News Page

Watch this page for the latest BFMC news and information.

28/03/21 - Club Re-opening on Monday 29/3/21

The club will re-open for flying from Monday the 29th March 2021. It is essential that we have robust precautions in place so that we can ensure a safe environment for members wishing to visit our club, with that in mind please see the attachments to the Secretarys email of 28/3/21: 'Bardney Flyers Covid rules', which was sent to all Club members, and please follow the instructions.

08/02/21 - Use of Failsafe on r/c systems

Once we get back to flying, it is worth remembering that it is mandatory to set the failsafe if one is fitted to your radio system. This applies to all 2.4Ghz radios (and if you are using one, 35Mhz systems using a PCM Rx). The minimum setting required is that the control surfaces hold their last position and the throttle is closed to at least idle. Those members preparing to take the ‘A’ achievement test will be asked to demonstrate the operation of the failsafe as part of their pre-flight checks. Further to that the failsafe should be checked on a regular basis and certainly following any program changes to models. To demonstrate the operation of the failsafe the model must be restrained, the motor/engine RPM set above idle (but not necessarily full throttle) then the TX is turned off, at which point the motor/engine should go to idle. The CFI may ask you to demonstrate your failsafe system operation.

05/01/21 - Coronavirus: latest

Message from the Secretary & Committee:

"Hello fellow flyers, Following the announcement by the prime minister yesterday of a new country wide lock-down and the fact that the east midlands area is currently in tier four, the chairman has made the difficult decision, with the full backing of the committee, to close the club completely until further notice. This means you must not visit the field or tower at any time. Thank you all for your patience and understanding of why such measures are necessary, hopefully with the vaccination process now underway we are looking at a return to a normal flying season this summer. Kind regards"

Adrian DV Cook. Bardney Flyers Secretary

3/11/20 - Coronavirus: latest

Message from the Secretary & Committee:"Hello fellow flyers, It is with regret that we have to inform you that following a Zoom meeting of the committee today (Tuesday 3rd November, 202) and with the BMFA's guidance published yesterday in mind, it has been decided that there is no alternative but to announce that the club will be closed to all members for flying and access to the tower from 21:00 hrs on 4th November 2020. At the present time the length of closure is unknown but is likely to be for the full month of the national lock-down period. If you have any items stored at the tower that you wish to retrieve, please do so by 21,00, as the access code will be changed to prevent un-authorised access. The committee are of course monitoring the government and BMFA websites regularly for guidance and if the situation should change we will inform you as soon as possible. Please pass this information on to any persons you are aware of who don't have email access. We apologise for the short notice and thank all members for their patience

14/9/20 - Coronavirus: latest News

The Chairman and Committee have made some important changes to ensure that we can continue our hobby safely, following the recent change in the governments Covid-19 advice (active from 14th September 2020) - that is, the move to restrict people to meet in groups of six or less (whether indoors or out) and with reference to the BMFAs latest advice 1. A new risk assessment is currently being produced on behalf of the Committee by a current member who is an experienced health professional, as soon as this is available it will be published and displayed at the tower. 2. The Chairman has registered the club ready for the track and trace app due to start on the 24th Sept. and a sign has been erected that you can scan with your phone and there is a T. & T. (track and trace) book in the tower. All persons, when visiting the site, must record their details, and those of any other persons with them, in the T. & T. book - this includes name and contact number as a minimum. Please Note: If you do not wish to provide this information, you will be asked to leave as the Club Committee will not be held responsible for your breaking of the law. 3. Only one person will be allowed inside the tower at any one time unless all persons present are wearing face coverings and then to a maximum of six persons. A pack of new masks has been placed near to the T. & T. book with additional sanitiser. I hope that all members appreciate the Committee are actively trying to preserve our flying and most importantly helping to prevent the spread of Covid - 19 to keep ourselves and our friends and families safe. Kind regards, The Chairman & Committee

28/08/20 - Road Closure Notice & Map

The council will be carrying out road works affecting access to the flying field, starting around (sic) 16th Sptember. Roads will be closed whilst the works take place. Please see a link to the council closure notice Here and a map they have supplied of the diversion route Here.

19/07/20 - Commemorative Bench Presentation

Gloria Churchill presented the club with a new bench complete with plaque, in memory of her late husband Steve Churchill, a member of Bardney Flyers, who spent many an hour down the field as an active flyer and also a committee member.

14/07/20 - Letter from the New Club Chairman

"Thanks to Adrian, the club Secretary, for my introduction. To address all the members of Bardney Flyers as your new chairman, just made me pause for a moment. I guess I have met most of you, who know me just as Cliff . My background of civil engineering and plant hire gave me experience with many machine operators, and mechanical engineers - just like flyers really ! Getting back into flying has taken me quite some time, it has given me many hours of pleasure, both building, and then flying at our club. I came here as a comparative stranger and have been made most welcome. I have made many new friends . We are blessed with one of the best facilities any club could wish for, the club tower and field are the envy of so many of the guest flyers that have attended events over the years. New outside seating for the summer season, on freshly laid bases, add to the atmosphere. The last few months have been very difficult for all the committee members as no one has trod the path of this pandemic before; decisions had to be made, and like everything in life, looking with hindsight is so easy! Safety has been of the highest priority, and the systems that have been adopted worked well over this weekend. I would like to mention Alan Hall, the outgoing Chairman, and to thank him for all his hard work with the club. The last time we were together Alan and Derek were brick laying and door fitting. The work of volunteers in our club is critical, so a big thank you for all Alan's help in the past as chairman . I see the future in a very positive light. As a club, events will be curtailed this year, but we can still enjoy the atmosphere of flying, laughing ,and enjoying this great hobby of ours. I look forward to catching up with all the members on the field . Let's have some fun, and fly. Kindest regards to all of you. Cliff"

13/07/20 - New Club Chairman appointed

Message from the Club Secretary:"Hello fellow flyers. Following the recent resignation of our previous club chairman Mr Alan Hall, I have been charged with helping the committee to find a replacement and have great pleasure in announcing that we have appointed, a new club chairman - Mr Clifford Spence. Many of you will already know Cliff who has been a very regular and enthusiastic member of our club for many years". More info to follow shortly.

24/06/20 - Club policy on Turbine / Jet models

A virtual committee meeting was held on the evening of 22nd June 2020 primarily to discuss two points; The flying of turbine powered aircraft and Covid-19. On the first point, the temporary suspension of the flying of turbine aircraft (announced on 13/6/20) has been lifted, however a more formal arrangement is to be adopted - 1. Bardney Flyers will not offer any form of training for Turbine aircraft. 2. Any member wishing to fly a turbine powered aircraft must hold a current Turbine C certificate which can be achieved at the National BMFA Centre at Buckminster (N.B. all BMFA members are entitled to fly there). A fixed wing A and B certificate is a BMFA requirement prior to taking the turbine C certificate. 3. All turbine models and models weighing over 7kg must be presented to the CFI (Chief Flying Instructor) for airworthiness appraisal . A short form and guidelines are currently being prepared by members of the committee selected for their relevant experience. Rules will be based on the North Berkshire Model Aircraft Society's existing guidelines and amended to suit Bardney flying site. On the second point about Covid -19, the committee have spent many hours recently in virtual meetings trying to produce a set of temporary club rules so that members could safely return to flying. Unfortunately these temporary rules have not been adhered to by some members, especially with regard to social distancing at the charging points and hygiene at the hot drinks area. Therefore we have felt that the best course of action is to ask members to bring a cup/mug with them and to take it away when finished, this hopefully will stop the piles of un-washed cups and mugs that have been an issue recently. Due to the recent relaxing of the social distancing requirement by the government, to one meter, the committee felt it unnecessary to remove the out-doors charging facilities. Please note that committee members and the facilities team carry out their roles on your behalf; they are un-paid and do so solely because they love our sport. Stay safe and well - happy flying. Kind regards, BFMC Secretary on behalf of the Chairman & committee.

24/06/20 - Club Chairman Position

Message from the Secretary:"it is with great sadness that I have to announce the retirement of our current chairman Alan Hall. In a communication to the committee he has announced his retirement as chairman with immediate effect. I would personally like to thank Alan for his two and a half years of service, through these very challenging times and I hope he will remain on the committee. We do now obviously have to find a replacement, so please make yourself known - if you wish to stand, or if you have any recommendations, please forward them to a committee member".

15/06/20 - Flying Strip Maintenance

On 16th June there will be a roller operating on the flying strip to level out the bumps. We apologise for the short notice but as it is being done for free we have to respect the offer and take it when available. We ask that members who wish to fly are patient and refrain from flying as the maintenance will be done as soon as possible and flying will be able to resume.

13/06/20 - Changes to Club policy on Turbine / Jet models

In the light of recent events involving gas turbine powered models at the club, all gas turbine model flying is suspended with immediate effect and until further notice.

29/05/20 - Coronavirus: latest News

Please read the latest statement below from the Chairman & Committee of Bardney Flyers. Further information will be posted on this website in the event of any change to national lockdown status which affects Bardney Flyers. Please also see the 'Events' page for the latest info on our planned events for 2020."Dear Member,The committee are pleased to say that following the latest Government advice regarding the Covid 19 pandemic, things have improved and we can now move to the next phase in order that we can enjoy our sport and hobby. The following are the latest temporary rules that we intend to implement from 10:00 hrs on Monday 1 June. All previous temporary rules are now withdrawn. 1. Please maintain social distancing of two metres apart at all times. 2. The club will be open as before for members to use but to comply with rule 1 only one person is permitted in the club building at any given time. The access code has been returned to the original code for access. 3. A "no touch" hand sanitiser station has been installed at the entrance to the club. Please use this on entry and exit to and from the building and follow the printed guide on the Board surrounding the dispenser. This will help reduce the possibility of contamination. 4. Some internal doors have been removed for the time being to reduce the need for physical contact with any surfaces. 5. If any member requires any additional PPE then please bring your own such as personal hand sanitiser, face mask etc. 6. Toilet and hand washing facilities in the tower will now be available once again. 7. If any member thinks they may have the virus or experience the symptoms for the virus they should not attend the field or if already there they should leave immediately and go home. Follow the government guidelines for isolating. 8. The committee reserves the right to review and extend or relax these guidelines dependant on the situation at any given time. The club will be open for flying as per the revised temporary rules with effect from 10am on Monday 1 June 2020. On behalf of the Chairman & Committee; stay safe and stay well and whatever you do, remember the TWO METRE RULE! We look forward to seeing you at the flying site in the future."

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