Fears grow after model aircraft death By Local London Reporter
Model aeroplanes flying over Epsom Downs are endangering the lives of walkers according to a new report which calls for urgent action to protect the public.
The risk assessment by the British Model Flying Association comes after three plane crashes which narrowly missed people.
Last month a radio-controlled plane was wrecked when it smashed into the downskeepers hut and in August two people complained about planes which spiralled down out of control.
The planes which travel at up to 50 mph may look like toys but the potential dangers became all too clear in April.
A 13-year-old girl died after being struck on the head by a model aeroplane on Dartford Heath in Kent.
The death prompted Epsom MP Chris Grayling to urge the conservators of Epsom Downs to carry out a full risk assessment of flying on the Downs.
The report, which is due to be presented to the Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators on Monday, calls for the launch strip to be moved, describing its current location as "high risk and unacceptable".
The strip is on top of the hill, only 100m from the path between Tattenham Corner and the first mile post and cannot be seen by people walking north and west of the hill.
Roger Bellingham, BMFA flying site adviser, said he would like to see it moved to the brow of the hill, 200m from the path.
He said other safeguards should include more warning posts, marshals and the creation of a club which could control flying and ban casual flyers. He said: "Strict frequency control is vital.
"The Achilles heel of model flying is the situation where two model flyers have equipment which uses the same frequency channel and the second one switches his transmitter on while the first one is flying, causing the flying model to crash." Mr Grayling said: "They are large chunks of flying metal, flying above the busiest part of the Downs and if one of them hits you on the head, you would not stand much of a chance.
"I hope the conservators take rapid action to improve the situation." Roger Marples, a member of the Epsom Radio Flying Club, said: "We are always interested in ways to produce a safer flying environment and we will be discussing these proposals to a get a consensus view on what should happen." Epsom Downs has been a site for model flying since before the Second World War.
It is governed by a set of bylaws which restrict the weight of planes to less than 7kg.
The BMFA's report is purely advisory and it is up to the conservators who manage the area to make any changes.
See next week's Comet for a full update on this story.
8:27am Wednesday 15th October 2003