Saying a jet engine doesn't mind ingesting FOD shows a lack of understanding. FOD the size of a bird or plane usually *does* damage the engine, by breaking or weakening blades. The hot section of jet engines is armored inside the nacelle, (they weren't always, it took tragic deaths to bring that innovation about) so that when the broken or damaged blade gets thrown outwards by suddenly released centripetal force, it doesn't fly thru the engine casing, the airframe, control lines, fuel lines, and hydraulic hoses, and passenger's bodies... but instead, the disintegration of the engine is contained within the nacelle. This makes an engine FOD emergency somewhat more survivable, but it doesn't mean the engines "don't care" about ingesting FOD.
The props on GA planes can get nicked or dented by hitting a model, this throws the prop out of balance, and the vibration generated by the imbalance can, in an extreme situation, throw bearings, even rip the engine from it's mounts. Jet or prop, this still means a dead engine, at best. Happening on approach or takeoff, the time you need absolute engine power and reliability the most. So no, I don't think my hard words were out of place, Martin, I think you're talking thru your hat regarding this subject. If you disagree, feel free to volunteer to get on a plane that's ingested a bird, without having the engine pulled for inspection or repair. I didn't think so. Meanwhile, the list members who ARE in that area need to spread the word locally, in the hobby shops and clubs, to watch for this guy, find him, explain the danger to him, so this doesn't happen again. If he causes a tragedy, the news carries nationwide, and adds another nail to the coffin for use of public flying sites. Your site. My site. Even though we did no wrong, no harm. The public will tar us all with this guy as the brush. Public opinion may not be right, but it's always powerful, and you don't want to put the public against the sport. We need to police the hobby ourselves, or authorities will gladly do it for us in ways I guarantee you will not like. -Mark. RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format
