Martin_K

Posted by Steve J on 29/08/2019 11:10:03: Posted by Martin_K on 29/08/2019 09:03:39: There are two other locations where I would like to fly, but both require an 'A' certificate. At my own club I need the 'A' to fly solo. My interest is primarily in gliders, and building my own planes. I am currently working on a powered sport model with undercarriage to practice for, and take, the 'A'. Not how I envisaged spending my time (and money). As alluded to above, the hobby has placed this barrier to my participation, not some outside agency. Won't the clubs let you take the Silent Flight (Electric)? Steve A complicated answer to a simple question. When using a public space the club is not the only party to be satisfied. The club may only exist to enable people who have traditionally flown at a site to continue so doing. One instance is Chobham Common. From memory it is the Surrey Wildlife Trust that stipulate membership of a particular club to fly on the common. The club then has rules to keep the land manager on-side. Additionaly clubs can become fearful. After the expansion of the Heathrow FRZ my own club's committee initially banned gliders. The imagined consequences of someone catching a thermal and going outside the field's boundary were deemed too great a risk. I am glad to report that things are a bit more relaxed now. Another complication was my own understanding (lack of) the multitude of BMFA schemes. I may now have a better chance of negotiating alternatives.

Hello All, A few disparate thoughts in relation to this thread, from a newish aero modeller living just west of London. I currently have three fields available for me to fly, all public spaces. The cooperation of the public is essential to operate safely so when expressing 'injustice' about new regulations please do nothing that would make my relationship with the public difficult. There are two other locations where I would like to fly, but both require an 'A' certificate. At my own club I need the 'A' to fly solo. My interest is primarily in gliders, and building my own planes. I am currently working on a powered sport model with undercarriage to practice for, and take, the 'A'. Not how I envisaged spending my time (and money). As alluded to above, the hobby has placed this barrier to my participation, not some outside agency. The result is I do most of my flying (Hi-Start and electric launch) in an unmanaged space shared with pedestrains, dogs, horse riders, herds of roaming deer, plus a helicopter air lane directly overhead. It is actually the least fraught of the three locations, with the limitation that your timetable is set by what else is happening. I suspect the other users of the park would object strongly to commercial drone operations, so if this comes to the public's attention they can possibly help keep my access to low level air space. I do not object to taking the 'A' test, but I do want to fly meanwhile when there is no club member available to assist. Maybe once a week, weather permitting, at a time the club chooses, is too limited. Even when 'qualified' a club with exclusive use of a piece of private land is something I may never experience. Around here, restricted membership and prices too high.