Konkorde Model Flying Club

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS

We have just received a posting on our Face Book group from Clive Allford. 23/03/2020

Notice from BMFA

From: [email protected]
Date: 24 March 2020 at 10:34:31 GMT
To: [email protected]
Subject: MODEL FLYING AND THE COVID-19 VIRUS - UPDATE 23-3-2020

Dear Michael Foster

Further to our statement last week, it is clear that the COVID-19 situation has developed very rapidly in the UK and we must now update our advice to reflect this. 

Members should continue to keep themselves updated on current government and NHS advice.  Please see  https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response for the latest information.

Members are advised to follow the precautions provided by the NHS at all times details of which you can find here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has introduced further restrictions this evening, which severely limit the reasons why people can now leave their homes.

Model Flying in the club environment

It remains the case that in general terms model flying represents a low risk due to the predominantly outdoor nature of the activity and the opportunity to maintain inter-personal separation (a minimum separation of 2 metres is advised).

However, the latest Government advice is that any form of group gathering (now defined as 2 or more people!) must be avoided and that everyone (no longer just those over 70 or with underlying health issues) should significantly limit their face-to-face interaction with others.  We are also instructed to avoid all non-essential travel. Therefore, our advice is for members to stay at home and finish off that winter project or make an early start on next winter’s masterpiece.

BMFA Organised events, contests and roadshows

The BMFA is advising that all events and contests scheduled to take place in the next 12 weeks must be cancelled at this time.   

Planning for the Power Nationals in August is continuing on the assumption that it will be going ahead, but this will be kept under review.

Should contest/event organisers wish to cancel/amend their entries on the BMFA Calendar, please contact the office or complete the online request form here: https://e-forms.bmfa.org/event-amend.

BMFA Buckminster

All organised events at BMFA Buckminster have been cancelled for the next 12 weeks and will not resume until we receive advice from the Government that group gatherings can recommence safely.

The site will also be closed to visitors until further notice.

BMFA Office

The BMFA Office functions remain largely in operation as usual, though most of the staff are now working remotely and we regret that the Office is closed to visitors. Please use [email protected] as the primary means of contact.

Important note:- We must advise members to follow Government/NHS guidance and stay at home wherever possible.  Flying in isolation may still be possible, but group gatherings (2 or more people) must be avoided.

Time to get the building board out!

Kind Regards and stay well.
All at the BMFA

Tel: 0116 2440028
email:  [email protected] 

The Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers Limited T/A The British Model Flying Association

A company limited by guarantee.  Registered in England Number 457067
Registered office Chacksfield House, 31 St Andrew's Road, Leicester, LE2 8RE

All members please read.

CALL TO ACTION UPDATE - MEETING WITH THE CAA **PLEASE READ AND SHARE**

Update from the BMFA CEO, David Phipps

Representatives of the UK Model Flying Associations met with the CAA yesterday afternoon (29th May 2019).

The meeting was constructive, but without any real breakthrough to report at this stage. 

The CAA were only able to discuss potential options within the restrictive policy framework dictated by the DfT.  One such option is the possibility of the Associations registering as Operators, which would save members paying the £16.50 registration fee, but all members flying any model over 250g would still be required to take a free CAA theory test every 3 years.  There is however further exploratory work to do on this option before it could be confirmed as a viable way forward and it would still be far from satisfactory.

Model Flying is now within the CAA’s Small Unmanned Aircraft Unit rather than their General Aviation Unit and there was an undertaking to meet on a quarterly basis, rather than on the current annual basis.  The Associations welcome this development, especially at the present time.

There remains a great deal of detail to resolve before the 2018 ANO changes come into effect at the end of November this year and this issue is compounded by the six months lost due to the DfT/CAA ‘stone walling’ us since November 2018.  It is regrettable that it has taken the direct action of our members to force the resumption of meaningful dialogue.

We would like to thank all those members who have supported our campaign so far, the CAA has received approximately 6000 responses from model association members. If you have not yet responded to the consultation, please do so before it closes next week.  Full details of the consultation and how to respond can be found here: https://consultations.caa.co.uk/finance/drone-registration/

A considerable number of members have expressed their dissatisfaction at the ‘standard’ response they have received from the CAA which in many cases does little or nothing to address their specific concerns or indicate that they have even been read.  We would encourage any member dissatisfied with the response they have received to raise a formal complaint through the CAA’s complaints process (rather than as a personal communication to the CEO), details of which you can find here:https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Make-a-report-or-complaint/How-to-make-a-complaint-about-the-CAA/.

Similarly, a significant number of members have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the ‘standard’ response they have received from the DfT and in this instance we would encourage members to re-submit their concerns with a complaint that they have not been adequately addressed.  Details of how to submit a complaint to the DfT can be found herehttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport/about/complaints-procedure#making-a-complaint-to-the-department-for-transport.

We will be meeting with the Minister next week, but for now our 'Call to Action' remains very much in place.

Kind Regards

Andy Symons

Club Support Officer 

Tel: 0116 2440028

Fax: 0116 2440645
email:  [email protected] 

The Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers Limited

T/A The British Model Flying Association

A company limited by guarantee.  Registered in England Number 457067
Registered office Chacksfield House, 31 St Andrew's Road, Leicester, LE2 8RE