General Information

The Country Squire Modelers flying site is at Sherwood Island State Park, located in Westport, CT (Exit 18 on I-95). There the club maintains two paved runways and a pit area. To fly at Sherwood Island you must:

(1) Be a paid-up member of the club.
(2) Be a paid-up current AMA member.
(3) Know the frequency of your radio transmitter and receiver.
(4) Have a frequency pin to put on display when your transmitter is on.
(5) Be with and under the guidance of a Mentor Pilot, if you're a beginner.

Frequency pins are displayed on the top of the club signboard. When members come to fly, they take their frequency pin and clip it to the aluminum plate on the SIDE of the board. The order of the frequency pins becomes the queue waiting to fly, and transmitters must not be turned on when the pins are there. Only three planes are allowed in the air at a time. When you are ready to fly, you take your pin off of the side and clip it to the "live board" (the small metal plate on the top) BEFORE you turn on your transmitter and making sure there is not one already there on the same frequency.

When you are done flying, you take your pin off of the "live board" and clip it to the frequency board below the other pins AFTER you have turned off your transmitter. If you are "engine testing," you may put your frequency pin on the underside (upside down) of the live board to make people aware that the frequency is in use. Again, check that no one is flying on your frequency before putting your pin in the test area. Our pins show clearly the FREQUENCY, MEMBER NAME and AMA NUMBER. Your pin must show this information.

SHERWOOD ISLAND STATE PARKFLYING FIELD GUIDELINES AND PILOT RESPONSIBILITIES

All members must abide by the official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code and the Country Squires Modelers Flying Field Guidelines and Pilot Responsibilities published here. Failure to do so will lead to disciplinary action including suspension and/or expulsion from the club.

PILOT RESPONSIBILITIES

All pilots must have a valid AMA membership card and a valid Country Squires Modelers membership card.

Pilots will never fly alone without someone to keep people from entering the field and call for emergency help if required.

No more than three (3) aircraft will be flown at any one time.

If two (2) aircraft are in the air, the third pilot must have a spotter before taking off.

All engines greater than.049 ci. displacement must have effective mufflers.

Pilots must fly ONLY from the designated pilot stations.

Take-off and landing will be executed while the pilot is at the pilot station.

Pilots will call out to others: "Landing," "Taking off," and "On the Field" when entering the flying area.

All flights are limited to15 minutes from engine start to landing. Engine tuning sessions are also limited to 15 minutes duration. During very crowded conditions, flight time maybe limited to 10 minutes.

Engine break-in runs are not allowed at the field.

NEVER turn on a transmitter without (1) checking the Active bar to see if your transmitter's frequency is in use and (2) putting your pin on the Active bar.

Regulation pins must be used. They contain the frequency number, the pilot's name and pilot's AMA number.

Only three flying pins and one engine-tuning pin are allowed on the Active bar at any one time.
No one should ever move a pilot's pin without that pilot's specific permission.

Pilots are responsible to remove their pin from the Active bar after they have shut down their transmitter. They are then to place the pin at the BOTTOM of the queue line to begin a new rotation.

Only one pin per pilot is allowed in the queue. Pins in the queue determine the flight sequence. No pin in the queue should ever be "jumped" over without the permission of the pilots whose pins are at the top of the queue.

Student pilots must use "buddy boxes" until two instructors approve them for solo flight. Instructors must ensure that the student can control his aircraft in a safe manner and demonstrates that he understands and abides by AMA and club guidelines.

Members are responsible for their guests conduct at the field. If a guest wishes to fly, it is the member's responsibility to ensure that the guest:
1. Has a valid AMA membership card.
2. Has been given a copy of the field guidelines.
3. Has read, understands and agrees to abide by the guidelines.
4. Has a regulation pin showing the guest's frequency number, name and AMA number.

PIT AREA SAFETY AND CONDUCT

Absolutely no one, other than a club member, is allowed in the pit area when an engine is running or being started.

No taxiing is allowed in the pit area. Aircraft must be carried or rolled out to the taxiways.
Engine tuning is not allowed in the vicinity of other aircraft or people. All engine tuning must be done outside the pit area in the infield.

No full throttle run-ups are allowed in the pits.

When engines are started in the pits, the aircraft will be placed on the ground in a position where the prop-wash will blow out onto the field and away from other aircraft, people, and parked cars.

Airplane stands are not designed for engine tuning. However, for those members who cannot start their engines on the ground, stands will be permitted, but only in the infield, not in the pit area.

FLYING TIMES

Flying is not permitted before 9 A.M. or after the park closing (usually just before sundown). Exception: Electrics may begin flying when the park opens in the morning.

Flying is not permitted before 4 P.M. on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend until the end of the Labor Day weekend, and anytime after 4 P.M. when the parking lot is crowded or the park is hosting other activities.

Flying is not permitted on Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day, or weekdays when the parking lot is crowded or during other large events at the beach on in the parking area.

FLYING ZONE

No flying is permitted inside the boundaries of the runways, including the infield, the pit area and the parking area behind the pit area.

We are guests of a state park and must exercise extra caution and courtesy to others in the park. Therefore, no flying is permitted over any area beyond the exit road to the South and West of the field. This area includes the beach, the parking lot, the circle and the guard stations. No flying is permitted over the picnic area to the East that is bordered by the brush line along the North-South runway. To the North, flying is prohibited anywhere near the white house at the entrance to the park.