Jason-I

I spent years getting ignored by Horizon Hobby. I will not buy anything from them anymore. Oh, and when they did respond several years later after being shamed into it on social media, they said they would not resolve the issue as it was too old! (even though it was only old because they did not respond when the issue was new!) Disgraceful company in my opinion.

Posted by Trevor Crook on 28/01/2020 07:11:43: David, you will get plenty of different radio recommendations on here! I would suggest talking to the instructors in the club you are considering and seeking guidance from them on brand (as well as mode). Being able to connect to an instructor's transmitter with your own (so-called buddy-box) is a big plus, and generally only works with transmitters of the same make. You will also find it easier to get setup guidance from someone with the same make of radio. And then, after considering all factors carefully, do what SWMBO does and pick the one with the nicest case....

Posted by Roger Price 1 on 27/01/2020 14:55:56: Whilst the Junior 60 is a good recommendation I would highly recommend the Super 60. I still have one in my garage from at least 30 years ago and it still is going strong. Like you I enjoy the building and this plane is a pleasure to put together. Would suggest aliphatic resin as a glue rather than Cyano! The super 60 is an excellent recommendation. The Junior 60 I referred to however was the electric version. Ben Buckle have produced an electric plan and kit which should take all of the guess work out of it. (and 4-max have published an electric setup).   I am surprised Ben Buckle don't produce an 'electric' version of the super 60. Not that it would be that difficult to alter it yourself, and the 4-max Junior 60 electric setup should work just fine in the Super 60 as well. David - this is the trap we all fall in. So many choices and too little time (and storage space) to have them all.... Edited By Jason-I on 27/01/2020 15:13:05

Posted by David Hazell 1 on 27/01/2020 14:20:59: Thanks Jason, I'll take a look. I bit the bullet and subscribed to the mag too. I'm excited! I am going away for the rest of the week, but upon my return I will start gathering tools and the like. I like the look of that SLEC fuselage thing so will grab one of those. Is MDF any good as a buildling board? My neighbour is a chippy and gets through tons of the stuff - I might be able to pinch an offcut from him. MDF is too hard to push modeling pins into (unless you want to hammer them in). However, top your MDF sheet with a piece of plasterboard then that should do - providing you lay it on a sturdy & flat table. (MDF is quite bendy).    Edited By Jason-I on 27/01/2020 14:48:45

If its a building project you mostly want followed by a simple to fly plane to get you back in the hobby, then why not have a look at some of the classic ben buckle kits. The junior 60 spring to mind... **LINK** Traditional (yet simple) build. Electric setup for it here: **LINK** (although you can easily get equivalent and cheaper components elsewhere, such as hobbyking if cost is an issue)   Free plan here:   https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=9995   Edited By Jason-I on 27/01/2020 12:11:08 Edited By Jason-I on 27/01/2020 12:12:51

Posted by paul d on 24/01/2020 19:01:29: I honestly don't understand why chaps bother with these people, support your local shop, lets be honest all they sell is cheap Chinese carp..... Their batteries cannot be beaten on price (and work really well). Many of their planes are actually pretty good (and excellent value). Hobbyking sk3 motors are excellent (rebadged versions of significantly more expensive big name brand motors). Massive selection of stock Their servos cannot be beaten on price. In fact most of their stock cannot be beaten on price. Plenty of reasons why people bother.....

Posted by cymaz on 10/01/2020 06:18:46: Oracover ( profilm as it was ) and Hobbyking. There is also nylon and dope. The only problem is Oracover is far too expensive and Hobbyking film has been out of stock for months (and with Hobbykings current difficulties, who knows if it will ever return to stock).

Has there been a definitive ruling on the validity of BMFA insurance with respect to not having registered as an operator yet? Just weighing up my membership renewal options. Last advice I saw was that insurance may be invalid, but need to know for certain one way or the other.

Posted by MattyB on 28/12/2019 22:55:27: Posted by Jason-I on 28/12/2019 22:54:17: Is he an Aussie abroad, or is he a Kiwi? He certainly live in New Zealand.... Fair point - corrected! I wasn't saying you were wrong. I know he lives in New Zealand, but he still could be an Aussie - I was just wondering.....

Posted by Steve J on 28/12/2019 21:21:44: Posted by Don Fry on 28/12/2019 20:53:54: Just don't fly near airports. Or other protected aerodromes or nuclear sites or any other bits of restricted airspace. or just don't let them take you alive.....

Is he an Aussie abroad, or is he a Kiwi? He certainly live in New Zealand....

Posted by gangster on 28/12/2019 17:54:44: So these police officers who are going to check every toy aeroplane in the country. Are they the same ones who have to deal with the 1000000 uninsured cars in the country? And the business of the sticker on the plane that isn’t just so Will that be the same police who have to deal with the thousands of illegally spaced number plates on cars. Are they the same police who were ordered to ignore illegal CB use even when we had so many more police officers than. We have today. As for carrying documents, yes a good idea but how many of us carry our driving documents or even did before tax insurance and mot info was available on computer systems. Let’s not get carried away and overthink this business. We ain’t that important. Indeed. I ain't worrying about it - hence the reason I have passed on paying the unjust registration fee. I have my competency certificate.I have insurance. I fly responsibly and I have my contact details on every model I fly. Good enough for me. In the highly unlikely event plod ever stopped me, I believe it would be good enough for him too - they have far more important things to worry about than an old fart playing with his toy plane in some remote location not bothering anyone!

Posted by Steve J on 10/12/2019 14:16:04: Install Google Earth on your computer. Look out of your window and pick a few things around 5ft that you think are 100m and 200m away. Check the distances with Google Earth. After a couple of iterations you will have a feel for what 5ft looks like. Or you could just place the model on the ground, take 120 strides away from it and see how big it looks..... (120 strides ~ 120m ~ 400ft) Edited By Jason-I on 10/12/2019 15:08:14

Posted by Nigel Heather on 08/12/2019 15:55:05: Been looking through the BMFA questions this afternoon, and as many have said most are pretty straight-forward and I will have no trouble achieving the 16/20 passmark. But I want to get 20/20. There are two questions that I could answer but am not 100% confident, because I don’t think they are specifically covered in the ANO, exemptions and drone code. The questions are Q9 - You’re out flying your model aircraft or drone when it starts to snow. What do you need to consider? (select all that apply) That you’re not getting too cold to be able to use your controller That your aircraft will work in cold temperatures That you can still see your aircraft through the snow. My first thoughts were (1) and (2) and probably (3). But then I started to think whether there was a trick to this. The question says that you are already flying. Now when it starts snowing it doesn’t just get cold all of a sudden, it would have been cold before you started to fly. So you should have considered 1) and 2) then not waited until it started to snow. So I wonder whether the correct answer is just 3). What do you think?   Q15 - Which of the following should you think about when flying your model aircraft and drone? (Select all that apply) If you’re not in full sight, people may not realise what you’re doing and call the police. People may be worried about having their privacy invaded You could cause a serious incident if you don’t make sure you always fly safely and legally At first I thought it was all three. Then after some thought I wonder whether the only correct answer is 3) as the very first thing the drone code and the ANO say is that it is your responsibility to fly safely and within the law. Now whilst 1) and 2) are genuine concerns, they are third party perceptions and the legislation does cover peoples opinions. What do you think? Cheers, Nigel     Q9: 1,2 & 3. No trick. Select ALL that apply. Q15: Ditto, all 3. Don't overthink this stuff.     Edited By Jason-I on 08/12/2019 16:35:11

Posted by ken anderson. on 04/12/2019 09:05:40: i would say 100% Yes-have a word with him. Why let 1 person do what they want and put the site at risk for the other members who fly there.unfortunatley the times we live in are governed by rules which we have to adhere to.there will be many who will say do nowt...but many more who will say act. ken anderson...ne...1..do nowt dept. If there are no other members there, he is a competent flyer and he is not putting anybody at risk, then why not just leave the poor fellow alone to enjoy his hobby? Why do people always feel the need to say something when no harm is being done?

Posted by Steve J on 26/11/2019 22:19:11: Ben, At the moment, you are OK so long as your Inductrix doesn't have a camera. PS Unless you are in an FRZ. Edited By Steve J on 26/11/2019 22:22:56 Yeah, I cannot fly my 24g inductrix even 1cm off the ground in my back garden because I am just within a FRZ. I can however kick a 500g football as high as I like into the very same airspace, Go figure....

Posted by Steve J on 25/11/2019 10:04:46: ORS4 1324 has just been replaced by 1332 which is valid until the 23rd February. So BMFA members are now exempt from registration until 23 Feb 2020? All those BMFA members who rushed ahead (against advice) and registered already have un-necessarily paid for 3-4 months of worthless registration?

Posted by Martin Harris on 22/11/2019 11:11:46 There's a massive difference between just rolling over and with accepting that the due process of democracy has been followed. Ignoring the resulting law because you simply disagree with it is the thin edge of anarchy. Democracy? I don't remember being given any choice on this new law?

Posted by Cuban8 on 22/11/2019 10:47:33: If a law doesn't do any good or is expected by its target audience to not be any good - whichever way it's dressed up and sold, it's not a good law. If accepting reality really means accepting as completely right, every time, anything that anyone - governments, employers, club committees or anyone else for that matter as being beyond critique, then we're really in big trouble. Those that are happy with this arrangement, please yourselves.............. I fear that our hobby's future is far from secure and that all of us need to be monitoring future developments with caution. Here, here.

Posted by SIMON CRAGG on 18/11/2019 19:25:32: Another of our members completed the "test" today and got there "FLY" number. He was also invited to pay £9.00, which he did, and is now the proud owner of an operators number. Feedback? "Piece of cake". Cant see what all the fuss is about!. I just don't understand why on earth BMFA members are chomping at the bit to pay this lousy air tax 2 months earlier than they have to.....

Posted by leccyflyer on 18/11/2019 06:40:13: Another example of over-thinking. If you've used a screwdriver to fit your hatch then clearly that isn't a special tool. If it's a TORX or star driver, or similar then it probably is a special tool. Screwdrivers have been classed as 'special tools" by the CAA and are not permitted. Hatches should be removable without any tools.

Posted by cymaz on 18/11/2019 06:22:50: If the CAA could define what a special tool is or isn’t , that might clear up some confusion They have clarified. They now state it should be removable without ANY tools.

Posted by Steve J on 09/11/2019 13:20:36: I did the CAA test before you did. I haven't registered because I'm a Yorkshireman and I don't see the point in giving the CAA £9 two months before I have to. I really don't understand why any BMFA members are paying for registration 2 months early either.....

Posted by Nigel Heather on 09/11/2019 12:59:37: Posted by Jason-I on 09/11/2019 11:09:22: Posted by Nigel Heather on 09/11/2019 10:13:22: .....To own a ‘drone’ you must have an Operator ID. So it should be a mandatory requirement to present it when purchasing a drone - just like you have to do when purchasing a car..... Nigel I have seen this a few times now. You do not need a license to buy a car! You only need a license if you intend to drive said car home. You should not need an operator license to buy a drone. That is ridiculous. You may be buying the drone as a present for somebody else. You may be buying the drone to use exclusively indoors. You may be buying the drone as a static display model. You may be buying the drone for spare parts. Lots of reasons why you could be buying the drone without needing a operator ID. EDIT: The law does not say that you need an operator ID to own a drone. It says the following: 'The new regulations apply to drones and model aircraft from 250g to 20kg that are used outdoors'   You clearly have never bought a new car or a used car from a reputable dealer. The reality is that they won't let you test drive or drive it off the courtyard without seeing that it is registered and insured. Try buying a new car without a licence and you won't be able to take it away. Sure you could buy it on behalf of someone else but ultimately they will want to see the details of whoever drives it away. Nigel Casting aspersions on where I buy cars from is just nonsense. You DO NOT need a license to buy a car. I quite clearly stated that you do need a license to drive that car (on public land). However, you can perfectly legally drive it without a license on private land. You can buy a brand new car without a license and have somebody else drive it away, or have it delivered, or have it taken away on a trailer. There is no law requiring a license to buy a car. Comparing this to buying a drone is also nonsense. You do not need to fly the drone home and there are lots of reasons you could be buying a drone that do not require a license.   Edited By Jason-I on 09/11/2019 13:21:59

Posted by Old Geezer on 09/11/2019 10:37:51: .... not making a principled stand in a scrap you can't win..... If people did not stand up for their principals (and put their lives on the line for said principals), then the world as we know it would not be the world as we know it......