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Examiners 2022 and beyond.


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6 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said:

Until I did that test I was under the impression that tethered models were exempt, never mind a weight limit. Regarding FF, no one has any control over the flight volume once launched since this will usually be governed by wind conditions. Most club venues cannot accommodate these anyway. Where, other than the Nats, have you ever seen them Drones have been banned by our landlord after he read about the idiots buzzing airliners, even tiny racing ones, so the questions on these were totally irrelevant to me.

My club insists on an A certificate to fly solo which is fair enough but people who joined before 2000 are exempt!

Due to adverse comments from here and there about whom should have passed an A or not I only stay on as a second examiner for B tests which are rare.

Take this scenario. A person visits the field as a newbie to be advised on what start up gear to buy which they do and eventually come to take an A in order to go solo. No matter how well they can fly they are then faced with a set of questions about a subject they have never even heard of. Gobbledygook to them so they pack it in and go fishing instead.

No, the instructor will be upto scratch with current regulations and requirements and will have told the pupil what is required, as for fishing do you know how that is regulated as its a mine field. having gone fishing he came back to take his A  certificate as he realised it wasn't that difficult,  

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1 hour ago, Andrew Calcutt said:

One club I am requires a A certificate,the other doesn’t.What is the point of these proposals if we have fewer examiners?Clubs will have to let new members fly without an A.To be honest I join the BMFA for insurance only.

I assume you are also enjoying the extra freedoms that the Article 16 authorisation gives you and would rather not be paying £16.50 a year to the CAA?

Edited by Andy Symons - BMFA
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1 hour ago, Martin McIntosh said:

Take this scenario. A person visits the field as a newbie to be advised on what start up gear to buy which they do and eventually come to take an A in order to go solo. No matter how well they can fly they are then faced with a set of questions about a subject they have never even heard of. Gobbledygook to them so they pack it in and go fishing instead.

Your scenario is simply not valid though. Before the individual can fly without the use of a Buddy lead they will have to have passed the CAA DMARES test or the BMFA RCC (which is far more relevant to what they will be doing) even if they dont ever go on to take an A test. Otherwise they will be flying unlawfully.

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9 minutes ago, Andy Symons - BMFA said:

I assume you are also enjoying the extra freedoms that the Article 16 authorisation gives you and would rather not be paying £16.50 a year to the CAA?

Don’t get me started on that CAA nonsense,We need new members the hobby is dying out most flyers are in their seventies,what is the average age of BMFA members.very often you lucky if someone else turns up at strip.All you rule makers should get of your arses and go flying.

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4 minutes ago, Andrew Calcutt said:

Don’t get me started on that CAA nonsense,We need new members the hobby is dying out most flyers are in their seventies,what is the average age of BMFA members.very often you lucky if someone else turns up at strip.All you rule makers should get of your arses and go flying.

Good job we have the BMFA CEO then,  who has, with the team he put together, managed to get us to a point where you are protected from the bulk of the new rules and pretty much nothing has changed so you can get off your arse and go flying. Your BMFA fee gets you so much more than insurance.

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5 minutes ago, Andrew Calcutt said:

Don’t get me started on that CAA nonsense,We need new members the hobby is dying out most flyers are in their seventies,what is the average age of BMFA members.very often you lucky if someone else turns up at strip.

 

To be honest Andrew I would suspect that Andy and the others at the BMFA would be thinking much the same thing themselves. It is the CAA on behalf of the government that have produced this 'CAA nonsense' and the BMFA have been left with the unenviable task of finding the best way of allowing us to fly within the new laws without infringing too much on what we have become used to in years gone by.

 

Brian.

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7 minutes ago, Andrew Calcutt said:

Don’t get me started on that CAA nonsense,We need new members the hobby is dying out most flyers are in their seventies,what is the average age of BMFA members.

The age profile of BMFA members is pretty much the same as it was 20 years ago, most are between 40 and 60.

The hobby isnt dying out, despite the determination of some to portray it as dying. Its evolving not dying.

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Andy S, that is the first I have ever heard that in order to fly without a buddy lead they need to pass one of those. My club certainly knows nothing of it either. Are you sure of this? Also, the use of a buddy box is not mandatory at all. For instance, somebody turns up with a very high end Core or Jeti set. Is the club expected to provide one for training?

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14 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said:

Andy S, that is the first I have ever heard that in order to fly without a buddy lead they need to pass one of those. My club certainly knows nothing of it either. Are you sure of this? Also, the use of a buddy box is not mandatory at all. For instance, somebody turns up with a very high end Core or Jeti set. Is the club expected to provide one for training?

I have to say Its very dissapointing that there are people in your club that do not know they are required by the CAA to be "competent". The CAA consider you competent if you have passed either the CAA DMARES test and obtained a flyer ID or passed the BMFA RCC. If any of them are the remote pilot in charge and flying any RC aircraft that has a take off mass over 250gm and they havent passed one of those tests they are flying unlawfully!

 

We have published this on the websites,  our social media and the BMFA news, including an insert that explained it all on a number of occasions. It has been the case for 2 years now.

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20 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said:

Andy S, that is the first I have ever heard that in order to fly without a buddy lead they need to pass one of those. My club certainly knows nothing of it either. Are you sure of this? Also, the use of a buddy box is not mandatory at all. For instance, somebody turns up with a very high end Core or Jeti set. Is the club expected to provide one for training?

 

Surely we all have to have passed one of these before we can fly legally? Or rely on an A / B and tick the box on the membership portal, which won't apply to a beginner who won't have taken an A test as yet.

 

Isn't it also a requirement to prove compency even when using a buddy lead, except for a trial flight by a non-BMFA member? Perhaps I'm mistaken here?

 

Brian.

 

Sorry... posted at same time as Andy's reply..

Edited by RottenRow
Simultaneous posting
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22 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said:

Andy S, that is the first I have ever heard that in order to fly without a buddy lead they need to pass one of those. My club certainly knows nothing of it either. Are you sure of this? Also, the use of a buddy box is not mandatory at all. For instance, somebody turns up with a very high end Core or Jeti set. Is the club expected to provide one for training?

Have a read of https://rcc.bmfa.uk/

Then share the link around the club please.

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4 minutes ago, RottenRow said:

Isn't it also a requirement to prove compency even when using a buddy lead, except for a trial flight by a non-BMFA member? 

All remote pilots need to prove "competency" however, anyone on the slave end of a buddy system is NOT considered to be a remote pilot.

 

Competency cam be proved in 1 of 3 ways.

 

1 Pass the CAA DMARES test and obtain a flyer id.

 

2 Pass the BMFA RCC test

 

3 Have passed an A, B or BPC before 1st Jan 2021 and have ticked the box to say they have read and understood our Article 16 authorisation.

Edited by Andy Symons - BMFA
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4 minutes ago, Andy Symons - BMFA said:

anyone on the slave end of a buddy system is NOT considered to be a remote pilot.

Ok thanks Andy, I couldn't find any reference to using a buddy lead in article 16 itself.

 

Apart from the trial flight.

 

Brian.

Edited by RottenRow
Missed a line!
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The BMFA RCC test is not difficult to pass. 40 multi choice questions, you need to get 30 right to pass. You can have as many goes as you like, its completely free, and at the end of the test you get a full list of all the questions and the answers.

 

It couldnt really be much easier and it is certainly nothing that should put people off. In fact I dont think it does, what puts people off is other people telling them its all a big palaver when it really really isn't.

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8 minutes ago, Martin McIntosh said:

I think you miss the point. A raw beginner rolls up at the club with a set they cannot buddy up. They will never have even heard of C/L, FF or article 16 so are they expected to be able to answer 40 questions on a subject which is totally alien to them before they can even get a flight under instruction?

No, they would be able to have a trial flight under 'close supervision'.

 

Our guide to Article 16 says

 

10. Provisions for ‘trial flights’
Our Authorisation permits the continuance of ‘trial flights’ for non-members.

The non-member may operate the controls of the model aircraft and does not need to comply with the competency requirements whilst under the direct supervision of a member.

The member supervising the flight must be registered as an Operator and display their Operator I.D. on the aircraft.

 

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