RCMB Field Closing Update--4/23/20

[Jim Jurkowski]

RCMB Members,

The flying field remains closed at the present time, but I am hopeful that before the end of May, we will be back flying again.  I think we might see some relaxing of the Governor's rules by then that would allow us to open the field with safety guidelines in place.

Some of you have asked about returning to the field; but until we see a relaxation of MD Governor executive order 20-03-23-01 Section IV f (which is attached) I don't see how we can legally do that.  And being that we are on leased Baltimore County property, I don't think that anyone would want to jeopardize our long-term lease with the County, not to mention $5000 fines and/or 1 year in jail.  Additionally, I have other concerns. 

We have a very public location, and earlier this year, one of our members was performing aerobatics when someone apparently called 911 reporting a plane crash.  Soon after, this member was doing a flight demonstration for an amused Police and Fire Department that responded to the complaint.  First responders might not be so amused now as we under a state of emergency.  And I think we have all seen that one or more of us each year winds up taking a trip to the emergency room for stitches from a prop strike.  Given our penchant for being in the high risk category, it is not a good time for us to be visiting emergency rooms.  

So let's stay the course for a little bit more.   Depending on the Phase 1 guidelines in place when things open back up, we may need to incorporate some temporary rules aside from the obvious avoidance of hand-shaking and close contact.  But I am confident we could safely get back to flying when rules permit.

In the meantime, stay safe.  So far, we haven't actually missed all that much flying weather; get your honey-do's out of the way now!
Jim