Latest CAA Update

[Chris Berry]

Posted by Jason-I on 21/10/2019 19:48:59:

Posted by john stones 1 on 21/10/2019 19:46:01:

But what gives you the right to say we are not proper aeromodellers just because we don't want to roll over and play dead?

And what gives you the right to accuse others of rolling over and playing dead ?

I didn't accuse anybody of that. I just said that I don't want to roll over an play dead.

I will not be paying the fee and I will continue to campaign my MP, the Dft and the CAA. That's my choice. Its up to you what you do.

It certainly is your choice but this battle has been won with a few losses. There will be further battles ahead and those are the ones to concentrate on when the time comes.

[Alan Gorham_]

Some of us did write to the CAA during the consultation asking if flyers registration details could not be gleaned from the model flying associations, to reduce the amount of duplication of data. As far as that point is concerned, I'm taking that as a win.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the yearly fee when IIRC Mr Shapps asked them to look at reducing it below £5 was it?

I was ambivalent about the need to take the online test really. I would have taken it if needed but now don't have to. Which is nice.

Really the important bits are the exemptions granted.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Chaps if you want a slanging match then please go and find another forum. This is not the place.

This is an interesting time in this saga so I don't want to close this thread. But at this rate, that's not far off.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

My accusation ?

Years of noise, puffing out of chests, belittling the efforts of those representing us.

And never anything to offer. I'll stick with the BMFA ta, you tough guys do your own thing.

[Cuban8]

Right.....cards on the table. Registration for model aircraft? Total waste of time, will achieve nothing etc etc etc done it to death, nothing more to be said.

BUT......the position we find ourself in as of now is not so bad as many of us feared and rather than the kick in the head that looked like was coming, we have a gentler and slightly cheaper slap in the face. BMFA and others that have been working on our behalf have simplified things for the majority of BMFA members (ie those with A certs or better) but of course clubs will now be administering the registration/competency and fee via annual club renewals, so more work there. It's doable and I guess the membership portal will go a long way in keeping records straight.

I don't like it and I question the sustainability of the whole lot over the longer term - far from ideal but better than the alternative that many had seemed to have accepted was done and dusted. We are where we are and I appreciate the work that our association has done to protect us from the worst......so far.

 

Keep calm and carry on flying.

Edited By Cuban8 on 21/10/2019 20:02:17

[Chris Berry]

Jason in answer to your question.

Well you and others have appeared to be grumbling about this subject a lot. I don’t want registration or fees, nor do any of us but we need to pick our battles and this is one we all chose to fight and we’ve got an outcome that is far better than it could have been.

Its not perfect and there will be bits to iron out but overall it’s far better than it could have been wouldn’t you agree?

Edited By Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:05:30

[iqon]

Outcome as we all expected, my thanks go out to all that stood up and argued our corner.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:04:03:

Jason in answer to your question.

Well you and others have appeared to be grumbling about this subject a lot. I don’t want registration or fees, nor do any of us but we need to pick our battles and this is one we all chose to fight and we’ve got an outcome that is far better than it could have been.

Its not perfect and there will be bits to iron out but overall it’s far better than it could have been wouldn’t you agree?

Edited By Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:05:30

[Jason-I]

Posted by Chris Bott - Moderator on 21/10/2019 19:58:50:

Chaps if you want a slanging match then please go and find another forum. This is not the place.

This is an interesting time in this saga so I don't want to close this thread. But at this rate, that's not far off.

Apologies Chris. Please feel free to delete the unsavoury posts! My passions were inflamed after being accused of not being a proper aeromodeller just because I don't like this new legislation! I have expended a significant amount of time and effort campaigning against this new legislation and to be honest, I just don't see any fruits of my labour!

[Jason-I]

Posted by Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:04:03:

Jason in answer to your question.

Well you and others have appeared to be grumbling about this subject a lot. I don’t want registration or fees, nor do any of us but we need to pick our battles and this is one we all chose to fight and we’ve got an outcome that is far better than it could have been.

Its not perfect and there will be bits to iron out but overall it’s far better than it could have been wouldn’t you agree?

Edited By Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:05:30

Apologies, which question are you answering?

[Chris Berry]

All our passions are high Jason. Apologies for any offence. It’s not personal, it’s been a worrying time for us all who have invested god knows how many thousands of pounds and nearly 30 years into the hobby.

[Martin_K]

For now, I conclude that to fly models of 250g and above after 30 November, as a BMFA member I do not have to pay the registration fee this year, but as I do not hold an 'A' certificate I do need to take the competency test.

For the future, if by next January there is no confirmation of exemptions that will allow me to fly aircraft of 250g and above in public places beyond next Summer, I will assume I will only fly models below 250g, so the BMFA will need a mechanism to not charge all members the registration fee.

Meanwhile, I shall study plans for mini size models!

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Jason-I]

Posted by Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:15:46:

All our passions are high Jason. Apologies for any offence. It’s not personal, it’s been a worrying time for us all who have invested god knows how many thousands of pounds and nearly 30 years into the hobby.

Apology accepted, and apologies offered form me too.

Passions are indeed high. I feel that our hobby is under attack. In the 30 years I have been in the hobby, threats to the hobby have never seemed higher and places to fly have never been scarcer.

[i12fly]

I say well done BMFA, I hope they will be able to fight on and achieve further concessions that will keep our flying sites open from the point of view of distance to 'uninvolved persons' and building etc.

I'll continue to support them where possible.

[Chris Berry]

Posted by Jason-I on 21/10/2019 20:22:04:

Posted by Chris Berry on 21/10/2019 20:15:46:

All our passions are high Jason. Apologies for any offence. It’s not personal, it’s been a worrying time for us all who have invested god knows how many thousands of pounds and nearly 30 years into the hobby.

Apology accepted, and apologies offered form me too.

Passions are indeed high. I feel that our hobby is under attack. In the 30 years I have been in the hobby, threats to the hobby have never seemed higher and places to fly have never been scarcer.

Very true indeed!!

[Jason-I]

Posted by Steve J on 21/10/2019 20:21:06:

Posted by Alan Gorham_ on 21/10/2019 19:51:32:

I'm not quite sure what to make of the yearly fee when IIRC Mr Shapps asked them to look at reducing it below £5 was it?

I have seen it reported elsewhere that Mr Shapps told the CAA to get the fee below £10. I personally was hoping for £5.

Steve

The fact that it is still an annual fee against the advice of their own select committee annoys me more....

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Looks like get it below double figures, to me more palatable ?

[Jason-I]

Posted by Jason-I on 21/10/2019 20:26:38:

Posted by Steve J on 21/10/2019 20:21:06:

Posted by Alan Gorham_ on 21/10/2019 19:51:32:

I'm not quite sure what to make of the yearly fee when IIRC Mr Shapps asked them to look at reducing it below £5 was it?

I have seen it reported elsewhere that Mr Shapps told the CAA to get the fee below £10. I personally was hoping for £5.

Steve

The fact that it is still an annual fee against the advice of their own select committee annoys me more....

Also , still significantly more expensive than a drivers license (renewal works out at £1.40 per year and you get a free photo ID card thrown in).This despite the fact that cars kill approx 1,800 people in the UK every year, seriously injure 26,000 people ever year and cause 165,000 casualties every year! I wonder what they would do if aeromodelling caused a similar attrition rate?

Looking at those horrendous statistics, it makes you wonder why they are harassing us so much and not focusing on road safety instead. 

 

Edited By Jason-I on 21/10/2019 20:44:46

[Brian Stevenson 1]

So:

BMFA members don't have to register until end January 2020. Good. So if I renew membership on 1st January, as usual, they presumably won't take the fee as I won't have passed the test by then so can't register at that time. What happens when I do take the test?

I notice that the free 'pilot' registration has vanished. Yeah, the gubmint doesn't like giving us free stuff. So what they giveth with one hand (£7.50) they taketh away with the other. And that is assuming that NOT charging me £7.50 is 'giving' me something.

Am I a real aeromodeller by Chris Berry's criteria? Probably not. Despite have made my first 'built up' model (a 26 inch span Skyleada Auster) in 1956 at age eleven, and designed and built hundreds of models since, I did buy a ARTF in 2001 (The 90 size Great Planes Cosmic Wind Little Tony) which I still play with sometimes. Only ever the one ARTF but by his standards that probably makes me a fail.

 

Edited By Brian Stevenson 1 on 21/10/2019 20:54:11

[Jason-I]

Chris has apologised. Don't think he meant to cause offence. Anyway, I think most of us have a cheeky ARTF or foamy hidden away somewhere.

Edited By Jason-I on 21/10/2019 21:01:15

[Dickw]

Posted by Brian Stevenson 1 on 21/10/2019 20:50:34:

So:

BMFA members don't have to register until end January 2020. Good. So if I renew membership on 1st January, as usual, they presumably won't take the fee as I won't have passed the test by then so can't register at that time. What happens when I do take the test?

I notice that the free 'pilot' registration has vanished. .....................................

Edited By Brian Stevenson 1 on 21/10/2019 20:54:11

The free pilot registration has not vanished, it is still there if you don't hold an acceptable alternative such as a BMFA 'A' cert: -

"Anyone flying a drone or unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) weighing between 250g and 20kg will need to take and pass an online education package. This is free and renewable every three years."

This seems to be completely separate from the £9 registration as an operator which can be either direct with the CAA system or via the BMFA or other 'approved Association' :-

"With permission, the associations will collect the registration fee from members directly……"

"The associations will issue further detailed guidance to their members in due course."

Note the "with permission".

Dick

[Jason-I]

Posted by Brian Stevenson 1 on 21/10/2019 21:35:57:

Of course they are toys. It's only pomposity causes us to call them anything else. EG being a member of the 'The Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers' when all I was doing was flying a KeilKraft 'Just slide the wing and tail into their slots and throw it' Cutie chuck glider in the back garden.

Funny how easily we can all get excited over our toys too! I've got a garage full of them BTW.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Martin_K]

Yes, I noticed. Nothing about when new arrangements will be announced however, hence me thinking the end of the year will be my own deadline to decide on future modelling plans.