Club Rules and Recommendations

General

1. It is strongly recommended that members should not attend the flying site on their own, whether the intention is to fly models or to perform maintenance work. At all times they should be accompanied by at least one other person (not necessarily a club member) who can summon assistance should it become necessary. Anyone planning to attend the field must notify others of their intentions the day before via the Club’s email system so that the farmer may be warned of such activity.
2. All members must observe field discipline and all flying must be lawful. This means complying with relevant Air Navigation Orders, the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) publication CAP 658 and the CAA Article 16 Authorisation. In addition all relevant BMFA safety codes as contained within the current BMFA Members’ Handbook must be complied with – and members must also be registered with the Drone and Model Aircraft Registration & Education Service (DMARES) and have both an Operator ID and Flyer ID before flying.
3. On matters of field safety needing an immediate decision, the responsibility lies with instructors or a member of the committee, in that order. Any instructions must be accepted without dissent. However, should a member believe the instructions to be wrong, then they should bring this to the attention of the Committee through Article 14 of the Constitution.
4. No aircraft which in the opinion of a Committee Member or Safety Officer is unsafe, will be allowed to fly.
5. Radio equipment must be properly maintained, and periodic range checks carried out. If any radio equipment is suspect, in any way, it must not be used until rectified by a competent repairer. Any suspicion of outside radio interference must be reported to a Committee Member immediately.
6. Any person wishing to enter or cross the runway area must seek clearance from any pilots flying at the time before doing so.
7. All models fitted with a receiver capable of operating in failsafe mode MUST have the failsafe set. As a minimum on powered models the throttle must be set to tick-over, not hold (stopped in the case of electric power). Failsafe operation will be checked from time to time by the Safety Officer by switching off the transmitter whilst the model is restrained.
8. Unless advised otherwise by a Committee Member, flying times are as follows:

Saturdays, Sundays
& Bank Holidays                    12.00 to 18.00     All aircraft types

All other days                         12.00 to 21.00     All aircraft types

9. All litter, rubbish etc. to be removed from the field after each flying session.
10. No vehicles should be taken on the field without the express permission of a Committee Member.
11. ANY incident involving personal injury or damage to property MUST BE REPORTED TO A COMMITTEE MEMBER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
12. No smoking is permitted in the vicinity of inflammable fuels and materials.
13. Children must be closely supervised at all times and must not be allowed to run around the pit area or runways.
14. No dogs are permitted at the flying field unless kept on a lead or tethered.
15. Any incident involving a third party or another member must be reported to the Committee.
16. Any person breaking any of the rules may be asked to leave the club.

Flying

17. Members must display their Operator ID on all models between 250g and 20kg and carry proof of both BMFA membership and Certificate of Competency (if appropriate).
18. No member will be permitted to fly without the direct supervision of a Club designated instructor until they have gained their ‘A’ certificate, issued by a registered BMFA examiner.
19. All pilots shall remain in the designated ‘pilot box’ while flying. There is an exception for multi-rotor pilots who fly from a designated area next to the pit area.
20. Multi-rotor pilots MUST only connect their flight batteries at the take-off point.
21. Due consideration must be given at all times to trainee or novice pilots in the circuit.
22. Those people not actively flying or instructing should not be in the Pilot Box unless specifically invited by a pilot for assistance.
23. All flying must be conducted in a safe and responsible manner. Models should at all times be flown within the area designated on the site map, or other area as advised by a Committee Member or Safety Officer. No flying is to take place over the pits, car park, farm or adjacent roads. All flying must be in front of the pilots: imagine a line extending from the nearside edge of the take-off strip and extending outwards. Do not fly behind this line (sight boards are provided on the boundary hedges to help your orientation).
24. All landings must be clearly called, and priority is to be given to deadstick landings and gliders.
25. Should an aircraft go out of control, the first priority must be the safety of persons, the second being avoidance of damage to property. A warning is to be shouted by the pilot which is to be taken up by other members.
26. Helicopters are permitted to fly ONLY when no fixed-wing aircraft are airborne.

When using 35mHz equipment

   27.  A 10kHz spacing will be used between frequencies. If adjacent channel interference is suspected, DO NOT FLYuntil the source of the problem has been verified and eliminated. A pegboard is available in the mower shed and must be used at all times.

28. Before switching on, the pilot must ensure they are operating on the frequency they believe they are on and display the appropriate transmitter frequency pennant.
29. Aerials must remain retracted unless the model is being flown. The flight is defined from the point of release to when the engine is stopped or the model is restrained.

Powered models

  30. Before starting an i.c. engine or connecting the flight battery in an electric model, the model must be securely kept in check, either by a physical restraint or by an assistant.

31. When engines are started in the pit area, the model must face outward from the pit area.
32. Assistance should be sought when running up engines and taking models to the runway for take-off. The use of an assistant for pilots with i.c. helicopters is mandatory for starting and carrying the model to the flight line. Under no circumstances must an engine or electric motor be run in the pits unless all persons are behind the line of the propeller (with the exception of the person starting an i.c. engine).
33. When carrying out power checks all persons including the pilot are to be behind the line of the propeller. Models having their engines run-in on the ground must not be left unattended whilst the engine is running.
34. Taxiing is only allowed on the take-off strip and the model must never point towards the pit area/pilot’s box.
35. No i.c. engine is to be started next to the pilot’s box, nor should adjustments be made to the engine in this area.
36. Models which emit more than 82dBA when measured in accordance with the DoE/BMFA procedures will not be allowed to fly (though readings must NOT be taken from in front of the engine). A noise meter is kept in the shed at the flying field, together with details of how the model should be tested with results entered into the book provided. Note that it is the model that is tested: i.e. the engine/model/silencer/propeller combination – changing the propeller would require the model to be re-tested.