Martin Dilly 1

Could somebody direct me to anything on the site that explains how to attach several photos to a posting. I've managed to create an album, but cannot find how to, for example, attach all the images in it to a post, telepathy not being among my skills.

I've just ploughed for the second time through the Baroness's evidence here:https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/1a8ec4dc-78a8-4b76-9dce-ff663ad71067 The parts that specially touch on model flying are at the roughly following times into the session: 10:44 (electronic conspicuity), 10:57 (again), 11:19 (electronic i.d. mandatory, retro-fitting?), 11:22 (clubs registering for many pilots), 11:26 (beeping drone in wrong place easy to ID, nothing about non-beeping one!), 11:28 (geo-fencing now mandatory), 11:33 (is the offence owning or flying?), 11:34 (why is our safety record ignored?), 11:35 (the idiot flying near LHR). The fact that she keeps referring to what we do as a 'hobby' rather than a sport, which it is, can't be helping us either.

A lot of us flying competition free-flight use this: http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=95_113&products_id=217 £50 and weighs 3gm. including battery. No connection with the firm, apart from as a satisfied customer using another of their products.

Posted by SR 71 on 12/06/2019 17:01:20: Well I would sooner pay for our old people to watch tv Than I would pay for all the foreigners that are here getting free treatment on the NHS, helping overcrowd our hospitals At the risk of assisting the drift of this thread a bit, could I perhaps mention "all the foreigners" that actually make the NHS work. A personal observation here; a year or so ago I had to have a canula put into a vein, and mine are apparently hard to locate. It took eight tries, two in each arm and two into the back of each hand before finally a passing Greek cardiologist managed to find a vein. Prior to that I'd been jabbed by a Pole, a German, an Irish girl, a Spaniard, two Phillipinas and one English nurse. I'm personally delighted that foreigners are crowding the NHS, as it looks as if the British aren't prepared to do the work. Reverting to the thread topic a bit, I too used to work for the BBC and as a camerman saw no signs of high salaries amng my colleagues, more's the pity.

Posted by Martin Harris on 03/05/2019 16:37:49: I can assure him that a good number of my fellow club members have responded to my, and the BMFA's requests to participate in the consultation and emails. It was a major topic of conversation at the field yesterday. Glad to hear it. The more the merrier. A question that some may think worth including in their letters to the CAA and ministers. The government often emphasises their policy of 'the user pays'. Exactly what is the user paying for with the proposed £16.50 registration fee? Air? Having his name put on a database??

I do hope that all the people who have made 521 posts on this topic have already taken the time to a) respond to the drone consultation **LINK**b) written to their MP, c) written to the Minister for Aviation [email protected], and, d) written to the CAA [email protected] . The link here (UK Model Flyers - Call to action) covers the points to make. That’s a lot more important than preaching to the more or less converted on this forum. I do hope that all the people who have made 521 posts on this topic have already taken the time to a) respond to the drone consultation **LINK** b) written to their MP, c) written to the Minister for Aviation [email protected], and, d) written to the CAA [email protected] . The link here (UK Model Flyers - Call to action) covers the points to make. That’s a lot more important than preaching to the more or less converted on this forum.

Even if you can't be bothered to read BMFA News, then for heaven's sake read this, on the BMFA website this morning, and act on it. **LINK** :

This might be of interest: https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/digital-outcomes-and-specialists/opportunities/7463 Contract for the registration scheme awarded in November, despite the fact that discussions were continuing with the BMFA. A case of left hand/right hand, a cock up or political skulduggery. You choose. It's only £87,000 of your money, so that's alright...

You could try contacting the Light Aircraft Association. Some home builders might have small amounts they could sell you.

Posted by gangster on 28/04/2019 11:00:45: ... lets face it in spite of the majority flying RC for half a centurry the BFMA is still a free flight organisation. What on earth are you talking about? Some of your points have had some basis of sense, but this comment casts doubt on your contact with reality. Do you perhaps resent the fact that free-flight even exists? I doubt if a few facts will help, but here goes. I've been involved for the past 59 years with the BMFA, including in it's earlier incarnation as the SMAE, on Area committees and on Council . While I dabbled with RC in the 1960s, competition free-flight had far more appeal for me, so I moved on and concentrated on that since then. However, by far the majority of the work I've done and time I've spent (unpaid, of course), has been on RC flying, its effects and its problems. A few examples? 1) The 1977 public enquiry in Bromley, where complaints of RC flying in a local park had threatened all model flying in the borough. I was involved both as PRO then and as a local flyer; it took several days unpaid leave. 2) PR for several Nationals. 3) The Chobham public enquiry. 4) The Croydon Airport negotiations. 5) 23 years spent working towards CCPR and Sports Council (now Sport England) recognition for model flying. It was the competition aspect of our sport, and the man and machine versus the elements part that did it, to the benefit of all flyers. Try being considered for funding without it. 6) Four or five Council meetings each year, 120 miles from my home. 7) Area committee meetings every month or so, when half a dozen clubs in my Area bother to send delegates, and the other 27 seem happy to leave the nuts and bolts of model flying to someone else. 8) Two inquests into RC-caused fatalities. 9) Producing an Area newsletter for a few years. 10) Ah, forget it. I'll just sit back and wait for poor old Percy V. to sling some more mud at Britain's biggest airsports organistion instead. .

Now, read on STEM. We need to encourage young people to get involved in activities like model flying that develop an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths, rather than deterring them. If someone of 10 or 12 has the skill and initiative to build a model aircraft (as many of us did umpteen years ago) and it weighs over 250gm, then we need fewer reasons to deter him from flying it, rather than more. Charging for registration will mean a 40% increase in costs for a responsible BMFA member, to no good end. The irresponsible drone user will not have joined the sport’s national body and nor will he pay a registration fee. BMFA has almost a century of expertise; it’s in their interest to ensure safe flying, hence the Achievement Scheme for RC flyers, designed by the people who are actually active in the sport, rather than by a civil servant at a desk. Registration won’t prevent dangerous flying. ANOs already exist to legislate for this and are ignored by dangerous flyers. Regarding the “user pays” principle, exactly what commodity or service is it that the user here is being charged for? Air?? Why is the same principle not applied to those riding bicycles on the road or pushing prams on the pavement? In France registration is both free and valid for five years. If the DfT or CAA have already placed a contract with an i.t. company to run a registration scheme before evidence showing any benefit, then why should the country’s model flyers be expected now to pay for their mistake? It has been suggested that the reports of drone incursions at Gatwick were instigated by BALPA in order to obtain the drone-free zone on landing and take-off paths of active runways. The alleged drone sightings seemed to have come from people very familiar with the Gatwick internal communications system.

The estimate of 170,000 UK “drone operators” came from looking at the estimated numbers in the United States and Ireland compared to those countries’ populations and then extrapolating the figure on the basis of the UK’s population. A few points to consider when sending in objections, though it’s vital to paraphrase and use your own words. What are seen to be the benefits to safety of registration of those flying ‘orthodox’ model aircraft, or even multi-rotor drones, weighing less than 7kg? 36,000 are already members of the sport’s national body, the BMFA, which has almost a century’s experience in maintaining safety standards, and more are members of other organisations. The BMFA membership list could be used in lieu of paid registration, and this has been offered. The perceived problem is caused by radio-controlled multi-rotor aircraft, not by ‘orthodox’ model aircraft, whether free-flight or radio-controlled. Part 2 follows.

Can't find a still but how about this all-carbon turbo-prop successor to the venerable Antonov AN-2? It's the AN-2 MC. The words are Russian but the video tells the story;  Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 23/04/2019 15:26:26