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At the September club night, our CFI raised the issue of hand-launching - where it should, and should not, be done, and the importance of this to safety in the pits and the pilot line. Below are the full flight protocols that our members have agreed - see item 5 re launches, but the whole lot is worth a read. On hand-launching, the point being made was that you must be beyond the far side of the long grass before you launch - not launching over the long grass or standing between the two sections of long grass when you launch.The diagrams referred to are at this LINK. 

You take off and land into wind, so that if you take off towards the sea then you’ll be flying right hand circuits (all turns made to the right), and if you take off up the hill then you’ll be flying left hand circuits (all turns made to the left)

1. You should be flying down the centre of the runway each time you fly into wind east-west or west-east (ie each time you fly the same leg as take-off and landing)
2. The down wind leg (where the wind behind your model) should be flown WELL OVER the bush – that means somewhere between a good distance over the trees for a small model, and up towards the ridge for larger models, but certainly not over the short grass or at the edge of it. If in doubt, if you lost power and went straight down, the model should be landing in trees, not over grass
3. If the wind is changing, or is coming across the field, pilots may have already chosen left or right hand circuits, and you’ll need to find out which direction they are flying as part of obtaining your clearance for takeoff
4. There should be no flying over the long grass in front of the pilots. The closest line runs parallel to the pilot’s fence, comfortably over the short grass (the centre line of the runway is a good guide). The only exceptions to this are:
   1. Helicopters using the hovering area east of the pilot area and
   2. Aircraft (generally gliders) that are well west of the carpark or well east of the east end of the field, high enough, and not in danger of interfering with normal circuits
5. Launches of everything, including electrics, gliders, helicopters, must be made from the edge of the short grass (spot marked in red on the diagrams) and AWAY from the pilot line, over the runway (note that nobody should be outside of the pilot area, near this spot, if anyone is taking off, landing, or taxiing out)
6. Landings should be on the short grass of the runway except for very light/slow aircraft without landing gear that can be landed on the FAR EDGE of the long grass in front of the pilot’s area as long as the landing is called and as long as they are coming in under full control, slowly, and will not interfere with the pilots or pits or put anyone at any risk whatsoever
7. Unless you are the only pilot in the air, you should fly all aerobatic manoeuvres on the leg over the bush/ridge and should call, in advance, to ensure that any change of direction from the agreed circuit is acceptable to all other pilots on the line. As with takeoff clearance, it’s acceptable if you get a clear and positive confirmation from each of the other pilots
8. If your aircraft is not under your full control, let the other pilots know and then make sure it is kept well away from the pilot line. Don’t be tempted to try a “controlled ditch” in the long grass on the north side of the runway to save damage to the model – there are plenty of soft trees on the other side of the runway