FLYING SITE RULES

 

1) MEMBERSHIP

 

Club membership is open to all subject to the following classes:

 

- flying members called Full Club members

- non-flying members called Non-Flying members

 

The Farnham Model Helicopter Club executive committee reserves the right to cancel membership of any club member on the grounds of safety breaches, flying field misuse or abusive behaviour to other club members.

 

2) INSURANCE

 

The Club is affiliated to the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) and all Full Club members must also be current members of the BMFA.

 

3) ELIGIBILITY TO FLY

 

Only Full Club members are allowed to fly at the flying site.

 

Any member may bring a guest flyer provided the following conditions are met:

 

Guests must read and sign an indemnity form and have BMFA insurance before flying; and

 

Flying guests must have their models checked by a safety officer or BMFA ‘A’ or ‘B’ certificated club member before being allowed to fly; and

 

Flying guests are allowed up to three visits per year as per BMFA guidelines

 

Any member bringing a guest is responsible for providing the safety briefing and forwarding applicable signed indemnity forms to the Club Secretary. The member shall also notify the Club Secretary whenever the guest flyer returns to fly at the flying site.

 

Newcomers to the field, be they new members or guests, may not fly until they have received a full safety briefing from a member of the committee or safety officer.

 

4) INDEMNITY

 

All Club members and guests must:

 

fully accept that they are on farm property entirely at their own risk; and

 

fully exonerate the farm owners from any blame for damage or injury howsoever caused; and

 

sign an indemnity form on joining.

 

5) FLYING

 

5.1) GENERAL RULES

 

All members must hold a current BMFA A or B test certificate to fly unsupervised

 

All nitro model helicopters must always be held by the rotor head when starting and whenever the engine is running in the pits/safety area.

 

All electric model helicopters must be carried beyond the pits/safety area prior to the flight battery pack being connected.

 

All models must conform to a noise test of 84 dB at 7 metres before being allowed to fly.

 

There are to be no more than 4 models in the air at one time.

 

It is forbidden to fly over the pit area and the farmhouse and any areas outside the marked boundary of the field (see site familiarisation diagram). On no account is any model to be run-up, hovered in, flown out of or back into the pit area. Machines must be carried to one of the designated flying pads. All flying models must not fly over or near the farmhouse to the left of the field.

 

Whilst not flying, members and their guests are not to wander out of the pit area unless requested by a flier who requires assistance at a flying pad.

 

5.2) SETTING-UP AND HOVERING

 

There is a setting-up pads to the right and left of the pit area; this can also be used for hovering.

 

5.3) HOVERING

 

General hovering practice means that the helicopter must not exceed 5 metres in height and remember that the railway track is out of bounds.

 

5.4) CIRCUIT FLYING

 

The preferred area for circuit flying is from the flying pads forward of the pit area. The railway line is to be considered as out of bounds, to low flying models.

 

5.5) FIXED-WING FLYING

 

Fixed-wing flying of any sort is expressly forbidden.

 

5.6) QUAD/MULTI-ROTOR FLYING

 

Quads and multi-rotor flying is allowed at the field as long as:

 

Any first person view (FPV) flying undertaken must have a spotter with the pilot at the time of flight.

 

Aircraft are flown within visual range and within the flying field boundaries.

 

Aircraft are flown following strict BMFA guidelines as well as FMHC safety guidelines

 

6) FREQUENCY CONTROL

 

The Club no longer operates a peg board system due to the widespread adoption of 2.4GHz transmitter frequency control.

 

Note: All transmitters must be fitted with the original manufactures equipment (OEM) crystals. All models fitted with a PCM & 2.4GHz Rx must demonstrate the fail-safe function to the safety officer before flying.

 

7) SITE ACCESS

 

Flying may take place between 9.00am and 8.00pm any day.

 

Parking is not permitted in the field except with the farmer's permission on club event days.

 

Care must be taken when parking cars on the side of the road to ensure there is no restriction of the road.

 

When there are no parking spaces close to the field cars must be parked the other side (south) of the railway bridge.

 

The gate must be kept closed at all times and locked if last one out.

 

The gate must be kept clear at all times to allow access.

 

8) RESPECT THE PROPERTY

 

It is important to always respect the property. This includes:

 

Dogs are not permitted at any time at the flying field.

 

Do not leave litter, including expended helicopter parts, on the field - take it home with you.

 

Do not urinate of defecate around the pit or field shelter area.

 

Be courteous to the landowner and guests at all times - you never know who you may be talking to. Keep your speed down when driving along the road - you never know what is around the corner.

 

9) SAFETY

 

All flying is to be carried out in a safe manner such that at no time are people or property put at risk.

 

Pilots must at all times be aware of SAFETY considerations.

 

Many accidents are avoidable by carrying out routine actions such as pre-flight and post-flight checks and being aware of fuel states i.e. landing before running out.

 

The integrity of a model is always the responsibility of the pilot.

 

All members are requested to try the "A" test every year unless they have already achieved it.

 

Remember:- SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT

Site Familiarisation Diagram