[rc300xs]

What's a range check? I've heard that term at the supermarket... or maybe that was rain check, not sure.

[sport_flying]

My regular routine is to do the 30 paces check before the first take off of the day.
I do this for each airplane at the beginning of a days flying.
I have never had an issue but still invest this small amount of time in the interest of safety.

[Nick Milligan]

I'd like to say everyady I fly, but I forget once and a while.
IF I don't do a range check, I have a good chance flying the model with the ailerons reversed cause I forgot to check that too.

Nick

i would only do a range check if the antenna had reciently been pulled out of the radio...... or if i was an instructor..... or flying a plane for its first flight after a major repair..... or if it was someone else's plane.....

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by Dave Holmes

As safety officer and an instructor at my club, I would be derelict not to set the example. The only exemption to the rule is when I walk into the field across the road and throw my home made foamie into the air and discharge a battery. There is no where to set it down to check it where I can see the control surfaces from a distance.

Since Dave has already typed my reply out, I will say
Ditto!

Chris

[smoknrv4]

Been a habit of mine to do it before I fly everytime I go to the field also.

[voyager_663rd]

Every time I fly a plane (2nd flight same day, no).

I took out my goldberg chip last weekend (72mhz). Hadn't flown it since the previous summer. I've flown it for 5 yr no issues. Never a crash.

I turn tx on then the plane. Servo's started going nuts. Then stopped. I turned it off and unassembled it.

Unstrapped the rx and "wiggled" it. Servos went nuts. Then wiggled again and nothing. A 3rd time they went nuts.

Got home and tested the connections. All nice and tight.

No idea why this happened but the range check saved the plane.

Now, I have no idea why this happened.

Any ideas?

[mark_]

Wow...I'm impressed at how often everyone is doing there's...I do mine once every 6 months or so...maybe I should re-think that.

[JohnM]

I definitely should do it more than I do, so this is a good reminder. Only had one incident in almost 30 years of flying where if I had checked, I would have avoided a close call. (made a nice save if I don't mind saying so). . . Regardless, safety comes first so will be checking more often. . . Thanks

[mark_]

Thanks John...maybe I have a little too much faith in my gear. A buddy of mine dropped his TX just before maidening his scratch built glider. Checked controls, everything seemed fine and launched. About 300 feet out he lost signal and started sprinting toward the plane...I watched in horror when it spiralled in...he needed a bucket to pick up the pieces...a range check would have prevented that. (the antennae wire in the TX came off in the drop)