Section one - Club Rules BMFA Safety Rules Revised 5.4.24
1.1 All members must have BMFA insurance and CAA registration arranged directly with the BMFA through their portal. The club Secretary or Membership Secretary will require proof of membership of the BMFA insurance scheme when joining via the portal. Yearly Renewals:
To be able to fly at SCMFC you must have BMFA insurance cover. Indeed you are only allowed to visit the field if you are 1. A club Member and 2. We have seen your valid BMFA insurance certificate on the portal. Flying at the field without us being aware (having permission) or having insurance cover will be classed as Gross Misconduct and may result in your membership being ended without compensation. For your BMFA certificate to be valid, all acts of flying must be legal.
1.2 Models shall be flown in accordance with the Rules and recommendations as detailed in the current BMFA Handbook. Models must be soundly constructed and suitable for the type of flying intended.
1.3 Only equipment operating at frequencies and power levels specified by the Home Office are permitted. For the 35MHz and 2.4 GHz equipment, only type-approved equipment may be used as described by the BMFA.
1.4 The take-off and landing area is permanently fixed. Before an aircraft is placed into position for take off, the pilot should ensure that no other aircraft is about to turn onto the landing approach.
1.5 Beginners must be constantly supervised whilst flying, by a competent member of the club. A club test and sign off is required before Solo flight is permitted. Instructors shall be responsible for flight safety during training. They must take any action necessary to avoid danger or infringement of club rules. Instructors must avoid distraction by any third parties.
1.6 Planes must not be made to fly over the pits, people, buildings and parked cars.
1.7 Pilots must call "landing" when intending to land and must ensure the chosen landing area is clear of people. Landing aircraft have priority, dead stick aircraft having absolute priority. When retrieving a model from the flying patch, stop the engine and retract the transmitter aerial. A verbal notification must be given to other flyers that you are retrieving the model. When collecting, look out for dead stick aircraft.
1.8 After take-off, pilots must clear the flying area immediately and join the other pilots in the designated pits area.
1.9 No more than six aircraft can be airborne at one time.
1.10 The pegboard is no longer used since the introduction of 2.4ghz.
1.11 Models must not be flown within a suggested distance of 150 yards of the main road (A11) (Unless in exceptional circumstances of safety). This distance is specified with a marked board.
1.12 Models must not be flown too far to the south, near the farm and cottages.
1.13 All fixed wing power models must have a blunt nosed spinner - with a minimum radius of 7.5mm.
1.14 The committee has decided that from 1.11.2001, fixed wing and helicopters will not fly together at the same time. Fixed wing and heli pilots must inform each other of their intention to fly. This is for the benefit of both parties.
1.15 The committee has decided that all pilots MUST fly from the designated 'Pits and Pilot' area at all times. The only exceptions being:
a) Helicopter and Drone pilots may prefer to walk with their model out on the patch, when they are in their slot.
Note: For the safety of all members, the committee has decided that at organised events, such as monthly meets, all flying, including helicopters and drones, must be from the designated pits and pilot area.
1.16 Any act of unsafe flying that endangers the safety of any visitor or member of SCFMC may result in that persons immediate expulsion from the site with no financial compensation..
1.17 Any act of aggression to any members or visitor to SCMFC may result in immediate expulsion from the site with no financial compensation.
1.18 Visitors to the site must keep a look out for low flying aircraft at all times. It is the duty of every member to call out 'Low Aircraft' to pilots. When a low aircraft could be approaching the site, pilots must either land or fly below 100 feet.
1.19 SITE CLOSURES - No member may fly at or visit the club flying field on Duxford airshow days. This includes small models and helicopters. There are approximately four main airshows per year. The closed days can be found on this website on the homepage link. When flying on days either side of airshows, members must pay particular attention to aircraft arriving at and leaving Duxford War Museum.
Note: As of June 2010 the BMFA have been notified that the site will close on main Duxford airshow days as a safety issue. The closure of the site is no longer just a local rule, but a BMFA notified rule. The club has been advised that if a member is found to be in breach of the rule it should be classed as gross misconduct, immediate dismissal without warnings may be considered (without financial remuneration of fees part or full) but the member must still be accorded his rights to present his case to the Committee and be given a right of appeal. Note: The club will make efforts to advise the members of closed dates but this may not always be possible so the responsibility to be aware of the closed dates remains that of the member.
1.20 It has been decided by the committee that from 13.10.15 there will be a 20 mph maximum speed limit when driving on farm land, from the cottages adjacent to the A11 up until the track adjacent to the original farm house. Then when the track turns to the left between the road and the patch (past the barns and onto the patch) a maximum of 15 mph must be observed. Any member who is observed to ignore this rule will be warned in the first instance.
1.21 All members are required to carry their own first aid kit in their car. They are available from organisations such as Boots for less that £10.00 . Also all members are advised to carry a fire extinguisher at the site. Any member that visits the site with either a Gas Turbine or Petrol model is required to carry a fire extinguisher in their car and have it ready when starting models.
1.22 Do not taxi in or out of the pits area if there are many members at the site. Wheel or carry your model well clear of the pits before commencing taxiing and stop the model well clear when taxiing back after landing. Do not put other flyers at risk.
1.23 First Person View (FPV) General: The club follows all guidance that has been put forward by the BMFA. All models must operate below 400ft and can operate without a buddy lead - but must be accompanied by a competent observer.
1.24 First Person View (FPV) Frequencies: The club will follow all guidance put out by both the CAA and the BMFA. In summary the only frequency that shall be allowed at the club field for FPV flight will be 5.8GHz with a maximum power of 25mW. Under no circumstances is any FPV equipment to be used at the club flying field on the 2.4GHz frequency. In summary the only frequencies that are allowed to be transmitted at the club flying field are 35MHz from R/C transmitters, 2.4GHz for R/C transmitters and 5.8GHz for FPV transmitters. There are several other R/C transmitters and FPV transmitters that are widely available for sale on the internet such as 433MHz, 900MHz, 1.2GHz and 1.3GHz. These frequencies are all illegal and must not be used at the club flying field. The use of illegal R/C and FPV equipment will invalidate your BMFA insurance and will be classed as gross misconduct.
1.25 Aftermarket Receivers - Your Responsibilities - SCMFC members must follow the advice supplied by the BMFA:
The subject of aftermarket receivers, particularly on the 2.4GHz band has become something of a hot topic recently and I have received a considerable number of queries from members so I thought that it would be useful to outline the current position. Whilst there are well defined compliance requirements for transmitters on 2.4GHz which are essentially outlined by the ETSI standard EN300-328, this standard makes little reference to the receiver end of things, with fairly good reason. The main purpose of the standard is to define protocols that ensure transmitting equipment does not interfere with other users sharing the same frequency band (in this case 2.4GHz) so by default concentrates on the transmitting equipment. Given that there are little in the way of compliancy requirements for receiving equipment where does this leave the end user wanting to purchase and operate a receiver from another manufacturer? The presence of a CE marking is a good starting point but as ever is not the full story, the presence of a CE mark doesn't guarantee compliancy and the absence of one doesn't automatically render a piece of equipment unlawful to use. From an end user point of view the safest option is still to purchase recognised equipment that been supplied through the recognised importer for the brand of equipment (sound familiar?). However there are a number of low cost receivers becoming available that can be bound to transmitters supplied by many of the established brands. Given the absence of compliancy requirements for such units it really comes down to consumer choice and fitness for purpose and ultimately the Air Navigation Order. In law the pilot of a model aircraft is required to satisfy himself that he can safely carry out the intended flight, this is defined by Article 138 of the ANO which states that the pilot of a model aircraft must not endanger any person or property. What does this mean in practical terms? Essentially the position is exactly the same as with 35MHz a few years ago, when you purchase and install a receiver the onus is on you to ensure that it is performing at a level that will not compromise the safety of the flight, essentially choose a receiver with a specification that matches the installation requirements (as an extreme example don't fit a unit advertised as suitable for park flyers in a 1/3rd scale Extra). Once you have installed the unit then carry out range checks in line with the (transmitter) manufacturer's guidance. Remember, whilst there may be a lack of well defined legal requirements relating to the receiving equipment that we use, the responsibilities that we incur as pilots of model aircraft are very clear, you are legally responsible for the safety of any flight that you undertake.
Manny Williamson Development Officer
1.26 Grey Import Radio Equipment - Your Responsibilities - SCMFC members must follow the advice supplied by the BMFA:
Over the last few months I have received several Emails and phone calls in relation to radio equipment purchased outside of the UK, particularly in the United States. There are two main areas of concern in relation to this matter; the first is the legal position. At a recent meeting of the United Kingdom Radio Control Council a representative of Ofcom (Office of Communication) made the following point, particularly in relation to equipment on the 2.4GHz band. "Due to differences in the specification, 2.4GHz radios bought directly from the USA without appropriate CE markings may not be approved for use in the UK or the rest of Europe. Transmitted power is known to be higher for some sets sold for use in the USA" The practical implications for model flyers are that you could potentially be prosecuted by Ofcom if you are found to be transmitting illegally, also if your illegal transmission is proven to be a causal factor in a serious accident then you could face a criminal prosecution by the CAA under the endangering provisions of the Air Navigation Order. The second area of concern is the insurance aspect of the BMFA membership package; I regularly get asked whether using illegal equipment invalidates the cover provided. The membership documents provided to members clearly state that the insurance cover provided is in respect of "any recognised/authorised activity of the BMFA relating to Aeromodelling and ancillary activities" the Members Handbook refers to "normal and lawful pursuits of the Association and it's registered members". Knowingly using equipment that is not compliant and legal for use in the UK could at worst invalidate the insurance cover provided and at best could lead to a court appearance with some very awkward questions to answer. From a club perspective this can be a tricky situation to address. Clubs should not knowingly allow members to operate unlawfully due to the associated risks of members being uninsured and the potential consequences to other members should there be an accident. However, a club has no duty to be a "police force" and their powers would not extend further than banning a member whom they knew (hard evidence) was flying using non UK compliant equipment. The BMFA has been instrumental in gaining the permissions for model flyers to use both the 35MHz band and more recently the 2.4GHz band. We also provide advice to members on their legal responsibilities when using these bands. The BMFA remains totally opposed to any use of non approved R/C equipment in the UK by any member and strongly recommends that only appropriately marked CE approved radio control equipment is purchased and used. It should be borne in mind that any breach of UK regulations is the remit of Ofcom to investigate and prosecute where appropriate.
Manny Williamson Development Officer
Gas Turbine Special Notes
1.1 All Turbine models must fly within club rules and be consistent with those dictated by the JMA. Specifically fast turbine flypasts must be no closer to the pilot, pits area or car park than 30 horizontal metres. For example the ditch to the North of the patch is approximately 30 metres.
1.2 Model Turbines must be started in a designated pits area.
1.3 Any member that visits the site with a Turbine model is required to carry a fire extinguisher (appropriate type) in their car and have it ready at the flying area when starting models.
1.4 A minimum of two people is desirable at the site when flying, one to be responsible for the fire extinguisher.
1.5 There may be restrictions to the flying of Turbines whilst there is ripened standing crops surrounding the flying area. Members will be notified if a ‘No Fly’ situation is in force.
1.6 No flying will be conducted above a perceived height of 400 feet above ground level - (CAA rules!)
General
2.1 Membership: All members are required to sign a form when joining and then yearly at club renewal (the end of May) to say that they have read the club rules. Throughout the year minor amendments may be made to the club rules. Wherever possible, these amendments will be communicated by the club on the WhatsApp group. It is essential that members ensure that the committee has your current email address at all times. It is now a condition of membership that if you change your email address you inform us immediately. Change of email address without informing us and therefore not receiving club communications may result in serious problems. For example if the club had to temporarily suspend flying at the site for any reason it is essential that all members are aware in a short time frame. For members without email, we recommend that you ask a friend in the club to forward you any important information. If this is not possible, the committee will contact members on the WhatsApp group. Please also ensure that we hold your current phone number.
2.2 Engines must be silenced in accordance with current BMFA regulations for noise emission. Running-in or prolonged testing of engines may be carried out at the flying site; as long as noise levels do not exceeded BMFA regulations.
2.3 When flying over farmland, ideally only one person at a time is to retrieve any model from crops to minimise damage.
2.4 If a member or guest should directly cause damage to another person's model or property, they will be held financially responsible for the damage incurred.
2.5 Members flying at all club sites must conduct themselves in an orderly manner and leave no litter (including broken propellers etc.). Common sense and courtesy should be displayed at all times.
2.6 Any incidents occurring on the field must be reported to the Secretary or other committee member (to relay to the club secretary) as soon as possible. This is essential where injuries are involved.
Incidents that must be reported include:
* Any model above 7Kg in weight crashing outside the club patch area (enclosed grass take off area). Smaller models may also need to report a crash depending upon circumstances
* Any fire - including lipo fire - even if extinguished quickly
* Any unwanted visitors to the site
* Any model landing near the A11 main road
* Any close encounters with full size aircraft
* Any other action that is not routinely considered 'Normal' at the club field.
2.7 Members are advised to read their BMFA handbook at least once a year. The handbook covers many important points.
2.8 From time to time a Committee member may be forced to make rulings directly affecting flyers on the field if he/she feels that an infringement of the rules or the spirit of the rules has been committed. In his or her absence every member is considered to be a representative. Rulings may include:
· A: Failure to follow club rules
· B: "Grounding" of non-air-worthy planes
· C: "Grounding" of noisy aircraft.
It is acknowledged that (c) includes a subjective assessment of noise level, but as for all other decisions, the Committee's decision is final. In an extreme case of infringement a member may, for example, be called to committee meeting to discuss the issue.
2.9 Visiting the club flying field: Monday to Saturday. The flying field for any model flying, including electric models shall be limited to between 9.00 a.m. and a half-hour before sunset. Please also not that no members shall pass the farm area before 9.00 a.m. for noise and disturbance reasons. Sunday. Following complaints about noise, disturbance and speeding vehicles, it has been decided that no members shall visit the flying site or pass the farm buildings before 10.00 a.m. on a Sunday. That will therefore also mean that no models shall be flown at the site before 10.00 a.m. on a Sunday and a half-hour before sunset. . Members of the farm are now aware of this club rule. Please also note that exactly the same rule applies to the cottages adjacent to the A11. Members are expressly forbidden to use this alternative track that runs North beside the A11 behind these cottages unless other exceptional reasons apply. Any breach of this rule will result in a written warning in the first instance.
2.11 It is reminded that members must carry BMFA insurance details. The club does not currently issue club I.D. parking permits. If you would like to check that a visitor to the site is a club member you can contact a club committee member on WhatsApp if they are not at the flying field. Any visitors will also be on the WhatsApp group.
2.12 No member will drive their car in the 'Pits' area under any circumstances. There is a car park area to the South of the pits. If the field is wet, then park on the access track to the right hand side.
2.13 The committee recommend that lost model indicators are used when at the site during summer months.
2.14 The committee has decided that from 1.1.2005 junior members and vulnerable adults must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a club member when at our flying site. A junior member is any member under the age of 18.
2.15 Finally: Any decision made by the committee is final.
We must point out that all of the above is based on common sense. It is the duty of all members to follow this common sense. We have an impeccable record so far and attribute this to members following our guidelines.
2.16 The grass at the club field will be cut eight times per year.
FLYING
18. The Committee, (Officers) and Instructors, will be responsible for the running of the flying field at all times. Appointment to the position of Instructor or Examiner can only be made by a Committee decision.
20. All flying members must attain the minimum standards of flying required under the scmfc training scheme before receiving the BMFA 'A' Certificate and before being allowed to fly indirectly supervised.
21. Any member whose flying standards drop below the minimum requirement solo standard will be required to rejoin the training scheme until the desired standards of flying are met.
BMFA ADDITIONAL FIELD / SAFETY RULES
1. All fliers must observe field discipline and comply with the Air Navigation Order, all relevant BMFA safety codes as contained within the BMFA Members' Handbook and Civil Aviation publication (CAP) 658.
2. On matters of field safety needing an immediate decision, the responsibility lies with instructors, a member of the Executive Committee or two committee members, in that order. Any instructions must be accepted without dissent. However, should a member believe the instructions to be wrong, then he should bring this to the attention of the Committee through Article 15 of the Constitution.
3. Any pilot not holding their solo qualification for the type of aircraft they are flying must not fly without the supervision of an instructor or their specially appointed deputy if the instructors are absent from the field. If no instructors are present at the site, ideally a member holding the BMFA 'B' Certificate may act as an appointed deputy until an instructor arrives.
4. Due consideration must be given at all times to trainee or novice pilots in the circuit. In the event that the pleasure or concentration of a pilot is affected by the flying style of another, precedence will be given to the pilot who was airborne first. Intimidating flying of any sort is not permitted.
5. No more than 6 aircraft shall be airborne at any one time.
6. All flying is to be done in the designated areas only.
7. All fliers must observe the established flight line and stand in the designated area whilst flying. Any spectators must remain in the pits area whilst flying is in progress.
8. Any person wishing to enter or cross the runway area must seek clearance from any pilots flying at the time before doing so.
9. All vehicles must be parked in the designated area only.
11. All transmitters are to be checked on at least an annual basis. Any transmitter found to be crossing over onto other channels is not to be used until the fault has been rectified.
12. Before switching on, the pilot must ensure that he is operating on the frequency he believes he is on and must display the appropriate frequency pennant on his transmitter.
13. Frequency numbers must be called out before the transmitter in question is switched on.
14. All transmitter aerials must remain retracted unless the model is being flown. The flight is defined from the point of release to when the engine is stopped or the model is restrained.
15.
16. Should an aircraft go out of control, the first priority must be the safety of persons with the second being avoidance of damage to property. A warning is to be shouted by the pilot, which is to be taken up by other members.
17. In the event of an unexplained loss of control of a model, all transmitters are to be impounded and checked to ensure they are operating on their declared frequency.
18. Before starting an engine the model must be suitably restrained either by a tether or by an assistant.
19. In the interest of safety, assistance should be sought when running up engines and taking models to the runway for take-off. All helpers must have BMFA membership.
20. Appropriate use should be made of all available pits area, and under no circumstances should engines be set up in the immediate vicinity of the pilots who are flying at that time. Where practical, models should face outward from the pit area.
21. Under no circumstances must an engine be run unless all persons are behind the line of the propeller with the exception of the person starting the engine. When carrying out power checks all persons including the pilot are to be behind the line of the propeller.
22. Models having their engines run in on the ground must not be left unattended whilst the engine is running.
23. All new or repaired models should be checked out by an instructor or their appointed deputy before being allowed to fly. All models are subject to random safety spot checks, which will be carried out by an instructor. If in his opinion a model is unsafe to fly or does not conform to Club rules, it will be grounded until rectified.
24. Members must ensure that they comply with the D of E Noise Code for the Minimisation of Noise from Model Aircraft. "Add on" silencers and "quiet" propellers should be fitted unless the model emits below 82 decibels at 7 metres without them. Notwithstanding if in the opinion of the Committee a model is excessively noisy in the air, then it is to be grounded until rectified.
25. All operational failsafes in use on powered models operated from our Club site must set the throttle to tick-over, not hold, (stopped in the case of electric power) regardless of the other control operations governed by the failsafe. Particular care must be taken when operating on Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) or when swapping from normal modulation (PPM) to PCM to ensure that the Failsafe is correctly programmed. Failsafes are to be checked prior to flight by switching the transmitter off whilst the model is restrained.
26. No person shall attempt to retrieve a model from any distant land adjacent to the flying area without prior consultation with the appointed safety officers (committee member) for the day (if at the site), to ensure that the situation is properly assessed and minimal disruption caused. If it is considered by the safety officers that the landowner's permission should be sought before retrieving the model, it will be the owner of the model and one of the safety officers who must approach them for permission.
27. Mobile telephones should not be kept in close proximity to computerised transmitters and must not be taken onto the flight line.
28. No smoking is permitted in the vicinity of inflammable fuels and materials.
29. Children must be closely supervised at all times and must not be allowed to run around the pit area or runways.
30. No dogs are allowed at the flying field without prior agreement.
31. Any accident involving a third party or another member must be reported to the clubs as soon as possible, who will then inform the Executive Committee.
Note: The above is not definitive and in the majority of clubs additional rules will be required to ensure that other requirements, hazards and risks are managed.
Section Two - Committee, Voting & Committee & Constitution
COMMITTEE
22. The Committee of the Club shall comprise of not more than 5 members, including the Executive Committee. A quorum of any Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of Committee Members.
23. SCMFC is a private club and may consist of a different structure to other clubs. This is for the long term security of the club and due to the fact that the Chairman is also the land owner. 25 years of SCMFC Model Flying shows that this principle works.
24. The Executive Committee shall consist of three officers. These shall be Chairman, Secretary and Membership Secretary. The Executive committee shall remain in their positions for the duration of the club and cannot be voted out in Annual General Meetings. The Executive Committee positions of Chairman, Secretary and Membership Administrator can only change with the agreement of the remaining two Executive Committee members. New Executive positions must be agreed by all committee members.
25. Any Committee member or member who is involved in any organisational position within the Club, must hold membership with the British Model Flying Association.
26. Non-Executive committee members will need to have been a member of 'the club' for a minimum of three years, except in exceptional circumstances, as agreed by the Executive committee.
27. Non Executive committee members will remain in post for a minimum of five years for the stability of the club (unless they choose to stand down).
28. Should a committee position become vacant, the Committee may co-opt a replacement who will then serve until the following Annual General Meeting. This will be by a majority vote from the Committee Members.
29. The Committee reserves the right to carry out negotiations and make decisions in the interest of the club or on behalf of the membership where necessary.
30. Website running costs will be discussed for consideration by the Committee.
31. The Secretary must be informed of any negotiations proposed by club members which affect the Club as a whole and copies of any written correspondence must be submitted to him for record purposes.
32. The Secretary/ membership Secretary will receive an annual honorarium to cover out of pocket expenses not covered under the normal conditions of withdrawal from club funds, if needed.
33. No member of the Committee or Officer of the club may be a member of another model flying club within thirty miles.
34. Any Committee Member or Officer wishing to resign should do so in writing.
35. Any member of the Committee who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without reasonable cause may forfeit his seat on the Committee.
36. The Committee Treasurer may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the club.
VOTING AND CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
38. All meetings will be minuted. Any other business will only be accepted at general meetings if the Secretary is given at least 14 days notice in writing of the item to be discussed.
39. Committee Meetings may be arranged typically twice per year.
40. This would typically be at a pub or restaurant where a private discussion can take place.
41. Remunerations for food and beverages may be taken in compensation for mileage costs to attend meetings from club funds.
42. Voting in connection with the running of the club will normally be by a show of hands by members.
43. All proposals must be seconded and voted upon. A majority vote is required to carry any proposal.
44. Amendments to proposals must be voted upon first.
45. Non-committee members would not typically attend committee
46. The Committee, through the Chairman has the power to ask a person to leave any meeting in the event of that person disrupting the meeting.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
47. A convenient date for the Annual General Meeting will be decided each year by the Committee. At least 14 days notice of the meeting will be given in writing to all Club members. More than one date may be suggested.
48. Non - executive committee members will serve for a minimum of five years for the stability of the club. Unless the five year period is up, no voting of new committee members will take place at the AGM.
Note: The way the club is run is by decision of the Executive and Non Executive committee, based on the condition that the club is a private club run of private land.
49. Subscriptions are due by 1st June each year. Any member who has not paid the subscriptions for the ensuing year by this date, in whole or in part, will not be allowed to fly until they have done so. BMFA membership must be in place before flying.
EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS
50. The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary Committee Meeting within 14 days on request from any member of the Executive Committee, stating the business to be discussed.
51. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club by a resolution of the Committee stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members in writing stating the business to be discussed.
52. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club on receipt of a request in writing signed by not less than 5 members of the club, stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members in writing stating the business to be discussed.
CONSTITUTION GENERAL
1. The club shall be called the STUMPS CROSS MODEL FLYING CLUB and will be affiliated to the British Model Flying Association. This may be abbreviated to SCMFC. SCMFC is a private club and membership is restricted to 45 members. A waiting list will apply if necessary.
2. The clubs principal aim shall be the promotion of safe and responsible model aircraft flying in a friendly environment.
3. All members, without exception, must obey all club rules. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the Club, which may lead to dismissal in serious circumstances.
4. All members must be members of the British Model Flying Association and must be able to provide evidence of such on request.
5. Being a member of SCMFC is not a right but a privilege. Members will be re-invited to join the club on a yearly basis.
6. Members may invite guest fliers to the site on arrangement with the club secretary (at least one day in advance) but they must be BMFA insured and the club member must assume total responsibility for the actions and safety of the guest. Guests must fly under the supervision of instructors if their ability requires it, and such arrangements must be made in advance of the visit.
7. A fee of £5.00 will typically be charged.
8. A "member" means any class of membership.
9. The Committee has the right to refuse membership to new applicants.
10. New members will be required to serve an initial probationary period of 6 months. During this time they will not be eligible to serve on the Committee and may have their membership terminated at the discretion of the Committee for unsatisfactory conduct.
11. New members' subscriptions shall be subject to status, plus the joining fee as decided at the Annual General Meeting.
12. Persons letting their membership lapse, will be required to re-apply for membership and pay the re-joining fee on their return to the club.
13. All field safety rules and regulations will be reviewed annually, and will be considered binding for 12 months, excepting where urgent action is required. This action must then be ratified by the Committee at the next club meeting or at a general meeting. The field safety rules are considered as a supplementary code to those laid out by the British Model Flying Association's Members' Handbook, compliance with which is mandatory within SCMFC.
14. Any complaint concerning any member must be made in writing and signed by the complainant(s). The written complaint must then be forwarded to the Secretary so that the matter can be addressed at the next Committee meeting.
15. The Committee may impose a flying suspension not exceeding 30 days upon any member in the event of misconduct. Any suspension must be accompanied by a verbal and/or written warning as deemed appropriate in accordance with Article 16.
16. The Committee may consider removal from the role of members any member whose conduct on the field or elsewhere is considered to be prejudicial to the club. Dismissal will be in accordance with the following procedure in order to comply with the laws of natural justice:
a. The member is to be given a verbal warning by an authorised Committee Member in which the member is made aware of his misdemeanor and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.
b. If the member does not respond, he is to be given a written warning by an authorised Committee Member to advise him of his misdemeanor and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.
c. If he still fails to respond, the Committee should invite him in writing to meet with them at a previously agreed date and time to discuss the situation, advising they are considering withdrawal of his membership.
d. If he still fails to respond to reasoning or fails to attend without reasonable cause, the Committee can advise him in writing that his membership is withdrawn, stating the reasons why this decision was reached.
e. When the member is advised of withdrawal of his membership, he must be given the right of appeal. If he opts to appeal, this will be to the Club membership at an EGM, which the Committee would call on his behalf at a previously agreed date and time. The motion to uphold the membership withdrawal or reverse it must be in accordance with the voting procedures set out in the Club Constitution.
In the event of gross misconduct, immediate dismissal without warnings may be considered (without financial remuneration of fees part or full) but the member must still be accorded his rights to present his case to the Committee and be given a right of appeal in accordance with sub-paragraphs c, d and e above.
17. Any alteration to this Constitution can only be made at a General Meeting called for the purpose. Any proposed alterations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
GUIDE ON CARING FOR JUNIOR MEMBERS
Note: The club committee has made the decision that due to the requirements of The Children Act (1989) all members under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardians. That parent must also apply for club membership (no BMFA required), to entitle them to be a valid visitor at the club flying site. Therefore an under 18 member will always be accompanied by an adult club member.
Responsibility for junior members is shared between the parents/guardians and the club members and should be well publicised to ensure that all are aware of the division of responsibilities. The ideal medium is club rules but for these to be effective it is imperative that a copy of the rules is given to parents/guardians in addition to members and their attention is drawn to them.
Typically club rules concerning juniors could be:
1. A Junior Member is defined as being under 18 years of age.
2. A responsible adult is defined as a parent/guardian club member who has the experience commensurate with the type and degree of supervision required.
3. Junior members must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult member. The level of supervision is to be commensurate with the junior member's age, maturity, capabilities and levels of experience.
4. Junior members under the age of 14 years shall not start an engine or carry a model with the engine running unless they are supervised by a responsible adult member.
5. No junior member under the age of 14 years shall fly a model aircraft unless supervised by a responsible adult or the junior member holds the minimum of a BMFA Achievement Scheme "A" certificate and has been authorised to do so by the Club Committee.
6. No senior member is to be expected to assume responsibility for a junior member unless he/she has been specifically requested to do so by the junior member's parent/guardian when at the site. If required to do so, he/she is to assume responsibility for the junior member whilst he/she is in their charge.
7. Notwithstanding the requirements of Paragraph 6, should a member discover a junior member is unsupervised he/she must assume responsibility for the junior member's safety in the first instance. The situation should then be rectified as soon as possible by seeking out the junior member's parent/guardian/nominated supervisor. Any instance of such an occurrence is to be reported to the Committee as soon as possible.
8. Whilst supervising junior members, senior members should be aware of the requirements of The Children Act (1989) and avoid placing themselves in a position that could be open to misinterpretation or question. A leaflet giving advice is available from the BMFA Leicester Office or from the Club Secretary.
In addition this Club has specific rules relating to junior members and you are required to study them carefully.
This membership form must be countersigned by the parent/guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age, thereby signifying you accept the conditions of junior membership."
Finally, caring for junior members is largely a matter of common sense provided everyone is clear on what is expected of them and a few simple principles are adhered to. It is not a responsibility to be feared but is nevertheless essential if we are to ensure we continue to attract youth into model flying.
DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
54. Should it be considered necessary or desirable to dissolve the Club, the Committee will call an Extraordinary General Meeting. Should a quorum fail to appear, the meeting will be adjourned and a further EGM must be called. The second meeting will proceed even if a quorum is not present and the motion will then be carried by a simple majority vote.
55. Should the club close, then any money held in the club Bank Account may be used for final accounting purposes. An audit of accounts may be taken by a licensed accountancy firm to finalise the accounts. Any remaining funds may be used to start a new club.
Club Privacy Notice
At the Stumps Cross Model Flying Club hereafter referred to as “the club”, we’re committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.
We have not appointed a Data Protection Officer to oversee our compliance with data protection laws as we not required to do so, but our committee members have overall responsibility for data protection compliance in our club. Contact details are set out in the "Contacting us" section at the end of this privacy notice.
This Notice explains when and why we collect personal information about people who join the club by whatever means, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and your rights in relation to your personal data.
We may change this notice from time to time. By becoming a member of the club, you’re agreeing to be bound by this notice.
How do we collect information about you?
We obtain information about you when you apply to become a member of the club (or renew your membership) either online, with the British Model Flying Association (BMFA), via telephone, or in person.
What type of information is collected about you?
The personal information we collect might include your name, address, email address, telephone number, & gender. The legal bases for the processing of your personal data is to enable the club to fulfill our contractual obligations and provide membership services.
How is your information used?
We may use your information to:
• process your membership
• to carry out our obligations arising from your membership, including following club rules
• seek your views or comments on matters relating to the club and model aircraft flying
• notify you of changes to our services
• send you communications which you may or may not have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about club events and contests and other club related matters, also information from the BMFA that may be of interest.
Basic data like name and email address may be shared with a third party to enable the continued facility of the club forum. This shared data will only be used for this purpose and will be kept secure.
How long do we retain your information?
We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as is necessary to carry out our obligations in relation to your membership, or as long as is set out in any relevant agreement between us. Where an individual persons club membership lapses your information will be securely kept for a maximum period of 5 years, after which your information will be deleted.
Who has access to your information?
We will not sell or rent your information to third parties.
We will not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.
All members of the club must also be members of the BMFA, by joining the club you give consent for your personal data to be shared with the BMFA to enable provision of BMFA membership services. Please see the BMFA privacy policy at
www.bmfa.org/Privacy-Policy
Please be reassured that we will not release your information to third parties beyond the club unless we are required to do so by law, for example, by a court order or for the purposes of prevention of fraud or other crime.
How you can access and update your information?
What are your rights?
(i) the right to access;
You have the right to confirmation as to whether or not we process your personal data and, where we do, access to the personal data, together with certain additional information. That additional information includes details of the purposes of the processing, the categories of personal data concerned and the recipients of the personal data. Providing the rights and freedoms of others are not affected, we will supply to you a copy of your personal data. The first copy will be provided free of charge, but additional copies may be subject to a reasonable fee. You can access your personal data by visiting your members dashboard when logged into the BMFA website.
(j) the right to rectification;
You have the right to have any inaccurate personal data about you rectified and, taking into account the purposes of the processing, to have any incomplete personal data about you completed.
(k) the right to erasure;
In some circumstances you have the right to the erasure of your personal data without undue delay. Those circumstances include: the personal data being no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which the data was collected or otherwise processed, you are no longer a club member and wish the data not to be held for our standard 5 year period.
Please note a request for data erasure for a current member would require that member to forfeit membership. The data is required for the club to fulfill its obligations.
(l) the right to restrict processing;
In some circumstances you have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data. Those circumstances are: you contest the accuracy of the personal data; processing is unlawful but you oppose erasure; we no longer need the personal data for the purposes of our processing, but you require personal data for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; and you have objected to processing, pending the verification of that objection. Where processing has been restricted on this basis, we may continue to store your personal data. However, we will only otherwise process it: with your consent; for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person; or for reasons of important public interest.
(m) the right to object to processing;
You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data for direct electronic communications purposes. If you make such an objection, we will cease to process your personal data for this purpose.
(n) the right to data portability;
To the extent that the legal basis for our processing of your personal data is that the processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party and such processing is carried out by automated means, you have the right to receive your personal data from us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. However, this right does not apply where it would adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.