Pilot Info

SAFETY INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE

Please read and respect the following safety and other information provided on this page. Failure to comply with the agreed safety requirements could mean the permanent loss of the airfield to aero modellers.

The following information forms part of the ModelAir agreement with Shuttleworth Management, under which ModelAir organises model flying events at Old Warden.

ModelAir Marshall’s are volunteers who help ensure ModelAir meets the agreed safety measures. Please respect requests by any of the ModelAir Marshall’s to take a specific action.

ALL model aircraft pilots at the ModelAir events, in any discipline, MUST carry proof of current BMFA insurance whilst flying – and please show it to a ModelAir Marshall, if asked.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO BMFA/CAA GUIDELINES, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING A ‘NO PROOF – NO FLY’ POLICY AT ALL MODELAIR EVENTS.

RC Pilots PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL YOUR MODELS MEET CURRENT CAA REGULATIONS.

For other disciplines (CL excluded) ModelAir Marshalls may ask to check your model at any time during the day.

MODEL FLYING TIMES FOR ALL DISCIPLINES

In May and July, Model Flying commences at 10.01 and ends at 17.45 to allow time for the airfield to be clear by 18.00.
In September, flying commences at 10.01, ending at 16.45 to allow time to clear the airfield by 17.00.
Please be aware that it is illegal for individuals to remain on the airfield after the deadlines.
Between 10.00 – 18.00 (17.00 in September) the airfield will be closed to full size activity unless previously arranged.

Click HERE for RC Briefing

WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS: RC: 15kg

RADIO CONTROL : All pilots wishing to fly on the RC line must book in at Transmitter Control and show proof of insurance and ‘A’ Certificate (vintage models) or ‘B’ certificate (all other model types). An aircraft safety check will be carried out on all RC models and models may be checked for CAA labels.

WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS:

RC Assist: 500g
CL: 5kg
FF: 500g

FREE FLIGHT: pilots are expected to observe safety considerations regarding personal safety, other pilots and spectators, and weight : power ratio, ie 500g max : 0.8cc max.

FREE FLIGHT RTM (radio trimmed model) is permitted only in the Free Flight area, using 2.4GHz radio only and single or 2-channel control.

  • Pilots using RTM must comply with the RC rules, i.e. they must book in their transmitters at RC Tx Control (adjacent to the RC area) BEFORE flying RTM in the free-flight area.
  • Free Flight RTM MUST be flown in the spirit in which authorisation has been provisionally given, i.e. the radio is operated ONLY to keep the model in the field. That is to say, the majority of the flight time is WITHOUT radio assistance, radio only being used to change the model’s direction from one that would see it leaving the confines of the airfield.
  • RTM MUST NOT BE FLOWN UNDER FULL CONTROL EITHER BY USING TX STICKS OR TRIM LEVERS, BUT ONLY TO PREVENT MODELS LEAVING THE FIELD – NO EXCEPTIONS!
  • ModelAir Marshalls will make regular checks in the FF area, to ensure that the spirit of FF RTM is being followed. Abuse of this authorisation will result in FF RTM being banned from the FF area.

 

Weight Restriction: 5kg

  1. All pilots must be BMFA insured; proof required before flying.
  2. Entry to CL flying areas is not allowed before 10.00am
  3. All circles to be marked on a joint basis with adequate safety zones.
  4. Circle centres to be marked to prevent wandering (a circle of flexible drain rods is good for this purpose).
  5. All pilots to use wrist straps.
  6. All lines and wrist straps to be pull tested to BMFA requirements immediately prior to each flight. Luggage sales are satisfactory but suitable attachments need to be added for attachment to the handle and strap to give an even pull.
  7. Where no pull test requirements as specified for that class, a figure to be used will be agreed between the organisers and relevant CD’s
  8. A maximum line length of 60 ft for all classes will apply.
  9. No engine testing or running is to be conducted adjacent to spectator fences or in the car park. Any engine running that needs to be carried out can be done adjacent to the tape running from the control tower to the fence.

SPECIFIC CONTROL LINE CLASS REQUIREMENTS

  1. The rules governing C/L Carrier, Aerobatis, Scale and Combat remain unchanged.
  2. Weatherman speed will have an engine capacity limit of 1.5cc. Modern racing engines with schnürle porting to be fitted with an effective silencer.
  3. The rules for Profile Weatherman, Phantom Speed, Champ Testing (ED Bee power), Beebug, Trojan, Phantom Pursuit and Rascal, remain unchanged.

ALL PILOTS are requested to ensure that their models display a name and contact details label.

PLEASE MAKE SURE THIS INFORMATION IS CLEARLY VISIBLE ON YOUR MODEL. If you don’t have a label, please ask the ModelAir Marshall’s, who will be able to provide one.

FREE FLIGHT LOST MODELS

  • Please note that if a free flight model lands in one of the Farm fields adjacent to the airfield, you should inform Transmitter Control.
  • Do not try to retrieve your model if it lands on Farm property. The ModelAir Team will attempt to retrieve models from the fields at the end of the flying day. If you lose a model elsewhere on the site, please inform the Duty Manager and/or ModelAir HQ.
  • This procedure forms part of the agreement under which ModelAir runs flying events at Old Warden Airfield.
  • Please be advised that ignoring this procedure may lead to losing the airfield for free flight flying.
  • We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
  • Lost models found after the event will be placed in the Control Tower.

The ModelAir Team looks forward to welcoming you to this unique airfield at Old Warden, for another model flying season in 2023.