Kevin Robertson 2 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Hi guys, I am currently a member of the Newton Aycliffe Model Flying Club near Darlington. The field we have been using for club outdoor activities has been perfect in every way for our needs. Sadly the landowner has made us aware that he now wishes to use the section of land we had been using for over 25 years to be turned back into general farming use. This has now left our club in the position of being without a field to fly on. If any of you reading this have or know of a piece of land that might be suitable for our needs then please let me know. Obviously the plot would have to comply as to distance from roads, property, overhead power lines etc. At the moment we are as to speak, living on borrowed time with the landowner. Respectfully yours Kevin Robertson (AycliffeFlyer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attilio Rausse Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Try offering more money, got to be worth 2k+ per year if its perfect in every way, you may find it very difficult to find the same again. I notice you have approx 70 members paying £26 per year, maybe ask the members what they are willing to pay £45~£60 is reasonable in this day and age. We lost our field about 6 years ago probably due to some short sightedness took 9 months to find a new field, club no longer exists. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Kevin my club is in a similar position and we took advice from the BMFA. They strongly recommend not posting anything like the above online as it will not score you a new field and is more likely to cause trouble buy alerting those who would wish to oppose a new site being set up. You know what these people are like. They will mobilise a small army of people struck with a bad case of fake outrage going on about all sorts of non issues to prevent it from happening. Also, dont mention drones. Rightly or wrongly they have a bad rep and many land owners dont want to get involved. Unless asked directly just say your club has both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and leave it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Griffiths 2 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Hi Kevin. Can't argue with the previous posts in any way, only to add that we at our club currently pay £85.00 per annum for 2acres of a 6acre field with just over 60 members. I cannot understand the farmers reasoning to want to return the land to general farming use after 25 years. When we went hunting for a new sight over the past two years it didn't take us long to find out that the highest amount of revenue for a farmer to realise from one acre of land was no more than £600.00 and this amount has to take into account the time and costs involved to get to reap the crop. We pay our landlord £1600.00 rent for 11months use (the field is rented out for an event over the August bank holiday) Attilio has appoint, try and find out from the farmer if he will reconsider by offering more cash before you need to scurry around for a new site. regards. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 01/12/2018 16:31:57: Kevin my club is in a similar position and we took advice from the BMFA. They strongly recommend not posting anything like the above online as it will not score you a new field and is more likely to cause trouble buy alerting those who would wish to oppose a new site being set up. You know what these people are like. They will mobilise a small army of people struck with a bad case of fake outrage going on about all sorts of non issues to prevent it from happening. Also, dont mention drones. Rightly or wrongly they have a bad rep and many land owners dont want to get involved. Unless asked directly just say your club has both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and leave it at that. Some good points but in this case, Kevin is posting to potential friends, not opponents. Money does talk in the farming business/community of course and I'd agree this should be the first line of defence... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Robertson 2 Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Hi guys, thanks for ALL your comments they've been really encouraging. However things are not so simple. A couple of the landowners very close family are extremely unhappy about us being there. The noise from the petrol models was the first stumbling block and it's escalated since then. I fear there is no amount of money will change their minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARPERFECT Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 If noise is the biggest factor, stop the petrol boys flying, use 4 strokes, Go all leccy until you can find a new field, Edited By CARPERFECT on 01/12/2018 21:57:11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Sharples Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 The club I'm in have membership of £84 inc insurance per year. We are on a farm field and rent the electric fenced patch for £365 a year, the farmer uses the rest of the field on and off with cows as it's a dairy farm. The down side is we have 6 members so as you can equate the membership does not cover the field rent. The main founder members make up the short fall themselves as they felt if the fee was increased it would loose the ordinary members and finish the club. We how have a bit of a drive on the go for a few more members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Have you thought of reclaimed land/ refuse tip? Apologies if you have. We fly off old China clay workings....luckily it’s 100’s of feet of built up waste and rock. Worthless and unstable to put houses on. Millions of rabbits is the only downside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARPERFECT Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 We only fly leccy and 4 stroke at our club, we have a house 150 yds away just down the lane. we never get noise complaints. just the odd time someone flys over his garden lol. but we have a rule about that. and we soon reel them in if they start getting near the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu knowles Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Land rents vary but I would say £80 to £150 per acre depending on the quality of the land. If you are looking to rent a field from a farmer you should be prepared to pay a commercial rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Kevin, my first thought, was to put it to the members that the club should to go all electric and hike the annual membership fee to £100. See how many members say they will drop out and then meet the land owners at your patch and demonstrate what a couple of electric models sounds like (not a ducted fan as some of those can be quite noisy). You didn't say how many members your club has but if the club shrinks a bit there won't be so many cars parked on the owners land which might swing it in your favour. Better to have a smaller club than no club. In fact you could try flying electric models straight away if you are still permitted to fly at the moment. If you demonstrate that you are prepared to compromise (and pay more money) there could be a change of heart from the owner. Keith, where is your Club? A long shot but I would like to join a club down in the Purbecks, Dorset, if one exists. The two clubs nearest me on the BMFA website are about 50mins drive away. Alternatively anyone else know of a small group or club flying in the Purbecks? I don't wish to hijack this thread so you can always PM me if you know of one. Thanks. Edited By Piers Bowlan on 02/12/2018 09:28:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 What a sad story, unfortunately becoming much more common. If you think that your field is 'bombproof' then I'd take care. What a shame that that the club in question has given those unhappy with them, a 'trump card' - namely noise. In the clubs that I use, cheap petrol engines have caused bother, thankfully without any outside complaints, but clubs have got to get tough with any model that might cause a noise issue. What's particularly galling is that, as has been said, effective silencers are available, but the owners fight shy of laying out the same again on a silencer to replace the standard 'noise maker' can. Rents and club subs? Both of my clubs are charged around £2000 per field, with subs (minus BMFA) of around the £70 per annum mark. Reality check? expect to pay more and possibly be prepared to travel a bit further to get to a field that's not going to annoy anyone. I have a fifteen minute drive to my afternoon 'during the week' field and a tad under an hour to my Sunday club where I'll spend all day. Make sure that your club has a substantial contingency fund in case money needs to do some 'talking'. Edited By Cuban8 on 02/12/2018 11:50:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy48 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Why not join Teesside MFC, its only 10 miles away, though further for those that fly helis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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