The Wright Stuff Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Posted by john stones 1 on 22/03/2017 12:28:36: What do you mean "Even BMFA technical committees will be charged" they somehow better than the run of the mill member, i don't understand the comment ? I took this to mean: "just in case you are thinking the BMFA Technical committee are somehow better than the rest of us, no they are not, they will have to pay as well, even to hold BMFA competitions"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickw Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 He just means that even those within the BMFA organisation running BMFA organised competitions will also have to pay for their events, and will not be subsidised by others. Some people might have expected otherwise. Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Lomax Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Posted by Dickw on 22/03/2017 12:47:03: He just means that even those within the BMFA organisation running BMFA organised competitions will also have to pay for their events, and will not be subsidised by others. Some people might have expected otherwise. Dick Thanks Dick - Pretty much spot on. Nobody is exempt from paying for their use of the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I have no problem with charges being levied for usage, but after the initial novelty of visiting the National Centre wears off is anyone outside the immediate locale going to bother? That is the challenge the BMFA has in the early years. Further development is reliant on funding generated by the centre itself, but with not much more than a runway and a basic campsite why bother travelling when most members have a perfectly good local facility at their club they have already paid for? I would like to be proved wrong, but I can't see it generating much revenue outside of event days. That means the lions share a of cash in the early stages will need to come from events, donations, bequests and grants (though the BMFAs own independent study indicated grants will be very hard to come by unless the centre can be proved to boost economic development in the area). Edited By MattyB on 22/03/2017 19:44:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Posted by Keith Lomax on 22/03/2017 12:03:41: There will be a daily usage charge as well. The idea is that the centre income at least covers operational running costs so that the wider membership is not subsiding those who happen to live close enough to make more use of it. Will the daily usage charge (and the season ticket, for that matter) be set at a premium? It seems reasonable to me, given the anticipated quality of the facilities and for those who happen to live close enough to make more use of it, it will properly price the 'windfall' that has fallen in their laps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilshere Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I think the BMFA should be applauded for finding such a perfect site, with good access from North and South. Yes Western members might find it a painful journey, but it was never going to suit everyone. Flying sites being lost, its a guaranteed place to fly. I'll support it and visit when ever I can. I think it will be well used and generate enough income. We need to get behind the BMFA guys and give them as much support as possible, its easy to criticise, much much harder to act. I have not found anyone negative yet, we are 1 1/2 hours from the site and people around me can't wait to visit. The JMA agreed to make a donation to the cause at last weekends AGM...the only comment-maybe we should give more than the sum I suggested!! We hope to hire the venue for jet flying and I look forward to watching it grow. Everything in aeromodelling is going to go up, the prices have been too low, for too long with model shops propped up by heavily discounting distributors-well they have paid the price, paying for use of this site is the least of your worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones 7 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I'm not sure who is gonna use this beyond a travelling visit or events.I do live local and will make a trip for a look see but after that if the BMFA think I'm gonna pay to fly each day they really need to redo their finances! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Prices for modelling have been too low for too long ? I beg to differ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Palmer Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Posted by Dave Wilshere on 22/03/2017 21:42:49: I think the BMFA should be applauded for finding such a perfect site, with good access from North and South. Yes Western members might find it a painful journey, but it was never going to suit everyone. Flying sites being lost, its a guaranteed place to fly. I'll support it and visit when ever I can. I think it will be well used and generate enough income. We need to get behind the BMFA guys and give them as much support as possible, its easy to criticise, much much harder to act. I have not found anyone negative yet, we are 1 1/2 hours from the site and people around me can't wait to visit. Well said Dave, I heartily agree. It's a bit of a trek for me but I hope to attend an event there before too long. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Website looks good. Quite fancy a visit to the centre sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Posted by Chris Jones 7 on 22/03/2017 22:02:46: I'm not sure who is gonna use this beyond a travelling visit or events. I do live local and will make a trip for a look see but after that if the BMFA think I'm gonna pay to fly each day they really need to redo their finances! At least you have a reasonable option to use the facility or not, given that you say you're local to it. At say, six quid a time I doubt if many will be using it three, four or more times a week, but it's nice to think that for less that a price of a glow plug, you could spend a day flying with some new people, see other models and have a bit of a change from your usual routine. The choice is, of course, down to you. I'm about an hour and a half away, but given that my usual weekend field is a fifty minute car journey (and a tenner in fuel for the round trip) visiting 'Bucky' is not too bad for me, but probably only a couple of times throughout the season. Hopefully, it'll develop an 'atmosphere' of it's own over time with improving facilities that will attract flyers from further afield, not unlike how Old Warden manages to remain so successful with its Modelair weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Posted by Cuban8 on 23/03/2017 10:06:17: ... At say, six quid a time I doubt if many will be using it three, four or more times a week, ..... Isn't that what the season ticket is for - regular use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Posted by Chris Jones 7 on 22/03/2017 22:02:46: I'm not sure who is gonna use this beyond a travelling visit or events. I do live local and will make a trip for a look see but after that if the BMFA think I'm gonna pay to fly each day they really need to redo their finances! Surely, if you belong to a club when you pay your annual membership you are effectively buying a season ticket to use your club's field. For anyone lucky enough to live that close that they can fly there every day buying a season ticket for Buckminster would be much the same? I see £60 for the part year quoted in one post, that's not the cheapest club rate around but not the worst I've come across by a long measure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Too far for me to make regular visits, i couldn't afford the cost, that would apply to some wherever it was, i hope the weather plays ball and it go's well and don't forget some video footage for the forum John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Posted by Andy Meade on 23/03/2017 10:16:48: Posted by Cuban8 on 23/03/2017 10:06:17: ... At say, six quid a time I doubt if many will be using it three, four or more times a week, ..... Isn't that what the season ticket is for - regular use? Then it just gets better and better for those within say a twenty or thirty minute drive ............................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john blake Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Hi Guys Newish member here, my first post! might take me a while to work things out. Well done to the BMFA, looks good to me, I'm an ex BMFA member, joined in 1990 but suspended my membership a few years ago due to health reasons, local club only 2 miles away but not been for about 5 years due to same, don't know how to quote a previous post yet but reading grahame jones's comment about NHS and getting to see a surgeon...'tell me about it' !!!, Just had major surgery on my spine only last week, a spinal fusion. He is welcome to send me a message so I can relate my experience to him, you really need to press them to get anywhere! I did have to pay to see the surgeon privately but well worth it in the end. I would certainly be interested in a visit to the National Centre sometime in the future, when/if i recover well enough. I can't drive for 2/3 months as it takes a good while for the bones to grow back together, just have to keep my fingers crossed it turns out OK. I'm near Preston Lancs, about 150 miles to the N/C but should be do-able and would be a good day out, try pursuade a clubmate or 2 to chip in with fuel costs ect, we went to a few events in the past ..lots of good times had! Cheers for now. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 There might even be local clubs who see there membership numbers fall if the facilities at the NFC are better than the club ones; little or no weekend flying may be a deal breaker for many though. Edited By MattyB on 23/03/2017 13:05:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Kenny Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Just found this thread.... I've been to the centre a few times now, twice for the aerobatics training days which have been a fantastic learning opportunity for me and have really improved my overall flying skills. Facilities are great, everybody I met there were friendly and helpful. I look forward to visiting each month and also look forward to the accommodation blocks being available. The only thing I would add is, that given the average age of people in the hobby and given how far it is by road from the nearest town, I'd be tempted to install and AED (defribrillator) in case somebody experiences a cardiac event whilst on site. The difference, statistically, is taking survival rates up from 6% to 96%, provided of course, that they're not flying alone and somebody sees them go down within a couple of minutes! Maybe a fund raising event for that separately? I take it the air ambulance wouldn't have much problem finding a spot to land! Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devcon1 Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 That is a very thoughtful idea Tony, makes a great deal of sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Lomax Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Posted by Tony Kenny on 28/12/2017 21:49:44: Just found this thread.... I've been to the centre a few times now, twice for the aerobatics training days which have been a fantastic learning opportunity for me and have really improved my overall flying skills. Facilities are great, everybody I met there were friendly and helpful. I look forward to visiting each month and also look forward to the accommodation blocks being available. The only thing I would add is, that given the average age of people in the hobby and given how far it is by road from the nearest town, I'd be tempted to install and AED (defribrillator) in case somebody experiences a cardiac event whilst on site. The difference, statistically, is taking survival rates up from 6% to 96%, provided of course, that they're not flying alone and somebody sees them go down within a couple of minutes! Maybe a fund raising event for that separately? I take it the air ambulance wouldn't have much problem finding a spot to land! Tony This is already in hand - authority was given for the purchase at a meeting of the Centre Steering Group in November. This was prompted by the successful use of one (by the first aid team) at the August Nationals that probably saved a competitor's life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Kenny Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Fantastic to hear, thank you! Just make sure it's accessible for anybody to grab Keep up the great work at the centre! Really looking forward to my next visit for the aerobatics day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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