Is there a list anywhere of recognised flying sites in the U.K. ?

[kevin b]

Not clubs.

The BMFA don't appear to have one.

[Frank Skilbeck]

I don't think there is such a list, but the BMFA contacted their members a couple of months ago and asked them to not only provide the location of their clubs site but also other locations where models are regularly flown, the purpose of which I understand was to be able to put them on the air navigation maps so autonomous drones would be programmed to avoid them. 

[steve too]

Recognised by who?

 

As @Frank Skilbecksays the BMFA have a map of BMFA, public and private sites. This is not visible to the public.

 

Twenty or so sites with approval for 7.5+kg > 400ft are listed in section 5.5 the Aeronautical Information Publication.

 

If you are prepared to wait for a few years, the CAA will probably have a list of authorised sites (possibly also in AIP 5.5).

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by steve too

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Club Secretary or Chairman, should be able to tell you about the new info gathering being done by the BMFA Kev.

[Martin_K]

Established flying sites could be a complicated list. Place name plus;

Location coordinates?
Club (if any)?
Owner / Manager of land?
Restrictions under which you can fly?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Can't see what's dificult, ours is done through a recent trial from BMFA, Altitude Angel, (before this latest BMFA initiative).

[PeterF]

This web site has a list of clubs / flying sites but I do not know how comprehensive or up to date it is.

https://www.rc-airplane-world.com/rc-airplane-clubs.html

[Chris Walby]

Ok if you are a BMFA member, otherwise is that not a bad idea publicising flying sites to the wrong people (theft or complain about its being close to their back yard)?

[steve too]

1 hour ago, Martin_K said:

Established flying sites could be a complicated list.

 

Here is an entry from the UK AIP 

 

 

and a couple from the French one.

 

 

[Robin Colbourne]

2 hours ago, Chris Walby said:

Ok if you are a BMFA member, otherwise is that not a bad idea publicising flying sites to the wrong people (theft or complain about its being close to their back yard)?

Or people who think its ok to turn up at a club's site and fly there without asking or having awareness of site rules.

[Ernie]

Seems like a job for the RCM&E forumites.......Just needs co-ordinating......Don't suppose mine is of much interest...It's a salt marsh in France, with only me and the storks. 

ernie

[steve too]

15 hours ago, Chris Walby said:

Ok if you are a BMFA member, otherwise is that not a bad idea publicising flying sites to the wrong people (theft or complain about its being close to their back yard)?

 

If the CAA, DfT, HO and police get their way, in a few years time, you will either be flying at an authorised site on a public list or having remote ID (or flying outside the law).

[GrumpyGnome]

What makes you think there will be a 'public list' of authorised sites? Who will maintain the list, and sites?

[john davidson 1]

We  had one incident at our old site, young lads flying when were not there, left a crashed and broken up foamy which I rescued the servos from so not too bad a result. However the present site is not so visible. Named on the club sites on the reply above however which seems quite comprehensive 

[steve too]

On 28/12/2023 at 19:28, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

... ours is done through a recent trial from BMFA, Altitude Angel ...

 

Is this you?

 

[steve too]

5 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:

What makes you think there will be a 'public list' of authorised sites?

 

Because every country that I have looked at that has gone down the registered/approved/authorised sites routes has published a list. Sites in France -

 

 

UK sites with approval for 7.5kg > 400ft are already published in the AIP, see the post above that I made yesterday for an example.

 

5 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:

Who will maintain the list, and sites?

 

The people doing the approving, i.e. the CAA.

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by steve too

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

1 hour ago, steve too said:

 

Is this you?

 

 

Yes that's us.

[GrumpyGnome]

We were contacted by AA to take part in a trial, but heard nothing after the initial contact.

 

The public list of approved flying sites is interesting.  It's logical that the CAA maintain it, but who'll tell them if a site is no longer used, or what you can actually fly there, etc. etc.. The devil will be in the detail.  My fear would be that the retailers point customers at a web site saying "you can fly here" and not put the customer in contact with the club responsible for safety at that site.  The web site Steve pointed me at for France seemed to be hosted by the equivalent of the BMFA, but the USA version seems to be hosted by FAA. Personally, I think it'd be better hosted by the controlling bodies, for a modicum of control....... but no solution is perfect. 

 

I can see us taking our 'location of, and directions to, our flying field' section off the web site and making it available only to anyone that actually contacts us. But maybe I'm just being paranoid.

[Martin_K]

Altitude Angel UTM Ready. Frequently Asked Questions.

[leccyflyer]

Possibly not. You might anticipate that once RID comes in and if there is a dispensation to fly without RID on club sites that you could see an increase in unauthorised use, outside of normal operating hours, by non-members.

[steve too]

2 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:

... The web site Steve pointed me at for France seemed to be hosted by the equivalent of the BMFA ...

 

A few lines above the map on the FFAM site you will find the sentence "Données issues du site du Service de l'Information Aéronautique (SIA) extraites en date du 23 juin 2023".

 

This is the current list from the SIA site -

 

https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/dvd/eAIP_28_DEC_2023/FRANCE/AIRAC-2023-12-28/pdf/FR-ENR-5.5-fr-FR.pdf

 

(This has more than model sites in it. A couple of entries from an earlier version is above.)

 

2 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:

It's logical that the CAA maintain it, but who'll tell them if a site is no longer used, or what you can actually fly there, etc. etc.

 

Annual renewals.

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by steve too