News Page

Watch this page for the latest BFMC news and information.

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

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 Churchil, 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