Model Jet Club

All modellers are welcome to join the BMFA either as members of an affiliated club, or as individuals

Join the BMFA

Modellers are welcome to join the BMFA either as members of an affiliated club, or as individuals. Read the list below to decide which category suits you best, then use the (in PDF format) to enable you to apply for membership.

Membership fees run from 1st January to 31st December. Reduced fees are payable depending on when you join and you can read the latest fees on the Application Form.

Membership includes 5 million 3rd party liability insurance.

Types of membership

1) Affiliated MEMBERSHIP of the BMFA is open to clubs consisting of not less than five persons All current club members must be registered with the BMFA as fully paid up individual members and at least one of them must be a full senior member.

2) FULL INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP as a senior is available to all model flyers over 18 years of age on the 1st January of the year of membership. Those younger than this are called Juniors but have full membership status.

3) COUNTRY MEMBERS. Individual membership is open to applicants not belonging to an affiliated club, such members being known as Country Members.

4) FELLOWSHIP AND HONORARY MEMBERSHIP are two different classes of membership which are awarded to a few people in cases of special merit. Fellowship is, in fact, the highest honour awarded by the Association and is awarded to a maximum of two people each year by the Annual General Meeting.

5) FAMILY MEMBERSHIP is available to families living at the same address.
To qualify for Family membership, one full Senior member must register as Head of Family; a spouse/partner and all children under 18 years old can then register as Family members at a reduced fee.

6) SCHOOLS AND YOUTH GROUP MEMBERSHIP is open to bona-flde school model flying clubs and clubs organised by recognised youth organisations such as the ATC or the Scouts. The minimum number of club members is one individual senior and four reduced rate juniors. The juniors need not be named and their membership fee will be one third the current junior fee rounded to the nearest pound.

This gives the club full affiliated membership of the BMFA and at General meetings such clubs carry one vote. For the senior member and one vote for every three reduced rate juniors subject to a minimum of five votes.

Any reduced rate junior may become a full member of BMFA by paying the full junior membership fee. Any such junior carries one vote at General meetings and is not disqualified from membership of their group. See also the section on insurance.

7) MEMBERSHIP PERIOD. The normal period of membership shall be from 1st January to 31st December in each year. Applications for membership which are approved after 1st September in any year shall have a proportion of the fee paid credited to the following year. Each year at the Annual General Meeting the membership fee will be agreed.

BMFA Achievement Scheme Awards

These downloads explain what you have to do to pass the BMFA tests, and the type of manoeuvres required along with the safety checks listed in the BMFA Handbook

Corrections to the BMFA Handbook

Adobe Reader for pdf files.

Aircraft

A Certificate for Solo Flying at most clubs.

B Certificate needed for Display Flying.

C Certificate Advanced Manoeuvres associated

with Championship Competitions.

Helicopters

A Certificate

B Certificate needed for Display Flying.

Achievement Scheme Practice Questions

Glossary of Terms

Think S.W.E.E.T.S.

S - Sun

W - Wind

E - Eventualities

E - Emergencies

T - Transmitter Control

S - Site Rules

Be S.M.A.R.T. with your transmitter.

S... Switch on.

M...Model selected is correct / Meter in the Green.

A... Aerial secure / extended.

R... Rate switches all in correct positions.

T... Transmitter voltage good and Trims all in

correct positions.

Article 74 of the Air Navigation Order (ANO)

requires that:

“A person shall not recklessly or

negligently cause or permit an aircraft to

endanger any person or property”

Article 73 of the Air Navigation Order requires that:

‘A person shall not recklessly or negligently

act in a manner likely to endanger an

aircraft, or any person therein.’

THESE APPLY TO ALL MODEL AIRCRAFT AT

ALL TIMES, WHATEVER THEIR WEIGHT OR

SIZE.

BMFA News

BUDDY BOX SAFETY

When using a "Buddy Box" system for flying training it is vitally important that you ensure correct operation of the system before each flight is made.

A recent review of incidents and accidents showed a number of cases where aircraft crashed due to problems with the Buddy link. These included broken switches, switches that jammed due to being "gummed up" with fuel, plugs that did not lock securely to the socket, frayed and worn leads leading to poor or intermittent connection.

Another area that has caused problems is the constant plugging and unplugging of the TX connection either for "Buddy Box" use or for flight simulator connection. On some brands of transmitter the socket is mounted directly to a printed circuit board and in some instances repeated use has led to a crack in the host board which is exhibited as an intermittent fault.

For many pilots their second transmitter is one that is not used regularly and is brought out solely for training use, a thorough pre session check should be carried out at the start of the session and a "handover check" carried out as part of the pre flight checks. If there are any doubts over the operation of the system then do not fly with it.

Manny Williamson
Development Officer
On behalf of the Safety Review Committee

Posted by: BMFA Office at 09:59 May 22nd, 2008

British Model Flying Association

The BMFA is the body delegated by the Royal Aero Club to be responsible for all aspects of model flying in Great Britain. The BMFA normally has around 780 clubs affiliated to it, with

a combined membership from clubs and individual members of over 36,000 View the Clubs list

The BMFA is the National Governing Body for the sport of model flying. Its aims are to promote, protect, organise and encourage model flying within the UK. Typically there are around 780 affiliated clubs and a combined membership of over 36,000 members, all of whom have entered a partnership to ensure that model fliers have a voice and their rights are recognised by the authorities.

The mandate for the BMFA to do this comes from the Royal Aero Club, dating back to 1922, the Civil Aviation Authority and Sport UK.

The BMFA also represents the UK in the international forum through its recognition by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) and its model flying sub committee, Commission Internationale d'Aeromodelisme (CIAM).

WHO RUNS THE BMFA?

The membership elects officers to represent them at all levels of the organisation. All members of affiliated clubs have a vote and their club representative is entitled to vote at the AGM and their Area elections. Club representatives also have the right to represent their club at Area meetings. Should a club wish to raise any issues with Council, this is proposed through their Area Committee, which is represented on Council by the Area delegate.

Therefore, the BMFA is a true democratic organisation whereby every member has the opportunity to influence BMFA policy.

Once elected, the responsibility for running the BMFA rests with the Council of Management which is in effect the Board of Directors of the SMAE Ltd, the BMFA's parent company. The Council of Management consists of 32 elected members and is responsible to the membership. It is governed by the Articles of the Association.

Objectives of the BMFA

The promotion, protection, organisation and encouragement of model aircraft building, flying and development in all its aspects in The United Kingdom, through the medium of clubs and individual members; assistance and guidance to model aircraft clubs or individuals; collaboration between members of the Society; and co-operation on behalf of members of the Society with the Civil Aviation Authority or other government departments and any other bodies and organisations in the United Kingdom and overseas.
To produce, collect and distribute information in connection with model aircraft or the model aircraft movement on such terms as Council shall think fit.
To encourage and support research in model aircraft design theory and construction.
To control and record model aircraft performance within the areas under the jurisdiction of the Royal Aero Club.
To act as promoters of National and International model aircraft meetings, contests and exhibitions; as publishers stationers and booksellers, general traders, dealers agents and manufacturers, both wholesale and retail' of any articles of any description which may assist the development of model aviation;
To establish and support, financially or otherwise or aid in the establishment and support of any educational scheme or establishment with benefit to the model aircraft movement.

The BMFA's strengths are its proven expertise and its membership. Without the backing of its clubs and members we could not have accomplished the many things that have given us national and international credibility and recognition. The sheer weight of numbers of model aircraft fliers we represent has enabled us to be heard at the highest levels. Therefore, we require continuing support as without you the BMFA would not exist: your membership and club affiliation is important so that we can continue to represent the interests of all modellers in the UK.

Major achievements have been: Sports Council recognition, the negotiation of the CAA limitations under which model aircraft are flown to ensure we retain the right to fly in common airspace without draconian restrictions, the introduction and retention of the 35 Mhz band, the retention of flying sites for free flight, indoor and R/C, and the implementation of the National Trust agreement.

We are a respected organisation and can move forward into the future with confidence to promote and protect the sport of model flying in the UK.

Stephen Peek | Peek Helicopters | Peek Fireworks | Peek House
Model Jet Club 2008-2010

Model Jet Club 2008-2010