Fergus Russell 1 Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I am in need of assistance and direction and guidance and recommendations, all the things a 24 year old needs. I recently (And luckily as the engineering industry in Aberdeen has went down the sewers, almost) successfully obtained a graduate job in Kent. I am due to move in September and having been a member of the Montrose Model Aero Club for 16 years I need to find a new club. I understand that I will need to transfer my insurance from Scottish Aeromodellers Association to British Model Flying Association but I need to find a club, preferably with similar facilities. Montrose is quite unique in that we had our clubrooms and workshops in a dedicated building and the flying site is on the old 1913 RFC aerodrome. For someone such as myself who gets shouted at by mother for working on the kitchen table this clubroom/workshop set up is ideal and as I don't know how my new housemates will take to me balsa bashing in the kitchen and storing an oily model in the house this is still preferred. Even if a kind member were to let me "camp" in a section of their garage/workshop for a while until I find my feet or a storage company where I can store stuff in a locker that would be brilliant. As far as what I fly at the moment I am only looking to take one or two aircraft down, a small foam-e acro wot and possibly a 68" Glens Extra. The extra is IC so a club that has IC flyign would be ideal. I am due in the area for a work site visit/house scouting/family holiday the last week in July and the first week in August and I would be looking to possibly do a visit of clubs in the area and may even bring the acro wot for some flying in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iqon Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 look at the BMFA club finder.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Here you go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Moyler Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 You do not say where in Kent you will be going to but if you are in East Kent you can try my club the North Downs Model Flying Club. We fly aircraft up to 1/4 scale, ic and electric. It is situated between Faversham and Ashford. Find all the details on the website (link below) Website JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Kent is a county where some (a lot!) of the road infrastructure does not help with moving around, so some journeys take far longer than you might think. Location, Location, Location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Jefferies Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I confess it is a long time since I lived in that area but I see that Avicraft are still in business so if you are moving to Orpington I suggest you go into Avicraft (http://www.avicraft.co.uk/), they will tell you all about the local scene. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergus Russell 1 Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Cheers for the advice so far. My location is fixed as the site is on the outskirts of Orpington so Orpington or Sevenoaks keeps me within commuting distance of my work. At present I travel 30 minutes to get from Aberdeen to Montrose (I am moving back in with the parents once the current lease on my flat is over adn before moving to Kent) so to travel this distance every weekend for some good flying isn't a concern. I'm looking for members experience of their clubs and points of contact within various clubs, this is so that if I am going to do a club visit I might be able to do a one day tour and get many sites in the one day. The club finder is a nice tool but only directs me to websites and what I'm looking for is information from members and their experiences of their own clubs as well as other clubs in the surrounding area. I also require information about onsite storage, if any. I have a possible solution to my lack of workshop problem in the form of maker and hacker spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Sites within the M25 are few and far between so generally very sought over. Orpington can be ten mins from my place (or 40 at commuter times). I'm less than ten min from the field (or 30 at commuter times, get used to it, you will be in the densely populated SE!!) Sounds like you might be a fellow club member. Croydon Airport Model Flying Club (CAMFC). Check out the Website, search CAMFC. No lengthy convoluted entry process unlike some others. (One local one I won't name require a formal sit down interview with three Committee members!!) We fly from a site on the Biggin Hill (Tandridge Council) countryside east of Croydon, near New Addington, pretty close to Orpington. Can arrange to meet you there and show you around as it is a locked site and has no external parking. Can point you at Google Earth location, etc, etc PM me your contact details, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Hi Fergus. Welcome to the Garden of England! There are a couple of other clubs in the vicinity of Orpington. The Concord Club flies at Horton Kirby in the Darenth Valley about 6 miles from Orpington and the Sevenoaks Club flies from a field near Warlingham, (not far from Dave's site at New Addington). Both clubs have contacts through Avicraft, the shop mentioned above. Regrettably neither of these have on-site storage facilities, but the strips are good. There is another club close to New Addington, called Falcon Flyers or such, but I do not know much about them. Hope this helps. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Sorry Fergus, just re-read your initial posting regarding flying IC. You can fly those wretched oily things at the clubs that I mentioned and also at the Coydon Club. The South East is densely populated and noise is a big issue in this vicinity. Consequently most of the clubs adopt the BMFA rules for noise limits. If you PM me I can provide you with contact details for the Concord and Svenoaks clubs. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Why Falcon Flyers are in the BMFA list I do not know, their minimal website states that they are full size flying, not R.C. Its not normal for any club in the urban SE to offer storage, mainly because its the SE and toe-rags wanting to trash it, steal it, or fire it abound. CAMFC does not have on site storage as they cannot trash what isn't there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Sad but true........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Hi Fergus. We have an event that's not far away from Orpington. - its free so come down and enjoy yourself. Plenty of flying, Full Horizon display team. Night flying, Lasers Fireworks - all free. Just costs you the petrol - couple of gallons from Orpington... You can always join our club if you like what you see. Bartons Point Model Flying Club. Regards Peter Bruce. See below what its like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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