Latest CAA Update

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Chris Berry]

Does anyone have an email address for the drones team?

[Phil Green]

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 18:41:27:

Funny how its only been in the last few weeks that people are mentioning a fighting fund, which is absurd in my view, as its futile and only 16 quid.

Just a personal view, I believe that the £16 fee has been an unfortunate distraction, the short-sighted majority have been banging on about this inconsequential estimate whilst ignoring the far, far greater consequences coming our way.

[Chris Berry]

Posted by Phil Green on 04/09/2019 20:10:53:

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 18:41:27:

Funny how its only been in the last few weeks that people are mentioning a fighting fund, which is absurd in my view, as its futile and only 16 quid.

Just a personal view, I believe that the £16 fee has been an unfortunate distraction, the short-sighted majority have been banging on about this inconsequential estimate whilst ignoring the far, far greater consequences coming our way.

It won't be as bad as you think.

[Jason-I]

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 20:13:08:

Posted by Phil Green on 04/09/2019 20:10:53:

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 18:41:27:

Funny how its only been in the last few weeks that people are mentioning a fighting fund, which is absurd in my view, as its futile and only 16 quid.

Just a personal view, I believe that the £16 fee has been an unfortunate distraction, the short-sighted majority have been banging on about this inconsequential estimate whilst ignoring the far, far greater consequences coming our way.

It won't be as bad as you think.

No. It will be much worse....

[Jason-I]

Anybody got any idea as to size weight and cost of a transponder for an r/c aircraft?

More importantly, will they even work at low altitude?

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Chris Berry]

I suggest you read the Electronic Conspicuity consultation and response documents. Its by no means what you think it is.

 

As for fees, lets be realistic. if you introduce a fee that is, say £50 a year, who will pay it? Little Jonny who has paid £250 for his drone to fly around his back garden isn't going to then pay £50 PER YEAR, let alone take the test and register.

Equally, the DFT know that if they only rely on the likes of us, it will either drive us out of the hobby and they get nothing at all, or we all go rogue. I think you guys need to do some flying this weekend to relax a bit!

Edited By Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 20:53:53

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Chris Berry]

Posted by Steve J on 04/09/2019 21:11:07:

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 20:52:36:

I suggest you read the Electronic Conspicuity consultation and response documents.

I've read them. I strongly suspect that I have read more on this subject than you have.

Steve

Well, i'm not going to get into a tit for tat discussion about it. I've read all the documents and responded to the consultation as an individual and on behalf of my club and that's the top and bottom of it. No doubt more will be released in due course.

[Phil Green]

Posted by Steve J on 04/09/2019 21:11:07:

Posted by Chris Berry on 04/09/2019 20:52:36:

I suggest you read the Electronic Conspicuity consultation and response documents.

I've read them. I strongly suspect that I have read more on this subject than you have.

Steve

Ditto. And my concerns stand! 

Edited By Phil Green on 05/09/2019 00:48:10

[Old Geezer]

Club AGM tonight ( Central MFC ) -- it was decided that if/when registration becomes a legal obligation - that along with the obligatory BMFA membership and associated insurance, the member will be registered and his airframes will have to be appropriately 'labelled'. The registration will be the responsibility of the individual member.

The point was made, and accepted by the members present, that once the legislation has been enacted members will need to be 'CAA registered' and the airframe correctly labelled - as failure to comply with the law as enacted would in all probabuliy invalidate their insurance as well, as flying a model without 'registration' would be a criminal offence. (In certain circumstances I understand that a criminal act committed whilst driving your car can invalidate your motor insurance.)

[Jason-I]

Posted by Old Geezer on 05/09/2019 00:29:11:

Club AGM tonight ( Central MFC ) -- it was decided that if/when registration becomes a legal obligation - that along with the obligatory BMFA membership and associated insurance, the member will be registered and his airframes will have to be appropriately 'labelled'. The registration will be the responsibility of the individual member.

The point was made, and accepted by the members present, that once the legislation has been enacted members will need to be 'CAA registered' and the airframe correctly labelled - as failure to comply with the law as enacted would in all probabuliy invalidate their insurance as well, as flying a model without 'registration' would be a criminal offence. (In certain circumstances I understand that a criminal act committed whilst driving your car can invalidate your motor insurance.)

I think that's quite sad that the club has chosen to be the de facto unpaid policeman for DfT's unfair and unjust scheme and charging structure - without even waiting to see it it will invalidate the insurance.

[GONZO]

I would add that your clubs actions run counter to the advice contained in the BMFA news letter BMFA news 23/8.

There could be the possibility that the club, by instituting a checking regime for CAA registration, could be considered partially complicit if someone slips through the net and subsequently has an accident. The club could be included in any claims as it has failed to adequately enforce its procedures. Personally, I think the same way the BMFA does, its a matter for the individual. After all clubs don't check to confirm that members conform and comply to other legal requirements(like tax, insurance etc on motor vehicles driven onto the flying field) or that members eyesight is adequate etc.

[Chris Berry]

But clubs do check that you are a member of the BMFA, as failure to do so would be in breach of the requirements of the BMFA (member of affiliated clubs should be BMFA members) and the member has therefore got third party insurance, which some landowners require and which is common sense anyway. So, it could be argued that clubs already police the system.

[GONZO]

I say again, read the BMFA news letter. Unless the BMFA change their position in the future the news letter is the current advice.

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

Posted by Old Geezer on 05/09/2019 00:29:11:

Club AGM tonight ( Central MFC ) -- it was decided that if/when registration becomes a legal obligation - that along with the obligatory BMFA membership and associated insurance, the member will be registered and his airframes will have to be appropriately 'labelled'. The registration will be the responsibility of the individual member.

The point was made, and accepted by the members present, that once the legislation has been enacted members will need to be 'CAA registered' and the airframe correctly labelled - as failure to comply with the law as enacted would in all probabuliy invalidate their insurance as well, as flying a model without 'registration' would be a criminal offence. (In certain circumstances I understand that a criminal act committed whilst driving your car can invalidate your motor insurance.)

Your club has not only jumped the gun, it has jumped a whole row of them!

The situation at the moment is very fluid, neither the final registration requirements for association members or the insurance implications are in any way clear yet. There are meetings going on as we speak with the BMFA CEO, more for tomorrow and Monday, with various sections of the DfT, ministers and the CAA. It is a long way from a done deal yet.

All the negativity around at the moment is doing more harm to our sport than anything else get out and do some flying!

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Andy Symons - BMFA on 05/09/2019 09:18:26:

Posted by Old Geezer on 05/09/2019 00:29:11:

Club AGM tonight ( Central MFC ) -- it was decided that if/when registration becomes a legal obligation - that along with the obligatory BMFA membership and associated insurance, the member will be registered and his airframes will have to be appropriately 'labelled'. The registration will be the responsibility of the individual member.

The point was made, and accepted by the members present, that once the legislation has been enacted members will need to be 'CAA registered' and the airframe correctly labelled - as failure to comply with the law as enacted would in all probabuliy invalidate their insurance as well, as flying a model without 'registration' would be a criminal offence. (In certain circumstances I understand that a criminal act committed whilst driving your car can invalidate your motor insurance.)

Your club has not only jumped the gun, it has jumped a whole row of them!

The situation at the moment is very fluid, neither the final registration requirements for association members or the insurance implications are in any way clear yet. There are meetings going on as we speak with the BMFA CEO, more for tomorrow and Monday, with various sections of the DfT, ministers and the CAA. It is a long way from a done deal yet.

All the negativity around at the moment is doing more harm to our sport than anything else get out and do some flying!

[Cuban8]

Let's not forget that we're just mulling over various ideas and possible future scenarios here - not actually making law. A few mates chatting in a virtual pub but without the face-to-face interaction. However, what we say on all sides of the argument is reflected in the hundreds of BMFA clubs up and down the country, so good to see that Andy S. is keeping tabs.

I don't consider it negative or harmful to be worried about things that are seemingly out of our hands & I still hold out hope for a last minute change in the rule makers stance, my positiveness.

Keep calm and go flying.

Edited By Cuban8 on 05/09/2019 09:40:32

[Andy Symons - BMFA]

Posted by Cuban8 on 05/09/2019 09:39:32:

Let's not forget that we're just mulling over various ideas and possible future scenarios here - not actually making law. A few mates chatting in a virtual pub but without the face-to-face interaction. However, what we say on all sides of the argument is reflected in the hundreds of BMFA clubs up and down the country, so good to see that Andy S. is keeping tabs.

I don't consider it negative or harmful to be worried about things that are seemingly out of our hands & I still hold out hope for a last minute change in the rule makers stance, my positiveness.

Keep calm and go flying.

Edited By Cuban8 on 05/09/2019 09:40:32

Potential new blood to our sport will run a mile if they read this thread.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Steve J on 05/09/2019 09:28:58:

Posted by Andy Symons - BMFA on 05/09/2019 09:18:26:

All the negativity around at the moment is doing more harm to y sport than anything else get out and do some flying!

Perhaps there is a lesson there for the BMFA. Perhaps the BMFA could keep clubs and members better informed as to what is going on.

Steve

Perhaps another very much larger organisation could learn that too much open discussion, infighting and revealing of proposed policies can weaken your negotiating position?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Andy Symons - BMFA on 05/09/2019 10:00:20:

Posted by Cuban8 on 05/09/2019 09:39:32:

Let's not forget that we're just mulling over various ideas and possible future scenarios here - not actually making law. A few mates chatting in a virtual pub but without the face-to-face interaction. However, what we say on all sides of the argument is reflected in the hundreds of BMFA clubs up and down the country, so good to see that Andy S. is keeping tabs.

I don't consider it negative or harmful to be worried about things that are seemingly out of our hands & I still hold out hope for a last minute change in the rule makers stance, my positiveness.

Keep calm and go flying.

Edited By Cuban8 on 05/09/2019 09:40:32

Potential new blood to our sport will run a mile if they read this thread.

Yep and it ain't helping at club level either.