08/13/2026
Hello All Members,
I wanted to bring a few important field related issues to the attention of the membership. As always, your club participation, and your cooperation are always appreciated!
Thanks!
John Morley
President, The 495th R/C Squadron, Inc.
Field Marshals - This is a reminder that our two field marshals, Lew Sanderson, and Jerry Pacelli, have absolute discretion to enforce the AMA Safety Code and the 495th R/C Squadron, Inc. Field Rules at the Ogonowski Memorial Model Flying Field. If you have a disagreement with their judgement or rules interpretation, do not engage them at the field, but rather contact me directly ([email protected]), or another club officer to resolve the issue. The field is not the place to dispute a suspected rules infraction, or debate the validity of any club rules. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in a loss of flying privileges or a dismissal from the club! Lew and Jerry are fellow members who have volunteered to provide a vital service to the club, so let’s treat them with respect!
Field Boundaries - We have had a couple of complaints about members flying outside the designated boundaries at the Ogonowski Memorial Model Flying Field. To reiterate the field boundaries policy, no member may fly beyond the tree line on either the left side or the right side of the field. On the left side of the field, we have the condominium complex, and on the right side we have private residences. In addition, no member may fly behind the flight line formed by the pilot stations. Flying over the pit area, the spectator area, or the car race track is strictly forbidden. If you are observed breaking these rules, you will be given one warning by our field marshals. A second infraction will result in a loss of flying privileges until you meet with a club officer and receive remedial training. This is a serious issue for which we will enforce a zero tolerance policy. Please do NOT fly outside the field boundaries or behind the flightline! This is for the safety of our members and spectators, and to ensure the continued use of the field for our flying activities!
Pit Area Protocols - All models must be started or armed on the provided ‘Starting Benches’ just behind the pin pole. Models may NOT be started or armed on the work benches next to the guardrail, or anywhere in the spectator area! Once your model is started or armed, keep it under your positive control. Do not walk away from a started or armed model! When entering the runway before take-off, or exiting the runway after landing, ALWAYS do so to the left of ‘Pilot Station #1’. Never have a started or armed model behind the pilot stations! Announce your intentions to other pilots when entering the runway environment, or when landing. Communicate clearly about what you intend to do, and avoid any surprises!
Noise Limits - We have had several complaints about the noise created by EDF (electric ducted fan) jets on Sunday mornings. While there is no specific field rule that prohibits flying electric aircraft at any time, the reality is that EDF aircraft can be somewhat 'noisy', and early Sunday may not be the best time to fly them. Sunday morning should be reserved for quiet operations only, so please use extreme discretion when considering when to fly your EDF models. Let's 'self-police' ourselves on this issue so that an outright ban on EDF jets on Sunday mornings does not become necessary.
Porta-Potty - Recently, the porta-potty at the field was left unlocked and the interior was vandalized. Every member should have the 4 digit code to unlock the door on the porta-potty, and if you do so, you are responsible for locking it again before you leave the field. The porta-potty is a club resource that is provided for member convenience, so please let's do all we can to keep it clean and fully operational! If you unlock the porta-potty door, be sure to lock it again before you leave. Even if you did not unlock the door, all members should check to be sure the porta-potty door is locked before they leave the field!
