instance and why it was necessary to eliminate warps in wings. In the lightweight side of things the ARTF is generally no worry. I even have a Sky-Surfer and a Pico Jet myself when I need some fun from the less technical side of things. What however are your views when the ARTF is an aerobatic pattern ship sold as a super bargain at the recent Sandown show complete with several attractive accessories thrown in for good measure?
The very experienced club member in question is taken by the looks of the ready to fly and gets it out on the field the following week. It flies but, as the engine is new, was not given the full works. A week later the model was again in the air for about two minutes. It had reached a height of some 150 feet when there was a crack with both elevators partly coming away from the fixed tail. The next was the tail itself. Presumably the flapping elevator helped to remove this! The model was heavy and obviously had little control left. Due to the wind direction the lump finally came to a halt some 10 feet away from the onlookers who were seen to dive in all directions. Could have been very nasty.
Close examination of the wreckage showed that some of the elevator hinges had never been fixed properly as there was little trace of glue and certainly no pinning. The tailplane spars were as soft as cheese with virtually zero bending strength. I know accidents will always be with us but it is our duty to guard against them. The trouble is that the ARTF age leads us to assume that the people that design these craft actually know what they are doing and that quality control is present during the manufacture. Perhaps the prettier the model is the more we are tempted to be blasé. We just can't see inside. Our club member doing the flying had the presence of mind to shut the throttle on the way down and apply full aileron resulting in a slightly softer impact.
In writing this piece I am not decrying ARTF but rather suggesting that, as with any similar problem occurring elsewhere, we complain where it counts rather that adopt that stiff upper lip! If there is an opportunity to examine parts before we fly, then do. This is the only way that we can maintain any hope of quality control and the ensuing safety. I have seen three similar incidents in my other club of some 60 members during the last 18 months and with over 30,000 BMFA members nationally there may easily be many more accidents waiting to happen for similar reasons. This latest, could have been another fatality.