On Apr 20, 12:47*pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Adam wrote:

Consider the D-160" model, which will likely break 400 mph next Santa
Ana season. It weighs 50 pounds and the spar is designed to withstand
over 4000 lbf. So it can over 100g when you consider the wing make
over half the weight of the plane.

50 pounds moving at 400 mph could cause multiple fatalities if it plowed
into some bystanders. How do they make these models safe to fly? Do they
have insurance? How big/heavy can a "model" be before it becomes a UAV,
and perhaps regulated by the FAA?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* * * Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Good point, but even a 1 pound plane could kill you at that speed.
Back in the stone age, when I was slope racing RC gliders, I think the
AMA imposed weight limit was 10 pounds.