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Ayr & District Model Fliers Safety Rules   1 February 2021

 

The Ayr & District Model Fliers club operates within the safety rules and advice detailed in the SAA, BMFA and CAA safety booklets.  Most of the rules that follow are peculiar and specific to the ADMF flying site and our use of it.

 

Critical Rule

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Any airborne object carrying people (Aeroplanes. Helicopters, Hang Gliders, whatever)  has the right of the sky.  Models must never be allowed to conflict with them in any way.

 

Areas

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Access

  • Access to the flying strip will be by the access road.  Driving on the grass parallel to the road is only permissible if the access road is blocked or partially blocked.

  • Both gates should be closed unless the farmer has deliberately left them open       

    

Pits Area

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  • Models and equipment must be parked in the pits area

  • Models must be taken back to the pits area immediately after landing

  • If more than one modeller is on site, no model should be taxied into or from the pits area.

  • Models should be restrained and positioned facing away from cars with at least a 12 foot walkway between cars & planes

 

Car Parking Area

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·All vehicles must be parked in the designated area adjacent to the access road.

Dogs            

·Unrestrained dogs are not allowed at the flying site

Mobile Phones

  • Mobile phones at the flying site should only be switched on when no transmitters are switched on.  Mobile phone transmissions can interfere with synthesised transmitters (BMFA safety bulletin No 6 refers)

Children (under 18 years) 

  • Junior members shall only be treated as club members at the flying site if accompanied by a parent or guardian.  They will require to be supervised at all times. If not accompanied by a parent or guardian, they will be catered for as visiting members of the public.

  • At the flying site, senior members must avoid unnecessary physical contact with children for whom they are neither parents nor guardians.  Common sense must rule. Injury, accident, whatever may require a degree of physical contact.

  • The SAA document defining “The Promotion of Welfare and Care of Children and Vulnerable Adults in Model Flying” will be made available to parents/guardians of junior members or vulnerable adults on demand.

  • The person or persons occupying the roles of Child Welfare Officer or Club Instructor will require to  have Criminal Records Bureau clearance certification.

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Vulnerable Adults

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Definition:- A vulnerable adult is defined as a person of 18 years and above that through mental or physical attributes requires a higher level of supervision than would normally be commensurate with an adult member.

  • The committee will agree a code of conduct with vulnerable adults with safety considerations being paramount.  The code of conduct will define the conduct of the vulnerable adult and the responsibilities of the club towards him  / her

  • Vulnerable adults will not fly unsupervised (irrespective of safety certificates held)      

 

Spectators

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  • Spectators will be required to stand/sit behind the pits area or in an area designated on the day by a safety officer.

 

Fliers

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  • Members must declare to the committee any condition or disability that may compromise their ability to fly safely.

  • Failsafe must be set on all models on 2.4MgHz or 35MgHz PCM  The motor/engine must be set to tick-over / stop when the transmitter signal fails

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Pilots Flying Station

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  • The pilot station should always be sited at least 3 metres back from the take-off strip (BMFA guide is 5 metres)

  •  If more than one pilot is flying, pilots must mutually agree where to site the pilot’s station.   If a safety officer is present, he/she should organise & define the pilot’s station. His/her decision must hold sway

  • Pilots must stand together in a group when flying. Any movement from the group must be agreed with the other flyers. 

  • A pilot landing his plane can leave the group by moving forward adjacent to the strip.  A pilot taking off, can stand behind or adjacent to his plane on the flying strip itself

  • If a single flier is joined by others, they must join him/her even if he/she may be deemed to be in the “wrong” place.  

  • Pilots should only move station with agreement The group should be maintained.

  • Only those persons actively engaged in flying or instructing should stand in the designated pilot’s station.

 

Flying  / Take-off / Landing

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  • Not more than 4 radio controlled models shall be airborne at one time.

  • Models shall not conflict in any way with full-sized aircraft.

  • If a safety officer is on site, his advices concerning safety must be adhered to.  

  • Pilots must warn other pilots of their intentions, i.e. takeoff, overshoot, landing, etc. Pilots must be given as much scope as possible to carry out a safe forced landing.

  • Club members having no proficiency certificate (BMFA or SAA, etc.) shall only be allowed to fly solo if cleared to do so by the committee.

  • No model should be flown over the pits area or car park.  It is forbidden to fly models over the public road irrespective of height

  • All training / instruction will be performed using appropriate model types (e.g.  fixed wing powered trainer for fixed wing power instruction / safety certificate training)

  • Linked transmitters should be used for novice instruction (the “buddy box” system)

  • The first turn after taking off must be away from the pits / car parking area/s.

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Large Models
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  • Models weighing more than 10kg require committee authorisation before they can be flown.

 
Noise
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  • If a model’s engine noise exceeds  85 decibels at seven metres, it will not be permitted to be flown.   

       General

  • No litter should be left on site..

  • Gates must be closed immediately after use. They can only be left open if the tenant farmer has left them open. .

 

First Person View Radio Control (FVP RC)

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  • If flying with a headset, a “line of sight” assistant is required.

  • the person in charge (pilot) operates the  transmitter

  • the aircraft remains within the natural unaided visual range of the pilot or the assistant if the “pilot” is using a headset

  • the pilot has sole legal responsible for the safety of the flight

 

Insurance

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  • All model flying members are required to be insured.  (SAA BMFA, LMA, FPV Uk , etc.).

      CAA Registration

      It is not a condition of ADMF club membership that model operators or model fliers are CAA Registered.   R        Responsibility for this devolves to members themselves

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