Club rules (click here)
BORDER MODEL AIRCRAFT CLUB RULES 2010
1. These rules are in 3 parts:
- Club administration.
- Club Chairman's Health and Safety statement.
- Flying rules.
They become effective from 1st January 2010
Part 1, Club Administration
2. Subscriptions. Subscriptions will cover the period 1 January to 31 December annually and should be paid by the 31st December. The subscription will be as decided at the Annual General Meeting. Club members who fail to pay their subscription by 31 January will be deemed to have resigned from the Club and will have to pay the £7.50 entrance fee to re-join. The number of members for 2010 has been limited by the committee to 80.
3. Insurance. All Club members must be members of the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) and be covered by the Association's insurance scheme. Members must produce evidence of BMFA membership and insurance if requested to do so by the committee. Guest flyers: see paragraph 19.
4. Flying Sites Availability. The MOD currently permits us the use of two power flying sites (Martinique Square and Bramshott P1), together with a glider/electric site at Hankley. Gliders and electric may be flown at all sites, but with the restrictions mentioned below for Martinique and Bramshot for gliders.
The Martinique Square site may be used:
Saturdays 1000 to 1800
Wednesdays 1200 to 1900
And Public holidays
The Bramshott P1 site may be used:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays 1000 to sunset
And Public Holidays
The Hankley S2 site may be used:
7 days; from sunrise till sunset (gliders and electric only).
Part 2. Health and Safety Statement, Risk Assessments
(Issued as part of the application to the MOD for the 2010 licence)
Chairman’s statement
As chairman of the Border Model Aircraft Club, my committee and I fully appreciate that whilst there are risks in carrying out the sport of flying model aircraft on MOD lands, it is our responsibility to ensure that any event is properly planned, stewarded and controlled to ensure that members of the public, Armed Forces and MOD civilians are not put at risk; to have in place an efficient procedure in the event of an accident or injury and damage to MOD property is avoided or minimised. To that end my committee and I will always carry out an assessment of the risks arising from the event, identify the control measures we need to implement and ensure that all participants are aware of them in the form of a written instruction or through the adherence of the club rule book
Name G A Machen
Appointment Chairman Border Model Aircraft Club
Date 17th November 2009
Risks to the public and club members
Being hit by an aircraft.
Likelihood: low
Effect: major injury
Control measures:
a. Models to be built and maintained to a high standard. Beginners’ models are to be checked out by club instructor before flying.
b. Pilots to carry out a thorough aircraft check and power check before each day’s flying and after any heavy landing.
c. Carry out a range check of radio equipment every month after any lengthy lay off from flying, or after any heavy landing.
d. Check failsafe, where fitted, before flying. If inoperative do not fly until the fault is rectified.
e. Carry out control check before each flight. In the event of any failure, do not fly until the fault is rectified.
f. Inexperienced pilots are only to fly when under the guidance of an experienced Club Member.
g. Do not fly over any member of the public at low level.
h. In the event of a control malfunction or part of the model becoming detached when airborne, land immediately.
i. Keep children under strict control.
j. Identify other flyers using the same frequency and keep each other informed of activities.
k. Adjacent frequency users are to carry out an interaction test. For club members who fly together this should happen regularly.
l. Use BMFA rules for flying patterns.
m. Pilots to land immediately on becoming aware of approaching full-size air traffic. All club members to ensure all pilots are aware of approaching full size air traffic.
Site-specific risks.
a. Bramshott. Pits and flight line are to be on the East side of the strip facing West. No model is to be flown over or behind the flight line to obviate any risk of landing on or near the A3.
b. Martinique. Separate pit box is to be used in accordance with club rules.
c. Martinique. No taxiing of models in or to/from pits; taxiing only permitted airside of marked cut-off line in accordance with Club rules.
Club Members: pilots injured by own aircraft
Likelihood: moderate.
Effect: moderate to major injury of individual.
Control Measures:
a. Aircraft to be restrained on start up either by means of anchorage or a fellow club member.
b. Members should avoid flying alone.
Club Members: injury of other pilots or visitors.
Likelihood: low
Effect: major injury
Control Measures:
a. Fixed wing aircraft to be at 90 degrees to pit line and restrained on start up.
b. Pilots to ensure nobody in line with propeller arc on start-up.
c. Taxiing to and from pits should be avoided when possible; no taxiing in or out of the pits area; models to be wheeled well clear of the pits before commencing taxiing and models stopped well clear of the pits when taxiing back after landing.
d. No flying of fixed or rotary wing aircraft directly from pits.
Environmental Risks
Social effect of noise
Likelihood: low
Effect: stress
Control Measures
a. Flight patterns not to go anywhere near the nearest habitation.
b. No more than four models to be airborne at any one time.
c. Models to be operated in accordance with Club’s rules on noise.
Social effect of model engines
Likelihood: low
Effect: damage to environment
Control Measures
- a. No discharging of fuel onto the ground.
Part 3 Flying Rules
Note. These rules should be read in conjunction with the BMFA Millennium Edition Handbook. (Items in brackets relate to the handbook clause number)
Regulations
The sport is a self-regulating pastime, which means in affect that every pilot is his or her own safety officer. It is also every individual’s responsibility to point out errors in flight procedures to another pilot who they see making a mistake. Serious errors should be reported to the committee.
Checking in with M.O.D.
Before departing for the flying site, telephone the guardroom, Longmoor Camp (01420 483399) to check site availability and to sign in. Tell them who you are, what site you are using and estimated times of arrival/departure.
Current BMFA and BMAC cards must be carried at all times and the holder must ensure that they are signed. The committee and MOD employees are empowered to check membership of BMFA and BMAC and to withdraw permission to fly or request withdrawal from the site of anyone not complying with this request.
Noise.
Do not carry out extended engine tests either in the pits or on the flight line as it stops others being warned of a hazard. If testing is necessary, move away from the pits/flight line area
Preparation.
Check controls, (Handbook, pages 15 (a) and (b)), pre-flying session checks (page 16 (1) to (4)), each flight checks ((1) to (15)) and after flight checks (page 17, (1) to (4)). If a PCM system is being used, ensure that the failsafe is programmed to the PRESET and not the hold position. Frequency interaction checks (16(c)) are strongly recommended for pilots using adjacent channels.
Frequencies. The Club operates the BMFA 'reversed peg' system (handbook, page 14) with BMAC's local variation of leaving your peg on the board. Do not fly if another flyer’s peg is on the board on your frequency. Liaise with the user and jointly arrange flight opportunities. When collecting your model on landing retract your transmitter aerial. Always place some form of identification on the frequency board. A frequency pennant on your transmitter is recommended.
New Members and visitors. Pilots who have not previously flown from Bramshott; Martinique or Hankley must obtain permission to fly or undergo a check flight with the Club instructor or other authorised club member.
Take off and landing. Apply the safety checks for take-off and landing (Handbook page 16 paras (g ), (h), (1), (j), (k), (I), (n) and (o). Some form of model restraint is recommended during start-up procedure, to ensure that the model does not run forward into the pilot.
Clear verbal communication between pilots. At each of the power sites, always position yourself within the 'flight box' so that you can hear and be heard by other pilots. State positive verbal information of your intentions to fellow pilots (Handbook, page 16(m)). If you have an emergency, shout it out. When collecting your model on landing retract transmitter aerial.
Gliders and electrically powered aircraft. Follow the BMFA guidelines (Handbook, pages 18 and 19).
Multi-Discipline Flying
a. Helicopters.
(i) Do not fly from the pit area.
(ii) Carry out checks (Handbook page 17).
b. Gliders.
The main silent flight area is Hankley. Use it for preference. Because pilots' locations for power and glider models is different at Martinique the different disciplines should not happen concurrently, because of the inability for pilots to talk to each other (Handbook, page 16, paragraph (in)) and the risk produced of models over flying transmitters (Handbook, page 16 (o)). If flying there agree with a Club committee member if available, or other pilots if not, flight timings for gliders.
Accidents.
An accident is interpreted as an incident causing injury or a violation of these rules resulting in a crash, even if no injury resulted. All such accidents are to be reported to a member of the committee as soon as possible.
Special to Site Rules.
a. Bramshott. The pilots' flight box located on the eastern edge of the strip (i.e. the side nearest the A3).Pilots are to fly facing west (i.e. away from the A3). On absolutely no account are models to be flown behind the flight line because of the risk, however small, of a model landing on the A3. All airspace behind the flight line is to be regarded as 'dead airspace' (see handbook, page 11).
b. Martinique. Dead airspace is defined as an area extending from the flight line to 50 metres either side of the peg board.
c. All Power Sites. No more than 4 internal combustion powered aircraft are to fly concurrently. This may be reduced to 3, or even flying stopped entirely for a time, by a committee member on site if he/she thinks that the noise may affect local residents. This includes helicopters but not electrically powered models.
Site Organisation.
a. Martinique
(i) Car Park. West side of site.
(ii) Pits. Immediately to the east of the car park.
(iii) Flight Box. On the western edge of the strip.
b. Bramshott.
(i) Car Park. On the north east corner of the flying field.
(ii) Pits. Immediately to the south of the car park.
(iii) Flight Line. see Bramshott Site Rules
c. Hankley.
(i) Car Park. Public car park.
(ii) Pits and Flight Line. To be selected by pilots, depending on wind direction. Whenever possible, pilots should use the same flight line, to minimise the risk of electronic interaction.
Environmental Matters.
a. Remove all evidence of broken aircraft. Do not dump wrecks on site. Remove all evidence of occupation.
b. Site Entrance Barriers. If on arrival at a site you find the barrier closed, close it again after you, thus stopping unauthorised persons gaining access to MOD land. If however a barrier is open you should assume that there is another organisation using the MOD land and that they want it to remain open.
c. The speed limit on MOD land is 20 m.p.h.
d. If a large number of flyers are operating at the Martinique site on a weekend, then a committee member may order a cessation in flying for a period of up to an hour.
Guests and Children.
If bringing a guest, whether flying or non-flying, it is the host's responsibility to brief their guest on Club rules. If flying, guests must produce evidence (at least to their hosts) of evidence of insurance through the BMFA: this is the host's responsibility. Children must be kept under control at all times.
Additions to the rules for 2010
The Committee has made the following decisions regarding the use of the Martinique site for 2010
1. Model cars will not be allowed due to the high risk of accidents and possible interference from toy transmitters.
- Helicopters can only be flown in an area south of the car park and west of the main strip.
In the event that a helicopter pilot wishes to fly on the main strip, he/she should liaise with other flyers for a solo spot as it is considered potentially dangerous to have a helicopter hovering in the main flying zone.
- Control line models can be flown in the same area used by the helicopters but not on the main strip.
- No models are to be flown from and over the access road. (Slow fly electric models can be flown over the long grass to the North of the car park and between the main strip and the access road, subject to care being taken to keep the access road clear.
- Only four models are allowed in the air at one time. This is the existing rule which has been transgressed a number of times.
- Noise levels have been on the increase of late. Any model appearing noisy to any member of the committee will be tested and if found to be above the BMFA limit of 82 dbA at 7 meters, it will be banned until rectified. The committee is investigating the possibility of a relaxation on the front reading to 85bdA, subject to full power only being used on take off and when climbing where the front noise footprint is likely to be less offensive to observers on the ground.
- Saturdays, with good weather, usually result in a large number of flyers. It is important to be considerate to other flyers and not hog the flying time. Any committee member may invoke a rota system if it is considered appropriate.
- All flying visitors must be logged in with the Guard Room. Any non flying visitor with their own transport should be logged in.
- Users of 2.4 ghz transmitters do not have to comply with the peg on board system.