The BPC

[Phil Green]

Most of tonights chat at the club was about the BPC.

I'd never heard of it until now. Have I been hibernating?

Cheers
Phil

[Ian Jones]

Erm, what's that then?

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

British Psychoanalytic Council? Perhaps you've been making conscious your unconscious thoughts and not just hibernating?

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

The Blue Peter Cat?

[Dickw]

Posted by Martin Harris on 07/03/2017 23:19:22:

The Blue Peter Cat?

Do you get a Blue Peter badge if you pass?

BPC and other 2016 developments here:-

http://achievements.bmfa.org/2016-achievement-scheme-update

Dick

[Ian Jones]

Well I suppose all the usual protests will follow, looks good to me though.

[cymaz]

A BPC is all well and good if you are in a club...but anyone who goes on eBay and buys one to fly in a mates field wont know or care. But a worthy idea all the same.

So if I turn up to my local strip with a child's party ballon will I need a BPC. ? It's under 1 kg and has no undercarriage

[Phil Green]

Posted by cymaz on 08/03/2017 02:59:40:

So if I turn up to my local strip with a child's party ballon will I need a BPC. ? It's under 1 kg and has no undercarriage

If its on a string, that will make it self-levelling so yes

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

It depends on your club rules - do they allow free flight or would you add radio gear?

Remember that although a helium or hot air balloon is lighter than air, a big enough one will have a mass of more than a kilogram - or may even be in excess of 20 kilograms and presumably need to come under the LMA scheme?

It's not widely appreciated that a typical full size balloon can have a mass of 3 or 4 tons.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Posted by cymaz on 08/03/2017 02:59:40:

It's under 1 kg and has no undercarriage

The baloon or the child?

BEB

[kc]

Can't we use plain English?

if you mean Basic Proficiency Certificate then say so ----at least until BPC is explained in the forum glossary.

( Phil you have not been hibernating, just like the rest of us you have not been reading all the twaddle )

[Denis Watkins]

Examination Boards use such Certification, such as City and Guilds, as do Training Offices in the Police

What is being suggested to our pastime now?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

This is a voluntary scheme, you do it or you don't...BMFA has no authority over you or your club, choice is yours.

John

[Phil Green]

Posted by kc on 08/03/2017 11:42:57:

Can't we use plain English?
if you mean Basic Proficiency Certificate then say so

I deliberately didnt kc, to see who else was as unaware as myself

[MattyB]

Mods, could the first post be edited to include a clickable link to information on the BMFA Basic Proficiency Certificate - might help people stay on topic... Thanks!

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

Posted by Phil Green on 07/03/2017 22:31:56:

Most of tonights chat at the club was about the BPC.

I'd never heard of it until now. Have I been hibernating?

Cheers
Phil

The answer to your question about hibernation appears to be yes!

Any achievement scheme changes have been notified in the BMFA news, the BMFA website and the Achievement scheme website at **LINK**

You can subscribe to the achievement scheme website too to receive email notifications of any news. There is also now an achievement scheme facebook page at **LINK**

The presentation slides from the recent Achievement Scheme roadshow can be downloaded from **LINK**

Details of the BPC's are from Pg51

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Phil Green on 08/03/2017 12:11:44:

Posted by kc on 08/03/2017 11:42:57:

Can't we use plain English?
if you mean Basic Proficiency Certificate then say so

I deliberately didnt kc, to see who else was as unaware as myself

Your cunning plan was a little flawed, Phil. Although I was fully aware of the existence and content of the Basic Proficiency Certificate, possibly due to the late hour, I didn't make the connection...

[Alan Hilton]

Just checked the link the BPC test is the same as theA certificate am I missing something?

Alan

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Yep...it's for models with stabilisation technologies

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

...and models under 1kg or without undercarriages. It's designed to allow users of such models to participate in the achievement scheme.

Edited By Martin Harris on 09/03/2017 09:19:17

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Yep and that as well

It also enables club that require an A to fly solo because of terms of their lease, a means to test and accept members who fly this style.

John

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

When the BMFA News lands on your doorstep any day now, turn to club corner and have a read. I talk a little about the BPCs

[Doug Campbell]

This minimum weight for the A cert has always baffled me. I have quite a lot of small models under 1 kg and they are capable of doing all the elements of the test, and are no differnt to fly compared to a 2kg model. To exclude them without justification is puzzling

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

They weren't excluded without justification. An essential element of the fixed wing A and B tests has always been managing the momentum and energy of the aircraft. For some small and lightweight aircraft this element isn't there. The lower weight limit was a pragmatic and practical way of ensuring the element remains in the test.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I'm afraid that I have to disagree. Very light models (typically with low wing loadings) have only a small amount of momentum and are very different to a 2 - 3kg 60" trainer which was typical when the test was first formulated. This is particularly the case in the circuit where the larger models need more accurate planning to establish a safe approach and manage the touchdown point.

Of course, there will be exceptions but the lower limit was introduced to address this anomaly. Personally, I feel 2kg would be a better minimum for a test to demonstrate the capability of a pilot to fly larger, faster and heavier models - at least up to 7kg and more, should clubs not require a B certificate.