Old Warden 27th and 28th July - who's going?

[Ron Gray]

I'll be there on the Saturday and hoping to take the Mustang, Hurricane and Bearcat for a Laser fest.

[Cliff Bastow]

I will be there Sat weather permitting.

[Chris Walby]

I should be there weather permitting 🙂

[martin collins 1]

Hopefully there both days.

[Nick Cripps]

Hopefully another weekend away in the caravan for me but, with such fickle weather at the moment, I'll leave it to the last minute to make the decision.

[Jon H]

I am a maybe. I need to test fly my hurricane as its not been out since last summer

[Futura57]

I got all excited when I decided yesterday I would make the effort and go along for the first time. This morning I browsed the Web site again and read the pilot rules for RC which require  B cert. Well that's me excluded. I've been flying competently and safely for over 50 years. I got my fixed wing A early on but have never bothered to go for the B since I have nothing to prove to anyone (until now it seems), plus arranging it always seemed a pain in the proverbial. I know I fly as well as or better than many B cert holders I know. I have heli A and B but I guess that won't help if I want to fly fixed wing. It's a shame, I was looking forward to going. Surely knowing this the organisers could chaperone my first flight and would see my competency straight way. Too much of an ovehead for them i guess. I read the recent B cert thread and I think sharp current flying skills are a better indicator than an infrequent flyer who happened to get their B 10 or 20 years ago. I've even witnessed some nepotism once or twice in awarding a B, so I lost faith in the system. You may think it's sour grapes on my part and I should shut up and take my B. In a way it's, but I will just stick to my little corner of the RC world and continue to enjoy it. Now I'm wondering if the Best of Britsh event at Buckminster has the same restriction. Guess I'll just have to stick to local fly ins. 

 

[Learner]

40 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

I got all excited when I decided yesterday I would make the effort and go along for the first time. This morning I browsed the Web site again and read the pilot rules for RC which require  B cert. Well that's me excluded. I've been flying competently and safely for over 50 years. I got my fixed wing A early on but have never bothered to go for the B since I have nothing to prove to anyone (until now it seems), plus arranging it always seemed a pain in the proverbial. I know I fly as well as or better than many B cert holders I know. I have heli A and B but I guess that won't help if I want to fly fixed wing. It's a shame, I was looking forward to going. Surely knowing this the organisers could chaperone my first flight and would see my competency straight way. Too much of an ovehead for them i guess. I read the recent B cert thread and I think sharp current flying skills are a better indicator than an infrequent flyer who happened to get their B 10 or 20 years ago. I've even witnessed some nepotism once or twice in awarding a B, so I lost faith in the system. You may think it's sour grapes on my part and I should shut up and take my B. In a way it's, but I will just stick to my little corner of the RC world and continue to enjoy it. Now I'm wondering if the Best of Britsh event at Buckminster has the same restriction. Guess I'll just have to stick to local fly ins. 

 

I suppose they have to draw a line somewhere and testing pilots beforehand is probably not practical, imagine 50 pilots turning up that need assessing!

It maybe a landowner/insurance stipulation for a B.

I agree that taking the B can be a faff and easier not to bother, but you went to the effort for the heli. Maybe your heli B would be sufficient perhaps someone on here could give you a contact no to ask.

I believe I read on here an A is OK at Buckminster but I'm  unsure.

Edited July 23, 2024 by Learner

[RottenRow]

I’ll be going on both days.

 

For those getting low on fuel, and concerned by recent increases in some prices, Southern Modelcraft will have a stand there (according to their website), so you will be able to stock up.

 

Brian.

[Chris Walby]

36 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

I got all excited when I decided yesterday I would make the effort and go along for the first time. This morning I browsed the Web site again and read the pilot rules for RC which require  B cert. Well that's me excluded. I've been flying competently and safely for over 50 years. I got my fixed wing A early on but have never bothered to go for the B since I have nothing to prove to anyone (until now it seems), plus arranging it always seemed a pain in the proverbial. I know I fly as well as or better than many B cert holders I know. I have heli A and B but I guess that won't help if I want to fly fixed wing. It's a shame, I was looking forward to going. Surely knowing this the organisers could chaperone my first flight and would see my competency straight way. Too much of an ovehead for them i guess. I read the recent B cert thread and I think sharp current flying skills are a better indicator than an infrequent flyer who happened to get their B 10 or 20 years ago. I've even witnessed some nepotism once or twice in awarding a B, so I lost faith in the system. You may think it's sour grapes on my part and I should shut up and take my B. In a way it's, but I will just stick to my little corner of the RC world and continue to enjoy it. Now I'm wondering if the Best of Britsh event at Buckminster has the same restriction. Guess I'll just have to stick to local fly ins. 

 

 So you are not flying slow vintage then....must be one of those jet jockeys!  I think clarification with James Gordon is called for.

 

I don't think you can compare OW with Buckminster as the local rules and organisers are different. E.G. Buckminster has no weight limit and jets are allowed!

 

The RC line location on this historic airfield has loads of available space in which to enjoy flying your models.

We want your day’s flying with us to be as enjoyable as possible in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, but for the safety of yourself and others, there are certain regulations that you must comply with:

•                    We will introduce our friendly and helpful team to you at the briefing, as well as locations of toilets, catering facilities etc.

•                    Please book in with transmitter control, with proof of insurance and competency. All pilots must have a BMFA B certificate or equivalent unless flying a slow vintage type aircraft where a minimum A Certificate is required. Your transmitter will also be checked for compliance (CE mark or SMAE/MHTF Type Approval).

 

[Ron Gray]

A lot of public shows use the B cert as their standard for entry to flying, Buckminster is different so you won’t have an issue there.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Buckminster, it comes in at 7.5 kg I  believe.

[Futura57]

3 hours ago, Chris Walby said:

 So you are not flying slow vintage then....must be one of those jet jockeys!  I think clarification with James Gordon is called for.

 

I don't think you can compare OW with Buckminster as the local rules and organisers are different. E.G. Buckminster has no weight limit and jets are allowed!

 

The RC line location on this historic airfield has loads of available space in which to enjoy flying your models.

We want your day’s flying with us to be as enjoyable as possible in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, but for the safety of yourself and others, there are certain regulations that you must comply with:

•                    We will introduce our friendly and helpful team to you at the briefing, as well as locations of toilets, catering facilities etc.

•                    Please book in with transmitter control, with proof of insurance and competency. All pilots must have a BMFA B certificate or equivalent unless flying a slow vintage type aircraft where a minimum A Certificate is required. Your transmitter will also be checked for compliance (CE mark or SMAE/MHTF Type Approval).

 

 

Not sure I would describe myself as a jet jockey to be honest, just a regular club flyer. No gas turbine jets and just one EDF. Nothing exotic either. I have a KK Student, though I'm not sure this qualifies as vintage. Anyone?

 

I regularly fly in the middle of Epsom Downs racecourse, which is a public site. Ok, so we don't attract huge crowds, but we regularly have to usher members of the public behind the pits area and flight line. And despite signage, we are obliged by the conservators to 'police' walkers who often deliberately and provocatively walk across and/or sit at the end of the mown runway. Not to mention stopping small children and dogs from stepping on or urinating on our models and nicking our sandwiches. Safety is our number one concern because we don't want to lose a fantastic site that has been used by modellers for decades. The BMFA insurance adequately covers us!

 

[Jon H]

Plenty of folk who fly at OW only have an A so i would get in touch directly and make your case. 

[Futura57]

3 hours ago, Jon H said:

Plenty of folk who fly at OW only have an A so i would get in touch directly and make your case. 

Thanks for the suggestion Jon. I think that's for slow vintage models. Me and officialdom don't mix too well. I spent my career challenging convention and banging my head against walls. I would rather spend my time more productively 😉

 

I did contact the organisers of Popham and the Southern Model Airshow about registering as a pilot, but with no response.

 

I consider it to be their loss 🤣

[Jon H]

I am drifting towards sunday assuming my test flights tomorrow work out so it looks like ill miss you Ron. 

[Ron Gray]

That’s a shame Jon, maybe see you at the Lazy BoB weekend at the end of September?

[Dom (Essential RC)]

Will be there flying with Stuart Warne (HobbyKing) and demonstrating some of their latest releases...

[Jon H]

2 hours ago, Ron Gray said:

That’s a shame Jon, maybe see you at the Lazy BoB weekend at the end of September?

 

where is that?

[Ron Gray]

Buckminster, 27th - 29th September 

[Jon H]

oh that. sorry i saw bob as battle of britain and not best of british

[Nick Cripps]

 

A busy flightline at OW today, thanks to the glorious weather (at last!).

 

It was good to catch up with fellow forumites Ron Gray and Chris Walby, plus many others all enjoying the unique atmosphere of Old Warden.

[Jon H]

i wont be attending tomorrow as my testing day didnt go very well. A fuel leak on my acrowot xl lead to a deadstick due to fuel exhaustion and forced landing causing damage to the fuselage. My DB Hurricane then suffered a hinge failure on the left flap causing asymmetric flap deployment. This rendered the model uncontrollable so i quickly retracted the flaps and landed flapless. Testing the flaps on the ground they worked fine but i missed the hinge issue. The 2nd troubleshooting flight left me with another flapless landing. unfortunately a combination of the models instability without flap and a gust of wind resulted in a heavy landing which took out the undercarriage. 

 

Apparently my curse didnt end there as a clubmate wanted my input on an engine issue with an acrowot. I flew it a bit while we worked on the engine but the radio had a meltdown and it ended up throwing itself into the floor at great speed. 

 

Given my current frame of mind this is probably it for me and aeromodelling, at least for now. I have a house move that is dragging on, nowhere comfortable to do any of these repairs and little desire to do them either. Almost all of my models are in need of work and i just have no interest in doing it. 

 

I also spent a significant part of my day today rehashing and explaining laser spares related stuff for the thousandth time. knowing how many laser fans are likely to be at old warden i think its best i avoid it as, frankly, i just dont care. I dont work there any more and its not my problem. I am tired of the same conversation over and over so i choose not to have it. 

 

I have been model flying since i was 5 years old and its time for a break, at least until i can get moved and sort out a few things. 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Chin up Jon. Enjoy your break.

 

[Ron Gray]

Sounds like burn out Jon, take a good long break from it all and hopefully we’ll see you back with renewed vigour next year.