BMFA Buckminster opens Monday 8th May.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[FilmBuff]

Not another thread of negativity and nay-sayers.

I think it's great idea that this is being done and shows that the BMFA has some vision and has had the determination to get Buckminster this far.

It was not so long ago that many on this forum were saying "it will never happen, BMFA are to clueless/useless/toothless etc"

[Mark Kettle 1]

Here's a positive slant on it, I was making a trip to Newark 'Gliders' model shop today, **LINK** so I thought I would drop into Buckminster because it is on the way.

We met Andy Symons as we pulled up in the court yard, he took time to show us around. Well what a nice open site for flying model aircraft and the present and existing building are being refurbished, and will be useful for meetings, workshops, washing and toilet facilities.

I will be purchasing a £60.00 season ticket, next week when they get a payment machine installed.

The weather was fantastic today as the pictures show.

 

Andy Symons working in the upstairs office.

The main runways have been prepared and seeded, however with little rain just lately in Spring 2017, Andy is still waiting for the first grass shoots to grow. 

Size of this runway which is for the largest one is at 300 X 40 metres which is plenty big enough. 

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 10/05/2017 21:48:21

[cymaz]

Ummm, I see the simulator trailer is there. I suppose that will be a 300mile 5 hr one way drive to collect it for a show at the end of May in Cornwall.

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

Was nice to meet you and your good lady earlier Mark. It certainly was a beautiful day for model aircraft flying. Didnt get opportunity myself today as I had too much work to be getting on with. I know those that did fly today had a great day. We also had the first achievement scheme test pass at BMFA Buckminster today.

[MattyB]

Posted by FilmBuff on 10/05/2017 18:01:45:

Not another thread of negativity and nay-sayers.

...It was not so long ago that many on this forum were saying "it will never happen, BMFA are to clueless/useless/toothless etc"

There would be a lot fewer of us "nay-sayers" if the BMFA shared the opex estimates transparently in writing with members who wanted to see them rather than pointing us to materials that only include details of the capital investment required to get to the end of phase 1 (and yes, I have searched for minutes of the 2016 AGM on the BMFA site but they do not appear to be available). The lease is signed, so there should be no commercial sensitivity to opex costs being shared.

I can only think of three reasons why they have not been published yet...

1. Estimated opex costs haven't been calculated (highly unlikely, especially given Keith's comments above);
2. Confidence in the accuracy of the estimates is low, so the BMFA Council do not want to be on record as having calculated them "wrong" (understandable, but if true this just indicates more work is needed to increase confidence in the figures);
3. BMFA Council do not believe members have any interest in the figures (probably true of the majority who did not/were unable to vote at the EGM and are presumably ambivalent to the project at this point, but that is definitely not all members).

Edited By MattyB on 11/05/2017 09:16:25

[Jon Laughton]

i was going to stay away from this thread but I will make this one contribution...I don't intend to justify my comments subsequently

I visited the Buckminster site a few weeks ago and had a tour with Manny - those who can may also want to do so. The project management of the site works has been excellent and Manny, Andy et al are to be congratulated.

I like the location and the flying aspect is fabulous.I am providing a small level of sponsorship as I want to see this become a success....I like the bold way in which this can help to take our sport/hobby forward and the facilities on offer are very good.

Our club is organising a flying day there in summer...at a very reasonable cost and there is enthusiasm to go. I have purchased a season ticket even though I live in the NW and it will take at least two hours to get there. I really hope this becomes a success and that the BMFA membership can get behind it.

Well done to Manny and the BMFA team

[FilmBuff]

Posted by Jon Laughton on 11/05/2017 09:24:54:

I like the location and the flying aspect is fabulous.I am providing a small level of sponsorship as I want to see this become a success....I like the bold way in which this can help to take our sport/hobby forward and the facilities on offer are very good.

Well done to Manny and the BMFA team

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

Posted by Jon Laughton on 11/05/2017 09:24:54:

The project management of the site works has been excellent and Manny, Andy et al are to be congratulated.

I can take no credit whatsoever for any of the project management, entirely Manny and the very experienced team to be congratulated for that. I must admit to initially having been somewhat on the fence about the idea but having seen how the team have approached the project and the professional and efficient way they have tackled the project and the fantastic results achieved already I am converted 100%, It is a fantastic facility already and one that will get better and better going forward.

[Cuban8]

It seems to me that the BMFA has created a 'super club' that will of necessity, be reliant on drawing its support from a steady stream of  regular flyers (sixty quid season ticket holders using the site two or more times a week) that live within a thirty minute drive of the site . Some might be willing to travel an hour or more fairly regularly (weekly/fortnightly?) but with fuel costs of ten or fifteen quid each time plus the cost of entry, more frequently than a weekly sojourn might be unattractive once the initial novelty wears off. Many modellers are operating on a budget and the cost of their home club added to NFC fees and travelling expenses will make people think twice and the habit of visting may fall away.

Looking at the BMFA club finder for the local area, certainly there are a few clubs whose members fall withing a thirty minute drive and a larger number that are within the hour - country members are an unknown quantity and I'd guess that the NFC might not be their bag anyway. It seems to me to be a rather small pool of potential regular users to be relying on in the long term. I'm within a little over a couple of hours drive of Bucky, so the two hundred odd miles round trip would only see me visiting on say, the same frequency of Old Warden i.e twice a year. It begs the question whether other casual visits or organised events will be able to sustain it, I fear that they will not.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of the NFC and if I lived closer to it I'd have my sixty quid's worth and be on site as much as I could.

 

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 11/05/2017 12:55:06

[Nightflyer]

It always amazes me that in any club or organisation no matter what wonderful ideas or facilities they have there are always some who decry them. I for one applaud the efforts of what the BMFA team have done to develop an idea into a reality. Sports/hobbies all should have an identity and boast some facilities as a national centre.

Having been in aeromodelling from a young boy and the days of the SMAE through to the BMFA it has taken a great many years to reach this position. Buckminster is new and time will tell how successful it will be - and indeed how it may grow. As a model flyer and BMFA member I am very proud of this momentous step in british model flying and the BMFA's history.

Well done to all who have been involved in making this happen.

[Cuban8]

Posted by Nightflyer 2013 on 11/05/2017 12:53:10:

It always amazes me that in any club or organisation no matter what wonderful ideas or facilities they have there are always some who decry them. I for one applaud the efforts of what the BMFA team have done to develop an idea into a reality. Sports/hobbies all should have an identity and boast some facilities as a national centre.

When I see the fabulous facilities(on YouTube) that some clubs in Europe and the USA provide for their members and then see how many UK clubs are run on a shoestring (the reason for that is a complete can of worms and could sustain a whole new discussion thread - naturally, there are some exceptions) it boils down to money and for UK aeromodelling, the lack of it. We have a minority, niche hobby/sport - it's not golf, or motor sport, or football, with the media falling over themselves to buy broadcast rights - goodness knows, we're lucky to get a 'big boys and their toys' report of flying at a village fete, in the local rag.

Whether one was for it, against it, or just couldn't care less, we have the beginnings of a focus for model flying in the UK and I wish it well and encourage those who are in a position to support it to do so. Despite that, many of us continue to harbour serious reservations concerning its viability in the long term and with that, potential damage to the BMFA and the wider realms of UK model flying.

[MattyB]

Posted by Nightflyer 2013 on 11/05/2017 12:53:10:

It always amazes me that in any club or organisation no matter what wonderful ideas or facilities they have there are always some who decry them. I for one applaud the efforts of what the BMFA team have done to develop an idea into a reality. Sports/hobbies all should have an identity and boast some facilities as a national centre.

I don't think anybody here is decrying anything. Ultimately I want the National Centre to succeed, just not at any cost. All many of us are asking for is more detail on the expected operational expenses so we can be reassured the NFC remains viable in the long term. A single slide detailing annual opex estimates is all that is needed; that these basic figures are not forthcoming is a bit of a mystery.

Look at it this way... In the next few days the news will be awash party manifestos making lots of claims about what each party will do in the next 4 years. Those claims will all have to figures against them or they will be dismissed by opposition parties and the media as uncosted pipe dreams. Should we not apply a similar test here? Without any knowledge of the annual opex requirements is it really possible for the average member to give their full support to the project? Would you put down a deposit on a house if the purchase price and monthly repayments were not known?

Edited By MattyB on 11/05/2017 15:40:29

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

N.F.C. election has been and gone, in due course numbers will be published and then judgements can and will be made no doubt. Personally I have no problems with people who question things, not much to form an opinion yet though is there ?

John

[Mark Kettle 1]

Turned up at 10.30 am today and no one was home.

All padlocked up.

On a Sunday and it wasn't raining ?

[Frank Skilbeck]

On the BMFA website it says open for season ticket holders only, I guess they have a key/code to get in. Probably the BMFA bods are at the BMFA tent at Wings and Wheels show in Essex.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Question : I ask if I was a season ticket holder on my own operating a i.c or a propped electric model, would I be a safe lone model flyer?

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 25/06/2017 13:39:55

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Depends on your definition and competence! I believe that it's a matter for an informed adult to decide on for themselves but it does open the question for what might be seen as a commercial operation and their duty of care etc.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Extactly .

[Mark Kettle 1]

Duty of care in deed, it would be much better if a monitor was always on duty or fly in two's or greater.

[Denis Watkins]

From experience, locked behind a gate in an open field, despite flying an aeroplane, you need three people.

Any less is too risky.

You need, the casualty

A bod on the telephone with the emergency services remains with the casualty

And a bod to go to the gate and to open it for the ambulance.