5/15/2021
Maryland is open for ‘normal business’ with no required restrictions on outdoor events. Club events will continue to be AMA sanctioned, however there will be no visitor screening, masking or distancing enforced.
Due to the Governor and Secretary of Health for the State of Maryland issuing guidance intended to limit the spread of COVID, the club has adopted the following as our policy and developed procedures for having Outdoor Flying Events in compliance. Any questions can be directed to a club officer.
6-12-2020
Purpose: The Club wishes to support all manner of flying activities under the Safety Policies established by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), comply with guidelines published by the FAA regulating our hobby activity, and conform to guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health to minimize health risk of spreading COVID.
Policy:
It is the policy of ESAC to follow these rules when sponsoring a flying event at the field. The goal is to minimize risk to participants, spectators and the general public while recognizing that flying model airplanes cannot be made zero risk in any respect. Members and guests are expected to follow these guidelines and also exercise personal judgment in conducting themselves while on club property.
To the end of promoting a safe event, the club establishes the following requirements for events:
- The Club will Sanction flying events with the AMA which establishes the event as official and extends liability insurance coverage for the event activities on the dates of the event. There will be a Contest Director (CD) on site during the event and the CD will have final say in resolving disputes or enforcing the rules.
- The Flying Field is a recognized AMA chartered field outside the controlled airspace of all local airports which maintain controlled space. As an AMA field, the AMA Safety Rules will be adhered to including maintaining all flights within line of sight of the pilot.
- The guidance provided by the Governor of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Health dictates various measures designed to minimize the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID 19. The Club will abide by governmental directives regarding event size, social distancing, mask wearing, and sanitation of high contact areas which are directed to Outdoor Recreational Activities.
- Prior to the day of the scheduled event, all registered participants and other groups known to the event coordinator will be informed of the safety and infectious disease measures in effect for the upcoming event.
- Participants, volunteers, and spectators will be asked to stay home if any of the following are true:
- They have a fever of 100 degrees F or higher
- They have recently developed a cough
- They live with someone or have been exposed to someone who is known to have COVID and not recovered and been symptom free for 14 days.
Procedures:
AMA Sanctioning- The event coordinator will be responsible for applying for an AMA sanction to be paid for by the club and in force on the day of the event. A Contest Director (CD) will be present during the entire event and his/her job will be to assure that all safety rules are adhered to. At a minimum, the CD will hold a Pilot meeting prior to the commencement of flying each day of the event where safety rules will be discussed. Pilots who do not adhere to the safety rules will be asked to leave. The Infectious Disease procedures in effect the day of the event will also be covered in this daily mandatory meeting.
Infectious Disease Measures - As of 6/12/2020, the guidelines covering our Outdoor Recreational Activity required / or suggested the following measures will be our polity to adhere to. If additional guidance is made available subsequent to this date, the new guidelines will be added to our process and all club volunteers will be instructed prior to the start of the event by the CD or other Club Officer.
- Temperature Screening upon arrival at the field: Anyone entering the club field will be temperature screened using no- contact forehead temperature reading. A reading of 100 degrees F or above will be grounds for denial of access to the event. The person with the temperature may be asked to leave; may be asked to wear a mask at all times and/or social distance at twice the normal distance.
- Social Distancing of 6’ between people will be observed whenever possible. When Social Distancing is not possible, such as: during registration; when picking up food; or assisting in carrying equipment, all people closer than 6’ should wear masks to minimize the possible spread of germs. Masks are suggested at all times but optional. Wearing a mask is a sign of respect for others in attendance.
- Hand Sanitizing stations will be available at the toilet facilities, the registration table and at the food table.
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- Everyone is encouraged to bring their own sanitizer and use it whenever it is likely that they have touched a high contact area where others have been in contact with a surface.
- Food service will be made ‘no contact’ between the Club Volunteers and the participants.
- Participants picking up food will use hand sanitizer before touching anything on the food table such as a salt shaker, ketchup bottle or coffee pot handle.
- Club Volunteers will wear masks and gloves while working in the food area and will sanitize or change gloves as appropriate to keep from transmitting germs to food or paper products destined for someone else.