Phoenix Park club...

[Fred]

Just had a discussion with someone who walk dogs in Phoenix Park (member of the NSPCA, Dog trust etc etc).

They sometimes walk dogs near the flying field in the park, and very often (apparently, when there is a small group of flyers), the game, by whoever is flying, is to scare the dogs by diving at them.. and their owners (dogs are on leash)...
They apparently complained a few times to the flyers, but to no avail...
A few weeks back, that escaladed a bit, as the dives were so low, that this time, instead of running away, they fought back.. And managed to break a plane when it got caught in one of the dog's leash (!).

Apparently, that's plane number 3 that went down...

So now, here is the thing, they are going to complain to the Guards as they have enough.
Told them not to do it now, and to talk to the MACI first as this is the best place to report the incidents.

Anyway, they are not going to the Guards now (you can be sure that they will next time), but if someone from that club read this, might be a good time to remind a few members that a few basic rules need to be followed or you may lose your club.

[billscottni]

People like that give us all a bad name and that sort of info gets around the Councils and affects other clubs trying to get to use Council land.

In the UK it would be a breach of an Air Navigational Order and a criminal offence. Police could be asked to take action.

[Fred]

Hey Bill,

Totally, but that might also be "rogue" users of the field, although, each time, this happened during week ends  :?: .
They said they were very noisy planes.. So I guess they were I.C  :?:

It's all up to the club now, unfortunately, we can only watch, hopefully, this will all end up well...

[billscottni]

Agreed Fred, but perhaps this should be passed to MACI for them to investigate.

If it is rogue flyers then the club needs to make the point to the Phoenix Park owners that whilst the club flyers are insured the rogue flyers may not be. May make Park authorities keep more of an eye out for them and eject them!

[airbolt]

I am a member of the Leinster Club who are the only recognised club (by the park authorities) for fliers in the park. I find the behaviour mentioned abiove incredible. I am on the C/L patch a lot and I know all of the fliers who fly regularly on the R/C patch. Most are retired like myself and I quite simply can't imagine any of them engaging in the behaviour described

Diving on animals with a model would require considerable skill and I can't see how anyone who had developed that level of skill would do such a thing. I don't see how any modeller in his right mind would dive on a dog with the owner attahed to it on a leash. The danger of hitting the owner no matter what the skill level of the pilot is immense.

I just wonder were the dog walkers walking across the landing appoach when these incidents occured? One person's diving might well be another person's approach. The normal procedure when approach is called is for one of the other pilots to shout 'clear' or a warning if anone is on the approach path. When flying R/C on the park patch I have had to do go around when warned that there was someone on the approach path many a time.

All that said it would be helpful to know when these alleged incidents occured (time of day day of week especially) With that knowledge it might be easier to ascertain what pilots might have been involved as certain groups only go up at certain times.

While flying control line I have had loose dogs (no owners attached) chase my model around in a circle and attempt to follow it on landing and that is not a very peasant ecperience as a control line model can only fly on a fixed path. My answer to that is to fly as high as possible or do do manouevres and fly inveted but when the engine cuts I must land no choice. Again, that said nothing like that has happened recently.

[Fred]

Hi there  

They are all fait points, unfortunately (or fortunately!), I did not witnessed all this, so I can only relate what's I have been told

Hopefully, that will be the end of it  

On a side note, I did not knew CL was done at the patch, but I have to say that I rarely go to Phoenix Park these days