Newsletters
February 2024 Newsletter
New Member
Andy Kent has joined our merry throng of BMFC members..
He is a great flyer and returning to flying after a break. Bit of a builder too! Keep an eye open for him and be sure to give him the usual BMFC welcome.
Welcome to the mad house Andy!
Dave Formosa
Unfortunately one of our newest members, Dave Formosa passed away very recently. Although Dave was quite new to our club, he had been flying turbine jets for quite a few years.
His family have been in touch and the funeral will probably be later this month. We will pass on any details as we get them. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
All Day Fly Dates
We have pencilled in this years All Day Fly Dates, so put them in your diary..
Saturday May 25th 2024
Saturday July 27th 2024
Saturday Sept 21st 2024
A “Go” or “No Go” will be called on the Friday before the all day fly and as usual we will postpone by a week if the weather turns out to be rubbish on the day.
Trophy Winners
For those who could not attend the New Year Meal The winners of the club trophies this year were…
The Ray Harris Memorial Trophy for building excellence went to Mark (Rudy) Ford.
Very well done Rudy and some terrific and very clean builds.
The Kevin Walker Trophy for outstanding contribution to the club went to Richard (JP) Wood.
Very well deserved Richard and thank you for all your hard work you do for the club.
The Chairmans Trophy went to Hugh Revill for all his tenacious battles against the banks and looking after our money in the best possible way.
Many thanks for everything you do Hugh and for helping to keep our fees down to a minimum.
Curry Night
The first of this seasons curry nights is planned for 7:00 Wed 28th February at the Shimla Peppers in Bromsgrove.
Please let Richard know if you are attending so that we can inform Shimla Peppers of likely numbers. Please be sure to differentiate between attending the curry night and wanting a cheese or ham cob at the next monthly meeting – (Richard 07917 232673)
Shimla Peppers is in Bromsgrove centre. Parking is on Morrisons car park and is free after 7:00pm.
You then walk through the ally way at the back left of the car park, and follow the buildings to the left and left at the end of the block.
The food is very good, order what you like and we split the bill. Cost is usually about £16 per head with a tip left. You will not leave hungry!
PS Bring your own favourite tipple as they only serve soft drinks.
Club Night
For the March Club Night (Wed March 6th), Stuart Worrall has put together a quiz , and there will be prizes.
To add even more sparkle to the night, there will be food laid on !
There is a choice of HAM or CHEESE cob and chips.
If you are going to attend and have not yet done so… can you please text Richard with your Name and your preference of Cheese or Ham please. (Richard 07917 232673)
Parking at the Patch
With all the rain that we have had, please continue to use the slabs on the left to park on.
There are green electric fence poles marking the centre of each parking space, to ensure you get the right pair of slabs.
Be sure to get your wheels on the slabs as the ground in between is very soft and you may not be able to get back off…. Especially if your last to leave or on your own.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub Wednesday the 6th March ….. Happy and Safe flying
Alan Brown & The Committee
January 2024 Newsletter
No Newsletter
December 2023 Newsletter
Curry Night
The first of this seasons curry nights at the Shimla Peppers in Bromsgrove went very well and 24 of us attended. One of the largest gatherings to date.
AGM – Wednesday 6th December
We will be holding the AGM at The Bowling Green this Wednesday 6th December. We are looking to supply a ham or cheese roll and chips on the night for those who can make it.
If you are going to attend and have not yet done so… can you please text Richard with your Name and your preference of Cheese or Ham please. (Richard **********)
There will be the reports and election of new committee members etc.
If you have any points you would like to discuss at the meeting. Please let Ricardo or any member of the committee know and we will add them to the agenda.
As always if you would like to stand for any of the positions on the committee, please let a member of the current committee know.
New Year Meal
We are holding a New Year meal at the Swan at Upton Warren. This is the same venue as last year, where we were in the upstairs gallery.
It’s a subsidised carvery at £5 for members and £10 for non-members.
Don’t forget to add your £5 to your club fees if you are going to attend.
Details will be in the next newsletter too but the date will be Wednesday 10th January. (2nd Wednesday in January)
Trophies
Could the winners of the trophies please remember to bring them back at the new year meal if they are going, or please return them to a committee member before the night if they are not going.
Next Years Fees
2024 Fees…
The BMFA have announced their 2024 fees as follows….
Senior Membership = £47
Junior Membership = £20
Family Partner = £30
Family Junior = £15
The CAA fees remain at £10.33 (Members Individual responsibility – Up until 31st March 2024)
Bromsgrove Model Flying Club Fees.. (Remain the same as last year)
New Members £70 + one off £25 joining fee (Total £95)
Existing Members (BEFORE 31.12.2022) £70 (After 31st Dec – £80 )
Example for most of us… Existing Snr member rejoining Bromsgrove Club and BMFA before 31.12.2023 = £117.00 (eg £47 for BMFA plus £70 for Club Fees = £117)
Please pay fees by bank transfer, if at all possible. Payable BEFORE Dec 31st
If you could also e-mail Hugh to let him know you have paid, at **********
Don’t forget to add £5 for your meal if you want to attend in January at The Swan.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub this Wednesday the 6th December ….. Happy and Safe flying
Alan Brown & The Committee
November 2023 Newsletter
New Members
Karl Jackson and David Formosa have joined our merry throng of BMFC members..
Keep an eye open for them and be sure to welcome them aboard when you see them.
Welcome to the mad house guys!
Curry Night
The first of this seasons curry nights is planned for 7:00 Wed 15th November at the Shimla Peppers in Bromsgrove.
Please let Richard know if you are attending so that we can inform Shimla Peppers of likely numbers.
Shimla Peppers is in Bromsgrove centre. Parking is on Morrisons car park and is free after 7:00pm.
You then walk through the ally way at the back left of the car park, and follow the buildings to the left and left at the end of the block.
The food is very good, order what you like and we split the bill. Cost is (was) about £16 per head with a tip left. You will not leave hungry!
PS Bring your own favourite tipple as they only serve soft drinks.
Winter Flying Times
Now the clocks have gone back.. these are the Winter Flying Times.
IC Flying times:- Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm
Sat and Sun 10am to 2pm
Bank Hols 10am to 2pm
Electric Times:- 10am to Dusk
AGM – Wednesday 6th December
We will be holding the AGM at The Bowling Green on Wednesday 6th December. We are looking to supply a ham or cheese roll and chips on the night for those who can make it.
If you are going to attend can you could please text Richard with your Name and your preference of Cheese or Ham please. (Richard ***********)
There will be the reports and election of new committee members etc.
If you have any points you would like to discuss at the meeting. Please let Ricardo or any member of the committee know and we will add them to the agenda.
As always if you would like to stand for any of the positions on the committee, please let a member of the current committee know.
New Year Meal
We usually look at holding a New Year meal at The Swan at Upton Warren. (Same place as last year when we were in the upstairs gallery)
Details will be in the next newsletter but the date will be Wednesday 10th January 7:00 for 7:30. (2nd Wednesday in January)
Could the winners of the trophies please remember to bring them back at the new year meal if they are going, or please return them to a committee member before the night if they are not going.
This weeks Club Night
There will be some odds and ends from Pete James’ estate being sold at this months club night. So don’t forget your wallet along.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub for a pint and a chat on this Wednesday the 3rd November ….. Happy and Safe flying
Alan Brown & The Committee
October 2023 Newsletter
New Members
We have had a couple of new members join us.. (More Steve’s to remember..)
Both are already flyers.
Steve Kingston has been a member for a few weeks now. If you have not already, please give him a big Bromsgrove Flying Club welcome.
Steve Perks who was at All Day Fly number 3. If you haven’t already said hello, then please keep an eye out for him and say Hi.
I think we might need name badges.. and not just “Steve”
All Day Fly #3
Well we managed to get half decent weather for All Day Fly number 3 which was a great success.
Many thanks to all those who shopped , set up , cooked , baked, prepped the patch and trained on the day. Without you the ADF’s just would not happen.
Everyone was well fed and watered, and a great days flying was had. (About time!!)
There are pictures and videos of the day on the web site. Just follow the link below. (Many thanks to all the contributors)
https://bromsgrove.bmfa.club/2023-september-all-day-fly/
Nick Rawet selling up
Nick has been in touch to say that he now feels that he has no time for flying any more and will be selling all his gear. He has quite a bit of kit and is living in North Wales near Anglesey at the moment.
He has offered his planes etc to Bromsgrove members first and would like to sell the lot for £500.
Just for tasters he has, 3 Futaba transmitters, 5 receives , Saito engines 180, 125, 110 and 2 x 82s. planes are Edge 540, 2 x Capiche’s, A U-Can-Do and one more he cant remember the name of and a Voltigeur plus chargers etc. All in all , a lot of kit and a bargain.
You will need a large car for it all.
If you are interested, please message Nick directly. (Please contact Alan if you need his number)
Curry Night
We will be planning one of the ever popular curry nights for sometime in November.
Watch this space!
Severn Spinners
Severn Spinners Club near Kidderminster have invited us along for a fly on Sunday 15th October.
No BBQ but it will be good to go and have a fly at another location. If you are interested, can you please let Ricardo know so that he can get an idea of numbers.
Our best wishes…
Dave Holioak has been in touch to say that his wife Christine has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. She is awaiting further tests etc , but we send our best wishes to them both and wish Christine all the very best for a speedy recovery. Get well soon Christine.
Steve Hill is currently awaiting a bone marrow transplant, so our best wishes go to you too Steve. Get well soon Steve and see you up the patch very soon.
Pete James
We are very sad to announce that Pete James passed away on 19th September 2023.
Pete had been unwell for a while and passed away peacefully in his sleep.
His son Mark has been in touch , and Pete’s funeral will take place in Shrewsbury where he lived for most of his life.
His funeral will be on Tuesday 3rd October at 10:45am at
Emstrey Crematorium, London Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 6PS for those that would like to and can attend.
September 2023 Newsletter
No Newsletter
August 2023 Newsletter
September All Day Fly:The July All Day Fly was unfortunately postponed due to rain / wind etc, so……. We are looking forward to our last All Day Fly of the year on Saturday 23rd September . Everything crossed for the weather. Well done Hugh.. Hugh has been working hard to make our cash work for us , and has found an account that will actually pay us some interest. Thanks for your hard work Hugh. Call to action:- You may have had an e-mail from the BMFA regarding proposed changes from the CAA. We need as many people as possible to respond to make our views heard .. We have until September 6th to air our views. The following link will take you to the CAA page… https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/call-for-input-review-of-uk-uas-regulations/ Click on the “Give Us Your Views” link at the bottom of the page. Below are the BMFA answers to the questions the CAA have asked. You can cut and paste these answers or simply type your own. Questions 1. Do you agree with the challenges with operational requirements identified by stakeholders, and why? A. Somewhat Agree The basic concept of the Open, Specific and Certified Categories remains sound, though some simplification to the Open Category would perhaps make it easier for recreational drone operators to understand/comply with if they have no previous aviation background. The wording suggests that some stakeholders view the threshold for some operational requirements as being too low. The counter to this is that many within the recreational drone and model flying community still view the thresholds as being too high and disproportionate for their established activities. In terms of model flying, the EU regulations which are the basis of what is in place currently state clear intent to ‘allow model flying to continue as it did before’ but many in the community feel that this is not the case and the current regulatory requirements seem disproportionate, especially in comparison with other recreational air sport activities (such as hang gliding and paragliding).The approach to authorisations and risk assessment for commercial drone operators clearly needs to be reviewed as it demands too much resource from the CAA leading to slow response times. 2. Should CAA adopt the following policy objectives for operational requirements and why? Mitigate safety and security risks; User-centric; Enforceable; Growth enabling; Scalable. Please describe any other objectives we should consider .A. Definitely Yes (to all) Yes, provided regulations remain proportionate and gold plating is avoided. The regulatory burden (and costs) for all stakeholders should be kept to the minimum level required to meet the objectives. 3. Do you value international alignment in operational requirements, and why? A. Definitely Yes The EU concept of cross border recognition of Operator Registration and Competencies was sound. Post BREXIT, any drone or model flyers operating internationally must register in the EU and comply with local competency requirements, leading many to further question the merits of UK Operator Registration for model flyers. 4. Should CAA re-name operational categories and sub-categories (Opportunity 1) and why? A. No, to an extent If manufacturers are building aircraft to fit in with the EU operational categories, it would seem sensible to remain aligned with EU regulations, otherwise manufacturers will have to produce country specificaircraft.The speed of regulatory change is also an issue for some, with people not being given long enough to adapt to changes before further changes are made. This leads to errors in understanding the detail of current regulations. 5. Should CAA simplify how operational requirements are categorised (Opportunity 2) and why? A. No, to an extent Again, it makes sense to retain some alignment with our nearest neighbours on this. Combining A1-A3 will remove some of the flexibility currently afforded to A1. We would suggest reintroduction of a clearer separation between commercial and recreational operations. 6. Should CAA update how model aircraft operations are regulated (Opportunity 3) and why? A. Neither yes or no In terms of model flying, the Call for Input is focused entirely on the Open Category. The EU accommodated model flying in the Open Category with the A3, C4classification but could have made it clearer. There is perhaps a danger in defining model aircraft and this is something which EASA considered at length, instead considering model flying (including FPV Drone Racing) as an activity and this approach remains our preference. The model flying community’s preference from the outset was for model flying to be excluded entirely from the drone regulations and this was achieved to some extent for those operating within the framework of an Association with the provision of Article 16, which (so far) has minimised the regulatory burden on members. Our hope is that in the worst case, the current status quo will be retained with Article 16. Ultimately, we would like to see model flying (in its entirety) returned to the pre-EU regulatory position, being regulated in the proportionate way it used to be, along the lines of how Hang Gliding and Paragliding is still dealt with. 7. Should CAA simplify exclusions from operational requirements (Opportunity 4) and why? Please describe any alternative exclusions that should be considered. A. yes, to an extent Based on the text presented in this Call for Input we would suggest simply removing “toy” from the exclusions, with all UAS under 250g being excluded. 8. Should CAA change transitional arrangements for users of UAS without class marks (Opportunity 5) and why? A. Definitely yes Yes. If the CAA is content for these non-class marked aircraft to be operating today to the existing operating limits there can be no compelling safety reason to restrict their operations. Unless that situation changes, it follows that the CAA should allow aircraft without class marks built before 2026 to fly as they do now indefinitely. Provision for self-built aircraft must also be retained. 9. Do you agree with the issues identified by stakeholders relating to product requirements, and why? A. Somewhat agree There is a danger that shifting away from the EU product requirements and class markings will require manufacturers to provide UK specific aircraft, perhaps discouraging them to make aircraft available to the UK market. 10. Should CAA adopt policy objectives for product requirements, and why? Mitigates safety and security risks; User-centric; Growth enabling; Scalable; Internationally aligned. Please describe any other objectives we should consider. A. Definitely Yes (to all) The objectives are largely aligned with EASA’s original objectives when developing the current regulatory framework which we would support subject them remaining proportionate. A further objective should be to ensure that there is minimal regulatory burden on all stakeholders. Any rules should meet the safety/security objective at minimum cost to stakeholders (in manhours and/or money) and should remain proportionate. 11. Should CAA implement manufacturer standards (Opportunity 8) and why? A. Definitely Yes Yes, but the UK should remain consistent with the EU to avoid obstacles to import/export and confusion over design/build quality expectations for users. 12. Should CAA implement a product labelling scheme (Opportunity 9) and why? A. Definitely Yes Yes. Anything that makes it easier for the end user to understand what they are buying and how it may be used both legally and safely is a good thing. But again, the UK should remain consistent with the EU to avoid obstacles to import/export and confusion over expectations for users. Continued provision for self-build aircraft should remain an essential requirement. 13. Should CAA simplify exclusions from product requirements (Opportunity 10)and why? A. No, to an extent For recreational drone operators, the current exclusions for aircraft under 250g are already one of the simplest and best understood elements of the existing regulations. The BMFA would support retention of the existing exclusions for aircraft under 250g without imposition of additional requirements which would surely serve to confuse rather than simplify. 14. Should CAA implement Remote ID (Opportunity 11) and why? A. Neither yes nor no Many drones being introduced onto the marked already incorporate the facility for Remote I.D. and this is probably appropriate due to the locations they can be operated from and the increased potential for security/privacy concerns due to them being equipped with cameras. Interrogation of the Remote I.D. should be limited to enforcement agencies and the BMFA would be opposed to the information being accessible by the general public Existing/Legacy UAS under 250gmshould be excluded from the Remote ID requirements and there should be a suitable transition period for existing/legacy UAS over 250gm before they must comply. However, the BMFA would be strongly opposed to any Remote ID requirements for model aircraft. Our members have a collective fleet of around 500,000 aircraft which are usually operated from fixed remote locations well away from areas likely to require Remote ID interrogation and within VLOS of the pilot (generally making it easy for them to be identified in the unlikely event of there being a requirement).The BMFA believes that Remote ID would be disproportionate and unnecessary imposition on the model flying community. The EU regulations do not mandate any Remote ID requirements for aircraft operated under an Article 16 Authorisation within the framework of model flying associations, or for model aircraft within the Open Category (A3, C4) and the BMFA requests that this position is maintained in any amendments made to the UK regulations. 15. Should CAA implement geo-awareness (Opportunity 12) and why? A. Neither yes nor no On-board automated Geo-fencing and Geo-awareness are features increasingly incorporated into UAS/drones but would not be appropriate for model aircraft as they are manually piloted. The BMFA supports the concept of Geo-Awareness, provided that model aircraft are excluded from any such requirements. 16. Should CAA introduce requirements for manufacturers to provide user guidance during product set-up or pre-flight, via the controller or other interface (Opportunity 13) and why? A. Yes, to an extent The BMFA supports proportionate measures that increase user understanding of the regulations but again provision should remain to permit the continued use of self-built aircraft. 17. Should CAA introduce user validation requirements on manufacturers (Opportunity 14) and why? A. Definitely No It is the responsibility of the Operator to comply with the law, not the manufacturer and placing responsibility on them would seem to be a disproportionate requirement. 18. Should CAA simplify policy and guidance document structure (Opportunity 15) and why? A. Definitely yes Yes. Anything that makes it easier for end users and other stakeholders to understand the rules and the reasons for them must be a good thing. 19. What other opportunities to improve UAS regulation, beyond those described in this Call for Input, would you like to see progressed? Deregulation of model flying within established model flying organisations –i.e. a return to the more proportionate way in which model flying was regulated prior to the EU regulations (and the way in which some other activities such as hang gliding and paragliding continue to be regulated), perhaps. Club night (cheese/ham cob + chips) will be on Wednesday 6th September Sir Bob is going to give us a demonstration on glass clothing. Those of you who have seen the quality of Sir Bobs work will know we are in for a master class. And there will be a Cob and chips. (If you are planning to attend and have not yet told Richard if you want a either a cheese or ham cob, then please do so quickly. See you soon at the Bowling Green or “Up the patch” ….. Alan Brown & The Committee |
July 2023 Newsletter
All Day Fly #2
Saturday 22nd July was called off as the weather was not looking great. It actually hissed it down all day, so a good call.
Due to several of the committee being away, we actually postponed until Saturday 5th August.
The weather is still more than a little unsettled , so fingers crossed for next Saturday.
We will have the normal Go/No Go call by Friday. If ist a No Go we will postpone and wait for the September All Day Fly.
PS. If it’s a go, can you bring your own mug, it will help with waste, and identifying your cuppa when you have put it down, and it will of course save your fingers from getting burnt.
So.. fingers crossed for the weather and see you at ADF number 2 …
July Club Night
Hope to see you at the August Club night this Wednesday 2nd August.
The August Club Night will be a pint and a chat night, but we will try and get a projector with some aviation footage to see.
In September Sir Bob will give us a glass clothing lesson. Then we can all build stunning models.
In October we will have a Quiz night.
If anyone has any activity requests or suggestions for a club night, please let us know.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub for a pint and a chat on this Wednesday the 2nd August ….. Happy and Safe flying
Alan Brown & The Committee
June 2023 Newsletter
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May 2023 Newsletter
New Member:-
We have a new member of the club.. Paul Margetts who is a (semi) retired blacksmith who has been bitten by the flying bug.
If you see him up at the patch , be sure to give him the usual Bromsgrove Flying Club welcome.
All Day Fly #1
All day Fly #1 was a great success. We had fantastic weather and light winds.
We were royally spoilt with all the burgers and fantastic cakes and scones that various other halves had made. Our heartfelt thanks for the expanding waist lines. All were absolutely delicious.
This Wednesday Club Night 7th June 2023
As most are now aware.. We have Morris of Morris Mini Motors coming along to give us a chat and demo regarding IC Engines of all kinds. Annnnd there will be a Cob and Chips courtesy of Sir Bob. It should be a good evening…
If you would like to come along and have not yet told Richard which cob (cheese or ham) you would prefer, please do so ASAP.
Date for the diary – All Day Fly #2
Not long to wait now… All day fly Number 2 will soon be here. Its June already!
Put it in your diary… Saturday 22nd July 2023.
The usual fingers crossed for the weather, and we will call the usual Go /No Go on the afternoon of Friday 21st.
2023 BMFA number of aircraft in the air at one time record attempt.
Well we have heard back from the BMFA and we did not manage to break the record set last year, however, the attempt was a lot of fun and we did get 18 aircraft in the air at once. (5 being free flight paper planes)
There should be some videos on the YouTube channel .. click the links below to see a couple of them….
Many thanks to all that took part and Tony and Richard who helped organise the chaos.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub for a pint a chat and a talk on all things I.C. on this Wednesday the 7th June …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
April 2023 Newsletter
Date for the diary – All Day Fly #1
Not long to wait now… All day fly Number 1 will soon be here. Time to get those dusty models ready for the air.
Put it in your diary… Saturday 20th May 2023.
Fingers crossed for the weather , and we will call the usual Go /No Go on the Friday afternoon and we may postpone by 1 week if the weather is bad.
Another Date for the diary..
On Sunday 14th May 2023 at 12:00 noon as a club we will be taking part in the 2023 BMFA number of aircraft in the air at one time record attempt. It should not disrupt the days flying for more than 15 – 20 minutes and should be quite fun.
Alan Brown will be keeping a record on the day of all those wishing to take part so please see him well before the scheduled take off at mid-day.
We will get the everyone in place and ready to take off about 5 minutes before midday.
We envisage taking off in several ‘waves’ and everybody flying circuits in the same direction for safety.
We will also need a photograph of everyone who took part at the end and it would be a great photo opportunity while it is taking place.
To keep the noise to a minimum, I would ask that where at all possible you bring along an electric craft for the record attempt , and we will a maximum of 3 IC planes in the air.
Drones, Chuck Gliders etc are welcome. They all count.
Electric Fence.
The electric fence is now back in operation and the cows are due to be let back into the first field shortly.
Please ensure that when you come through the fence that you re-place it ASAP.
Also the last person to leave the patch, please ensure that the gate to the 2nd field is closed properly. Its a good safety net in case members of the public do not replace the electric fence when walking through the fields.
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub on this Wednesday the 3rd May …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
March 2023 Newsletter
Summer is here
Now that the clocks have gone forward we would remind everyone of the summer flying times.
Just a reminder of IC Flying Times
Mon to Thur 10am to 4pm
Fri 2pm to 7pm (Summer)
Saturday 10am to 2pm
Sunday 10am to 2pm ( All Bank Holidays are Sunday Hours)
Electric flying times are 10am to 7pm daily.
All Day Fly Number 1
Not long to wait now… All day fly Number 1 will soon be here.
Saturday 20th May 2023-04-01
Club Talk from Morris Mini Motors
Don’t forget to let us know if you would be interested in a talk from Morris, and if so what you would like advice or information on.
We don’t want to invite him along and only have the members of the committee to talk to!
His visit would be scheduled for the June or July meeting.
Curry Night
As usual the last curry night was very well attended and everyone had a great evening.
No Fly Zones and Safety
We would like to remind everyone about the no fly zones. Please try not to fly towards or over the pits. If you are doing a “golf club” turn for landing etc please ensure you are beyond the trees either to the left or the right so as not to be too close to the pits.
When flying please step towards the back of the pilots box. When landing call “Landing” and move towards the front of the pilots box. This will make it clear to everyone flying and walking down to take off that you are about to land.
If you are doing something out of the ordinary (like figure 8’s) please let everyone know beforehand, to help prevent mid-airs and scares.
If practicing your 3D and prop hanging etc, then please do so away from the patch when others are flying, and remember the no fly zones.
Former Club member Les Crow
Some of you who have been members for a while may remember Les Crow. At the age of 82 he came along to learn to fly model airplanes.
Sadly Les passed away a couple of weeks ago at the age of 97.
I admired the way that he did not let his age stop him from doing things, was not frightened by technology and had a real zest for life. I will miss the chats about things like the Zeppelins he saw when he was a young lad and the building of cars, boats and so much more.
Meetings at The Bowling Green.
We are looking at re-starting some of the activities / demos / talks for the monthly meetings. If we are to invite someone to talk to us we need to know we are going to have a decent turn out.
To help us with this, can you let us know if you would like us to arrange a talk for Morris Mini Motors. He is extremely knowledgeable and can give you plenty of hints and tips about your IC engines. If you can feed back to myself via e-mail or even just let one of the committee know if you would like this talk or even something similar.
Sir Bob is being lined up to show us his glass clothing skills in the coming months.. stay tuned for more details…..
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub on this Wednesday the 5th March …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
February 2023 Newsletter
Curry Night
This Wednesday 22nd February at 7:30 is BMFC Curry Night at the Shimla Peppers, Bromsgrove.
Shimla Peppers is in Bromsgrove centre. Parking is on Waitrose car park and is free after 7:00pm.
You then walk through the ally way at the back left of the car park, and follow the buildings to the left and left at the end of the block.
We have 22 or 23 of us going at the moment.
The food is very good, order what you like and we split the bill. Cost is (was) about £16 per head with a tip left. You will not leave hungry!
Bring your own favourite tipple as they only serve soft drinks.
All Day Fly Dates
We have pencilled in this years All Day Fly dates…
Saturday 20th May 2023
Saturday 22nd July 2023
Saturday 23rd September 2023-02-19
As always these will be weather permitting, and if the date above has rubbish weather we will look at the following week. If that day is also rubbish , we will just look forward to the next all day fly.
The Patch…
The patch is looking great and not muddy at all. We are still parking on the grass, so if we get a nice weekend. Get up there and get flying.
Meetings at The Bowling Green.
We are looking at re-starting some of the activities / demos / talks for the monthly meetings. If we are to invite someone to talk to us we need to know we are going to have a decent turn out.
To help us with this, can you let us know if you would like us to arrange a talk for Morris Mini Motors. He is extremely knowledgeable and can give you plenty of hints and tips about your IC engines. If you can feed back to myself via e-mail or even just let one of the committee know if you would like this talk or even something similar.
Sir Bob is being lined up to show us his glass clothing skills in the coming months.. stay tuned for more details…..
Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” at the Curry Night or at The Bowling Green Pub on this Wednesday the 1st March …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
January 2023 Newsletter
New Year Meal
We booked The Swan at Upton Warren for this years New Year Meal.
Despite a few questions when booking it turned out to be a very good venue indeed.
The food was very good, (Not a surprise as the owners also run the Nailors Arms), and we had the entire top floor to ourselves. We now know that the seating will accommodate upto 60 people so plenty of room.
We did of course have the award of the trophies, and the winners were as follows….
The Ray Harris Memorial Trophy for Building Excellence was voted on and this years winner was … Bill Cartwright. Well deserved and Bill has built some innovative aircraft and has been experimenting with silencers and of course his fold up model stand.
The Most Improved Flyer was awarded this year to Mark Biddle, who passed his ‘A’ test not too long ago and is quickly progressing with his aerobatics.
The Chairmans Trophy was awarded this year to Mark Ford (AKA Rudy) who has been a leading character in the club, and has certainly had his share of leg pulling.
The Clubman Trophy has been re-named the Kevin Walker Clubman Trophy as he was indeed the ultimate club member. We thought it would be wholly appropriate if the trophy was awarded to Kevin Walker himself for this year.
We invited Kevin’s son Simon along to the meal, and once the engraving has been done we will give the trophy to Simon.
Very well done to all our trophy winners !!
Winter Flying Times Reminder
Now the clocks have gone back..
IC Flying times:- Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm
Sat and Sun 10am to 2pm
Bank Hols 10am to 2pm
Electric Times:- 10am to Dusk
The Patch…
I did visit the patch last Sunday and although frozen when I got there, the track and the patch itself are surprisingly dry.
As long as we don’t get lots of torrential rain, flying and parking will be fine.
Back to the Bowling Green for Wednesday
Don’t forget this Wednesday is the 1st, so pop up the pub for a chat and why not show of what Santa brought you or get some info or help on any projects you have on the go…
I know there are a few new models and even a 3d printed one out there.. How are they coming along?
Keith Westwood selling up:–
Some of you may remember our member Keith who moved to Ross on Wye. He did remain a Bromsgrove member for a year or so, but has decided that he is no longer so interested in flying, so is selling up. The list below is for sale (at the right price!)
FROM KEITH:- If anyone is interested I can be contacted at this email address or on07720295740. My home address is 22 Chatsworth Close, Ross-on-Wye, HR97XH.
If need be I could bring a car load to the Bromsgrove Flying site but space in the car is limited.
AIRFRAMES
Durafly Tundra – complete ready to fly. All radio gear fitted. Good condition/No damage. Batteries available.
Wot 4 ARTF with OS AX46 – complete ready to fly. All radio gear fitted. Some reps to under carriage. Flies well. Great engine.
Hangar 9 Pulse XT 60 with OS 91 four stroke engine. All radio gear fitted/ready to fly. Great flier, excellent condition. Quality/quiet engine.
Chris Foss kit built Xtra Wot (Similar to Ripmax Wot4 XL ARTF) but much better construction. Fitted with almost new OS AX 120. Fantastic aeroplane/flies extremely well. All radio gear fitted. Good condition/no damage. Kit/airframe price new well over £400.
Ripmax Acro Wot with OS AX 55. Ready to fly with all radio gear. A great winter hack. Very strong/quiet engine.
Hangar 9 Pulse XT40 with Saito 65 4 – stoke engine. Crash repaired but great flier. Very quiet engine. All radio gear fitted/ready to fly.
Hangar 9 Pulse XT 40. Fitted with Overlander electric motor. Never used but ready to fly/all radio gear fitted. Batteries available.
Multiplex Easyglider Pro. Little used/ready to fly. Good condition. Batteries available.
ENGINES
Saito FA-72. Brand new still in box.
Saito FA-82A. Hardly used/still in box.
OS 46 AX. Brand new/still in box.
OS 55 AX. Brand new/still in box.
ASSESSORIES
Lots and lots of extras too numerous to list but Includes:
Spektrum DX7 transmitter. Mode1. This was my spare and very little used/still in box.
New and used Spektrum receivers. New and used Futaba servos.
Flight/tool box with fitted Power Panel/charger, battery, starter, glow starter.
Approx 8×1 gals of Model Technics fuel (sport 10).
Lots and lots of assorted props, under carriages and bits and pieces.
Oodles of Balsa, etc etc.
Thats it for this month…….Hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green Pub on this Wednesday the 1st …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
December 2022 Newsletter
Winter Flying Times
Now the clocks have gone back..
IC Flying times:- Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm
Sat and Sun 10am to 2pm
Bank Hols 10am to 2pm (Xmas day, Boxing Day and New Years Day)
Electric Times:- 10am to Dusk
New Year Meal
We have booked The Swan at Upton Warren (Very near Webbs Garden Centre)
Date for the diary… (2nd Wednesday of the new year), January 11th 2023 at 7.00pm.
I have been told that we will be upstairs, so should have that floor to ourselves.
The address is The Swan, Upton Warren, Bromsgrove, B61 7ET. (tel 01527b861539)
Hope to see you there at 7.00pm onward…
The meal is subsidised for members at £5 and £10 for non-members. (Sweet will be extra)
Richard is gathering names of those that want to attend (Thank you again Richard) and payments are preferred direct to the bank (Please state your name when paying)
Account Name: Bromsgrove Model Flying ClubBank: NAT WEST BANK PLCSort Code: *******Account Number: **********Payment reference: Please include your name
2023 Fees…
The BMFA have announced their 2023 fees as follows….Senior Membership = £42Junior Membership = £20Family Partner = £29Family Junior = £15The CAA fees remain at £10Bromsgrove Model Flying Club Fees.. (Remain the same as last year)
New Members £70 + one off £25 joining fee (Total £95)
Existing Members (BEFORE 31.12.2022) £70 (After 31st Dec – £80 )
Example for most of us… Existing Snr member rejoining BMFC and BMFA before 31.12.2022 = £112.00
As last year can you please pay fees by bank transfer, if at all possible. Payable BEFORE Dec 31st.Account Name: Bromsgrove Model Flying ClubBank: NAT WEST BANK PLCSort Code: *********Account Number: ***********Payment reference: Please include your nameIf you could also e-mail Hugh to let him know you have paid, at hugh.revill@hotmail.co.uk
Don’t forget to add £5 for your meal if you want to attend in January at The Swan.
Safety:
Just a reminder that when starting your engines do not reach over the prop when removing the glow starter or adjusting the needle. Yes we all do it , but we had a very close shave recently, and we can all get a bit complacent.
In the cold weather fingers don’t feel as well as they do in the summer and engines may be reluctant to start, but rest assured when they do spring into life they bite!
Take special care if you find yourself flying alone at the patch. Make sure you have your phone with you .. just in case.
If your not alone, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
When taking off or landing, stand at the front of the pilots box so that others will know that a plane is arriving or leaving the strip, and not to walk out on to the patch.
When landing, also announce loudly “Landing” and walk to the front of the pilots box.
When flying please stand at the back of the pilots box. You will have that extra bit of separation from planes landing of taking off.
Stay safe and hope to see you soon “Up the patch” or at The Swan on Jan 11th …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
November 2022 Newsletter
Sorry folks, A couple of corrections to the newsletter. AGM is on the 7th Dec, and if you are parking for the curry night its Waitrose car park not Morrisons. Changes are noted in red below.
Winter Flying Times
Now the clocks have gone back..
IC Flying times:- Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm
Sat and Sun 10am to 2pm
Bank Hols 10am to 2pm
Electric Times:- 10am to Dusk
AGM – 7th December
We will be holding the AGM at The Bowling Green on 7th December. There will be a ham or cheese roll and chips on the night for those who can make it…
(The Bowling Green, Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, B60 4BH)
Please let Richard know by text or whatsapp if you will be there and whether you would like a cheese or a ham cob
Richards number is 07917 232673 , please send him a text of..
YOUR NAME and if you would like a CHEESE or HAM cob.
There will be the reports and election of new committee members etc.
If you have any points you would like to discuss at the meeting. Please let Ricardo or any member of the committee know and we will add them to the agenda.
As always if you would like to stand for any of the positions on the committee, please let a member of the current committee know.
Hope to see as many of you there as can make it..…
2023 Fees…
As far as the club fees are concerned there will be no increase this year, and they will remain at £70.
We will know what the BMFA fees will be around the middle of the month and will let you know as soon as we know. (Last year was £40 but may go up this year)
Hugh has asked if we can all pay by bank transfer if at all possible. (No cheques please as there is no Nat West in Bromsgrove)
Details of full fees and payment details to follow later this month…
New Year Meal…
We usually look at holding a New Year meal at the Nailers Arms, but it looks like they are selling the pub, so a couple of dedicated committee members will be having a look at the Swan at Upton Warren)
Details will be in the next newsletter but the date will be Wednesday 11th January. (2nd Wednesday in January)
Could the winners of the trophies please remember to bring them back at the new year meal if they are going, or please return them to a committee member before the night if they are not going.
Curry Night…
We are meeting at the Shimla Peppers on 16th November 2023 for on of our ever popular Curry Nights. We have around 18 people signed up so far.
Shimla Peppers is in Bromsgrove centre. Parking is on Waitrose car park and is free after 7:00pm.
You then walk through the ally way at the back left of the car park, and follow the buildings to the left and left at the end of the block.
The food is very good, order what you like and we split the bill. Cost is (was) about £16 per head with a tip left. You will not leave hungry!
Bring your own favourite tipple as they only serve soft drinks.
See you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green on Dec 7th …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
October 2022 Newsletter
No Newsletter
September 2022 Newsletter
All Day Fly Number 3
We were very lucky with the weather again and had a fantastic and well attended 3rd All Day Fly. Our guest for the day Richard Harris gave a wonderful flying display with his auto giros and even maidened one now belonging to Dave Povey that the late John Dean built. It was great to see it fly and John would have been chuffed to bits.
Our thanks to all the people that make the day so fantastic. A special thank you to our chef Ricardo for cooking the burgers, Mrs Worrall for all those calorie free cakes, and those that brought gazeebo’s, tables, cooking ingredients / utensils and the food of course.
This well oiled machine makes sure everything runs smoothly and ensures everyone has a great day. Well done all.
Keep an eye on the web site for pictures from the All Day Fly over the next few days. (The link is at the top of this page)
Noise Testing
We have been a little lacking in testing and documenting the noise our planes put out. These activities show that we are proactive should we ever be questioned. We are not looking to spoil anyone’s fun, but we cannot get blasé and allow noise levels to creep up.
You may be asked to noise test your plane so please do so knowing that IF it is on the noisy side we can and will offer advice to make your plane quieter.
Just for information 3db difference is a DOUBLING in noise levels.
Food and a Quiz at the October meeting at The Bowling Green…
We will be holding a quiz WITH PRIZES at the 5th October club meeting at The Bowling Green pub. (Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, B60 4BH)
The club will also provide Cob and Chips each, but we need to know if you are coming and which you want.
Please let Richard know by text or whatsapp if you will be there and whether you would like a cheese or a ham cob…
Richards number is 07917 232673 , please send him a text of..
YOUR NAME and if you would like a CHEESE or HAM cob.
Hope to see as many of you there as can make it..
Winter is coming that only means one thing…
Curry nights! We plan to organise an ever popular curry night for sometime in November. We will keep you informed..
See you soon “Up the patch” or at The Bowling Green on Oct 5th …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
August 2022 Newsletter
New Member
A big Bromsgrove Welcome to our newest members, Ron Braithwaite and welcome back to Rob Knox. Ron is very keen and is up the patch on Wednesdays too. Rob has been bitten by the bug again and you may see him at the patch with his FOX glider. (It’s a monster!)
Should you see Ron and Rob up at the patch, be sure to give them the usual BMFC welcome.
A Test
Since joining last month Mark Biddle has been on holiday and still found time to practice on the simulator and up the patch and this weekend passed his ‘A’ test. Very well done Mark… now the fun starts! (But we are always here to help !)
Tinder… No not that one…
Although we have had a little rain, the grass at the patch is still tinder dry. Please be very careful that we do not set anything alight. (It would not go down well !!)
The obvious things are cigarette ends. Please mark sure they are well and truly out and don’t flick the ash on the floor.
Less obvious things are your bottles of water or shiny crisp packets acting as lenses. Please don’t leave rubbish and be careful where you put your bottles. If you see a bright spot of concentrated sunlight from something, please move the offending item, even if its not yours.
Car parking… Having raced all the way to the patch in your car, please don’t park in the long grass with your hot exhaust. It may be more than the farmers field that goes up.
Park on the shorter grass and not ‘in the hedge’ where the long grass may touch the hot engine.
Remember: THERE IS A FIRE BLANKET IN THE AMMO BOX IF YOU NEED IT
All Day Fly Number 3
Not long until All Day Fly number 3.. The date is set for Saturday 17th September 2022. Fingers crossed for the weather. There will be the usual Go or No Go on the Friday.
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
July 2022 Newsletter
New Member
A big Bromsgrove Welcome to our newest member, Mark Biddle. He was introduced by Tyler and has been flying quads for some while.
Should you see Mark up at the patch, be sure to give him the usual BMFC welcome.
New bank details
As our old bank decided to start charging us for looking after our money, Hugh has been looking at getting us a new bank account to save the club paying fees.
I am pleased to report he has succeeded, and will be saving us £5 per month…
Good work Hugh. Thank you
So please be warned that if you have the old details saved, these will be changing.
The new details are…
Bank Name = NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PLC
Name of Account = Bromsgrove Model Flying Club
Sort Code = 60-04-05
Account Number = 85294624
Mobile Phones
There was an interesting item in the BMFA magazine about possible phone interference on transmitters. If you use your phone as a timer in the pilots box could you please put it in airplane mode. If you don’t use your phone in that way, it is probably better to leave it in your flight box.
We can only try it and see if we get fewer ‘incidents’.
All Day Fly Number 2
The date for the 2nd All Day Fly is set for Saturday July 23rd weather permitting..
Dust off those models and check your battery charge and lets have a great day.
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
June 2022 Newsletter
New Member
A big Bromsgrove Welcome to our newest member, Dave Stansbie. (This means the popularity of Dave / David is now equal to that of Steve / Stephen with 6 each!) Should you see Dave (Stansbie) up at the patch, be sure to give him the usual BMFC welcome.
“A” and “B” Test passes
Many congratulations to Tim Norton who breezed through his “A” test with his Riot. Tim was spotted doing (intentional) inverted circuits on his very next visit to the patch. It must be something in the genes.
Talking of inverted flying.. we also had our youngest “B” test pass ever when Will Picken (AKA the Knife Edge Kid) was put through his paces by Richard and Sir Bob and showed us some fantastic flying skills with his Hype.
Acrobatics
Its good to keep pushing your flying skills, and remember our instructors are on hand if you want any help or advice with new manoeuvres.
However… Please don’t try any outrageous aerobatics directly over the patch please. (remember .. Safety First!)
If there are more planes in the air than you would like for flying aerobatics, its probably better to wait for someone to land before attempting something new.
Three Counties Show
Unfortunately the show we had been asked to attend has been cancelled due to clashes with the Jubilee celebrations.
Hopefully we will get another invite next year.
Patch Safety: Set your failsafe
For those that may not be aware… (Please ask if you are unsure about anything)
Setting your failsafe dictates what will happen if your plane looses the signal from your transmitter. EG goes ‘out of range, or if the TX batteries go flat.
It is available on all 2.4Mhz transmitters and on some 35Mhz transmitters and MUST be set if available on your setup.
Ideally you want to at least slow an IC engine to tick over or stop an electric motor.
That way your plane should not become a high speed unguided missile, but turn into a slower glider and give you a chance to try and regain control.
Generally the failsafe setting is where your Transmitter sticks are when you bind your model.
So if you bound to your model and then had to reverse the throttle, you may be in for a surprise when your test your failsafe!
The way to test this is to properly restrain your model and get its prop running at full speed.
Then turn OFF your transmitter … Your IC Engine should return to tickover and your electric motor should stop.
If you have any difficulty setting your failsafe then please ask for help.
All Day Fly Number 1
All Day Fly Number 1 was a great day. The weather was practically perfect for flying, and there were burgers and cake a plenty.
Many thanks to all those that that made the day such a fantastic success.
All Day Fly Number 2
The date for the 2nd All Day Fly is set for July 23rd weather permitting..
See you soon “Up the patch” and get ready for ADF #2 …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
May 2022 Newsletter
All Day Fly #1
Charge up those batteries and check over those planes that have not been given an outing in a while.. The first All Day Fly of the year will be on 21st May.. We will make the GO / NO GO call on Friday 20th May.
Mental Health Awareness Week
Just a reminder that it is mental health awareness week.
Life can sometimes get you down, but remember you are part of a fantastic flying club. Even if you don’t really feel up to it, come along for the flying, the banter, a pint and a chat.
If you could just do with getting things off your chest, need a natter or can’t see a way out of a problem, come and have a chat with the guys.
If you need a more confidential chat, then the committee members (and I’m sure others), will lend an ear and try and help in whatever way they can.
A problem shared is a problem halved and nothing is insurmountable.
You are a member of a fantastic club , and you are not alone.
Just a reminder of IC Flying Times (electric remains unchanged)
Mon to Thur 10am to 4pm
Fri 2pm to 7pm (Summer) and 10am to 4pm (Winter)
Saturday 10am to 2pm
Sunday 10am to 2pm ( All Bank Holidays are Sunday Hours)
Please note that we have changed Saturday Afternoons to Saturday Mornings for IC flying.
The All Day Fly times will remain unchanged.
Three Counties Show
Unfortunately the show we had been asked to attend has been cancelled due to clashes with the Jubilee celebrations.
Hopefully we will get another invite next year.
Patch Safety: Set your failsafe
For those that may not be aware…
Setting your failsafe dictates what will happen if your plane looses the signal from your transmitter. EG goes ‘out of range, or if the TX batteries go flat.
It is available on all 2.4Mhz transmitters and on some 35Mhz transmitters.
Ideally you want to at least slow an IC engine to tick over or stop an electric motor.
That way your plane should not become a high speed unguided missile, but turn into a slower glider and give you a chance to try and regain control.
Generally the failsafe setting is where your Transmitter sticks are when you bind your model.
So if you bound to your model and then had to reverse the throttle, you may be in for a surprise when your test your failsafe!
The way to test this is to properly restrain your model and get its prop running at full speed.
Then turn OFF your transmitter … Your IC Engine should return to tickover and your electric motor should stop.
If you have any difficulty setting your failsafe then please ask for help.
See you soon “Up the patch” and get ready for ADF #1 …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
April 2022 Newsletter
New Committee Member
A big thank you to David Harvey for stepping up and joining the committee. Welcome aboard and we hope you don’t find it too taxing!
Lower Bentley Parish Council – Re- IC Flying Times
We have had a reply from Lower Bentley Parish Council and they are very appreciative of our efforts, so thank you all for that.
They have asked if we would implement the suggested changes ASAP so please see below…
There are no changes to electric flying times but we have agreed that IC flying times will change as below. We will keep Friday afternoon flying for IC for those who work and pop past on an evening for a quick ‘fix’.
IC Flying Times (electric remains unchanged)
Mon to Thur 10am to 4pm
Fri 2pm to 7pm (Summer) and 10am to 4pm (Winter)
Saturday 10am to 2pm
Sunday 10am to 2pm
Please note that we have changed Saturday Afternoons to Saturday Mornings for IC flying.
The All Day Fly times will remain unchanged
Three Counties Show
The club have been asked if we would like to take part in the Three Counties Show in Malvern on 4th June 2022 as part of the Queens Jubilee Celebration. They already have a full size Spitfire and Hurricane replica and a fly past by a Lancaster booked, so we are in good company.
We hope to be able to put on a static display of some nice warbirds etc, maybe the BMFA Simulator Trailer and IF room allows, put on a flying display too.
It will be a great opportunity to promote the club and model flying in general.
If you can help on the day or have any good looking warbirds that you would be willing to display, please let a member of the committee know. It looks as if it will be a good day out, and as well as chatting to the public, you can also have a look at all the other events going on…
Patch Safety: a reminder
Retrieving: make sure everyone has heard you.
When on the patch to retrieve a model, please make sure that everyone is aware that you are stepping onto the runway. Its easy to ‘tune out’ the background conversations when concentrating on flying, so be sure to make it loud.
If anyone is flying and someone shouts ‘landing’ and you know there is someone on the runway, please let the flyer know to abort the landing if possible.
If a ‘deadstick’ has been called, the flyer has priority, so let the person on the runway know, so that they can get clear.
Please wait until the runway is clear before doing acrobatics over the runway or ‘beating up the patch’.
OK to Take Off? … wait for the nods
If you are flying and someone asks if it is ok to take off, please try and nod (or shake your head , for ‘no’), as a visual cue as its not always possible to hear a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when facing away and over the noise of a running engine.
Shout ‘Clear’ when you have cleared the runway, so others may land.
If in doubt when on your approach, then keep your eyes on your model and ask others if the runway is clear.
Landing: Call and step forward
Call ‘Landing’, ‘Touch and Go’ and step to the front of the pilots box. It’s a good visual cue for everyone NOT to go onto the runway.
Stay Safe and Have Fun…..
BMFC Clothing
Some of you have been asking about having polo shirts, caps, fleeces etc
with the BMFC logo. This was done many years ago which some longer standing
members might remember, but we have many new members now so we are looking
at doing it again. We have recently modified the Club Logo (see club
website or at the top of this newsletter) to say ‘Bromsgrove Model Flying
Club’ whereas the old one didn’t have the work ‘Model’.
We’ve had some quotes back from a company called ‘Embroidery
Express/Stitches’. Embroidery Express <https://embroideryexpress.co.uk/>
If you browse their site there are numerous products so if you are
interested rather than restrict what you can order it’s up to you!
Please send any requests to Richard Wood 9richwood@gmail.com by Monday 2nd May
Please state:
-Your Name
-Full description of Name
-Product Code
-Colour
-Size
-Price add £5 for the Club Logo (eg Polo Shirt at £6.89 + £5.00 for the Logo = £11.89 total)
ie Richard Wood, Classic Poloshirt EE-UC101 Navy, Medium, £11.89
We will then submit so they can embroider the club logo on the left breast
of any clothing or on the centre of a Cap etc
Remember the May All Day Fly is approaching… we will set an exact date nearer the time.
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
March 2022 Newsletter
New Member
A big welcome to Tim Norton. (Yes its Sir Bobs son!) His Riot is trimmed out and ready to go. We just need the wind to drop a little. Be sure to say Hi when you see him.
Kevin Walker
As you have probably heard, Kevin passed away on 17th February. We are still reeling from this at the moment, but his family have been in touch and asked if we could post any photos, songs or memories of Kevin on https://kevin-walker.muchloved.com
It would be great for the family if we could post pictures / memories of Kevin showing what he meant to the club.
You can share anything privately with the family at kwskodaman_memories@outlook.com
There is a fundraising page also and any donations are being split between Hearing Dogs for The Deaf and the Samaritans.
Kevins funeral / celebration will be on 23rd March 2022 at 11:30 am Wordsley Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church
High Street
Wordsley
West Midlands
DY8 5RU
Many of us have voiced how Kevin has been instrumental in getting into the hobby.
When I joined the club back in 2002, Kevin was the only person doing any training to speak of. Back then we used the “snatch method”. Just like it sounds, Kevin would get the plane flying straight and level, and then hand me the transmitter. When it all started to go wrong I would “calmly” hand the transmitter back to Kevin, (plane in a dive and 10ft off the deck), for Kevin to get flying again. The man had ice water in his veins. I will forever be grateful for his patience, instruction and friendship in the past 20 years. He has literally taught me everything I know about model flying. A man who just loved to impart his knowledge and love of the hobby. A true inspiration. Thank you for it all Kevin.
Curry Night.
Don’t forget that Wednesday night is Curry Night at the Shimla Peppers,
If you don’t like Curries then they do serve English food so don’t let it
stop you.
Don’t forget to bring your own drinks!!
You can park in ‘St John Street’ car park (used to be called ‘Hanover St’
car park) where Waitrose is for FREE from 19:00. This is at the end of the
Kidderminster road and is about 50 yards away from the restaurant.
1 George St, Bromsgrove B61 7EE.
Just park on Waitrose car park and walk through the passage at the back of the car park and turn left. Follow the buildings riund to the left and you will get to the Shimla Peppers.
Please let Richard Wood know by Whatsapp, text or email 9richwood@gmail.com
if you want to come along, if you haven’t done so already, so that he can let them know how many to expect.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Shimla+Peppers/@52.3330374,-2.0641875,17
z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x2dae18d58b054644!8m2!3d52.3333914!4d-2.0628249
Working Party
If you can make it up to the patch on Saturday 9th March, we are just re-arranging any stray slabs by the car park and laying some slabs down for the mower to live on when the weather improves.
We will meet at about 10.00am. Should only be a couple of hours, and you can always have a fly afterwards.
April Club Night
We are having a Simulator Night for Aprils club night. If you have or haven’t had a go with a simulator, it can be fun. Come along and try the other mode or some manoeuvres you would like to try at the patch. All this and beer too!
Fancy flying off/over a reservoir?
We’ve been approached by Barnt Green Fishing Club, who control the fisheries
at Bittell Reservoir near Barnt Green (Three Reservoirs), to see if we could
help them in frightening away Cormorant birds which are becoming an
increasing problem for them. They have tried various tactics with varying
degrees of success but would like us to try flying model aircraft off the
reservoir or use Multi-rotor copters to try and deter them. We are not sure
if this will be a one off exercise or a regular thing but if you are
interested then let Richard Wood know by Whatsapp, text or email
9richwood@gmail.com
We will try and arrange the initial visit on a weekend to maximise
attendance for those that may be working. So if you have a set of floats
for your model or a Mutli-rotor Copter with FPV, then give me a shout. Two
of the reservoirs are definitely big enough to fly from with a plane.
See you soon “Up the patch” or maybe “down the reservoir”…..
Alan Brown & The Committee
February 2022 Newsletter
New Members
We have 2 new members this month. Andy Freestone and Terry Davies. Many Happy Returns to you Terry, and welcome to you both.
Please be sure to give them the usual BMFC welcome when you see them at the patch.
“A” Test passes
We have had 2 “A” test passes this month. A very well done to Rob Pinches and Alex Brown. Now the real learning starts, but don’t forget we are still here to help out where and when we can.
New Year Meal at the Nailers Arms.
Our traditional cavery meal at the Nailors Arms went down very well with the members who went. Its always a good night, and nice to have a meal and a good chat with others, and even the seldom seen ‘other halves’ had a great night.
Sun Visors
The idea may have started off as a bit of a joke, but when people are waiting to fly when one of our sun-visors is free, you know it’s a good idea. Richard has made up two such sun screens, and these can be stuck in the ground just in front of where you fly. I have used them myself and it’s a very simple and effective way of blocking the sun when its low in the winter. They are kept by the tree with the ammo box on if you are looking for them. Just stick then in the ground near the tree when you are done for the day.
Wind Sock Pole
Richard has been busy, and also made a new pole for the wind sock out of steel. This is also free standing and does not need the hole in the ground.
Fancy flying off/over a reservoir?
We’ve been approached by Barnt Green Fishing Club, who control the fisheries
at Bittell Reservoir near Barnt Green (Three Reservoirs), to see if we could
help them in frightening away Cormorant birds which are becoming an
increasing problem for them. They have tried various tactics with varying
degrees of success but would like us to try flying model aircraft off the
reservoir or use Multi-rotor copters to try and deter them. We are not sure
if this will be a one off exercise or a regular thing but if you are
interested then let Richard Wood know by Whatsapp, text or email
9richwood@gmail.com
We will try and arrange the initial visit on a weekend to maximise
attendance for those that may be working. So if you have a set of floats
for your model or a Mutli-rotor Copter with FPV, then give me a shout. Two
of the reservoirs are definitely big enough to fly from with a plane.
Curry Night Wednesday 9th March
It’s time we had another Curry night. So the next one will be at the usual
place, Shimla Peppers, 1 George Street, Bromsgrove, B61 7EE, on Wednesday
9th March at 19:30. This is next to Waitrose in the centre of Bromsgrove.
If you don’t like Curries then they do serve English food so don’t let it
stop you.
You can park in ‘St John Street’ car park (used to be called ‘Hanover St’
car park) where Waitrose is for FREE from 19:00. This is at the end of the
Kidderminster road and is about 50 yards away from the restaurant.
Don’t forget to bring your own drinks.
Please let Richard Wood know by Whatsapp, text or email 9richwood@gmail.com
if you want to come along.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Shimla+Peppers/@52.3330374,-2.0641875,17
z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x2dae18d58b054644!8m2!3d52.3333914!4d-2.0628249
Working Party
We will be getting a working party together to help lay slabs for parking and for the mower to live on , now that the better weather is coming.
Weather permitting we are going for Saturday 19th February at about 10.00am. Should only be a couple of hours, and you can always have a fly afterwards.
CAA registration becoming due
Most members will have seen an e-mail from the CAA or BMFA asking to renew your CAA registration. (Newer members may not have, as the registration lasts for 12 months from your first joining, so is dependant on when you first registered)
Its still £9 and your operator ID should be the same as last year.
To renew, just follow the link in the e-mail you were sent, and follow the instructions. (You only need the operator ID)
Do remember that you operator ID should be displayed on all your aircraft.
See you soon “Up the patch” or maybe “down the reservoir”…..
Alan Brown & The Committee
January 2022 Newsletter
Membership Numbers:
Good news:- We start 2022 with 56 Members
New Year Meal at the Nailers Arms.
On meet at 7:00pm to eat at 7:30pm , Wednesday 12th January 2022, we will be having our traditional cavery meal at the Nailers Arms , 62 Doctors Hill, Bromsgrove B61 9JE.
Its always a very good evening, and we will be voting to see who receives the trophies this year… (Can last years recipients please return their trophies to a member of the committee please)
At last count we had 24 members attending. If anyone else is interested in attending, please let me know ASAP, as we need to let the Nailors Arms know what numbers to seat.
(You will have to pay on the evening)
Alan:- Phone 07875 866535 email earthtoalan@hotmail.co.uk
CAA Fees
Due to CAA fees running for 12 months from whenever you first registered, you will need to renew your membership individually. You will get an e-mail from them reminding you when the time comes. (We as a club do not get any reminders for you, so it would be a nightmare)
Winter Parking
Crossing onto the grass parking on the right of the track is a NO GO now due to the rain.
The grass itself is now too wet.. We do have the slabs to the left and the whole path to play with, (As the cows have gone until spring), so still plenty of parking.
NB the slabs to the left have the green sticks in the centre to mark the actual parking spots.
So the green stick should be centre of your car bonnet as you pull on. It helps to ensure your wheels are on the slabs when parking.
Any Rubble?
If anyone has any Bricks or general hardcore, or knows where we might be able to source some locally, please let us know. (but not tiles as they break and have sharp edges that puncture tyres)
Stuart Worrall noticed some work going on at a local bungalow, and we were able to get quite a haul of half bricks etc to help fill pot holes etc.
Curry Evening
We will be looking to organise another oriental outing in February. Keep an eye on whatsapp and email nearer the time.
All Day Flys
We have pencilled in dates for the All Day Flys. (We do tend to wait for the silage to be cut however, so there may be some slight variation)…
21st May 2022
23rd July 2022
17th September 2022
Hope to see you at 7.00pm for 7:30 on 12th January meal at the Nailers Arms, Doctors Hill, B61 9JE
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
December 2021 Newsletter
Next Years Fees:
Bromsgrove Model Flying Club Fees.. (BMFA is Extra and mentioned below)
New Members £70 + one off £25 joining fee (Total £95)
Existing Members (BEFORE 31.12.2021) £70
N.B.The price goes up to £80 for late payers after 31.12.2021 – please pay promptly
NB Please remember to add £5 if you would like to attend the subsidised January meal at the Nailers Arms on 12th December 2021.. Its always a good evening. (Subsidised £5 for members and £10 for non-members)
2022 Membership fees (renewals will be available from 1st December 2021)
Senior £40.00
Junior £18.00
Family Partner £27.00
Family Junior £14.00
Please note that due to a price increase from the supplier, the optional plastic membership and rewards card will be £4.50 for 2022.
Example… Existing Snr member rejoining BMFC and BMFA before 31.12.2020 = £110.00 (or £115.00 if you are coming to the January meal)
As last year can you please pay fees by bank transfer, if at all possible. (Its Contact free!)
Account Name: Bromsgrove Flying Club
Bank: HSBC, Bromsgrove
Sort Code: 40-15-07
Account Number: 91059327
Payment reference: Please include your name
If you could also e-mail Hugh to let him know you have paid, at hugh.revill@hotmail.co.uk
Or (if you must) hand delivered or through the post, sent to:
Hugh Revill ,
14 Green Bower Drive,
Bromsgrove,
B61 0UN
I am pleased to say that they were all prepared to stand again this year, so my thanks for this year in advance.
New Year Meal at the Nailers Arms.
On Wednesday 12th January 2022, we will be having our traditional cavery meal at the Nailors Arms , 62 Doctors Hill, Bromsgrove B61 9JE.
Its always a very good evening, and we will be voting to see who receives the trophies this year… (Can last years recipients please return their trophies to a member of the committee please)
For members the cost for a carvery meal will be £5 and for non-members (Wives , Girlfriends or both..) £10.
You can have a sweet but this will be down to individual members to purchase the sweet of your choice.
If you are going to attend the January meal, please let Alan Brown know via e-mail or text.
We will need to give the Nailors an idea of the numbers attending.
Please let me know you are going…
Alan:- Phone 07875 866535 email earthtoalan@hotmail.co.uk
As usual you can add the cost of the meal to the fees paid in December.
CAA Fees
Due to CAA fees running for 12 months from whenever you first registered, you will need to renew your membership individually. You will get an e-mail from them reminding you when the time comes. (We as a club do not get any reminders for you, so it would be a nightmare)
New Committee
My thanks to all of last years committee for the hard work and planning that kept us all flying, cut the grass, looked for and at equipment, and gave us 3 fantastic BBQ’s. These things do not just happen, and this is a big part of what makes our club so very good.
Winter Parking
Crossing onto the grass parking on the right of the track is getting quite boggy now.
A few slabs have been dropped down to help, but if there has been a lot of rain, please use the slabs on the left. We do not want to chew the grass up.
We can of course park by the gate if parking is short. Just leave room for people to get by.
Electric Fence
The cows have now gone from the field until April / May next year, so the electric fence has been removed for the winter.
Working Party
We will be looking to get a working party together to move some slabs about for parking cars and the mower, and add some rubble around the track. (We have already had one visit with a trailer full of half bricks)
We will put a date out on WhatsApp.
If you have any rubble or slabs to get rid of, then please bring them upto the patch. (No broken tiles please as they are sharp and can puncture tyres)
Hope to see you on 12th January meal at the Nailers Arms, Doctors Hill, B61 9JE
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
November 2021 Newsletter
Next Years Fees:
A couple of months ago, we voted as a club to purchase ride on mower, and keep any BMFC fee increases to a minimum. As discussed at the proposal, the BMFC club fees for next year will be £70 for the year.
The BMFA fees will probably be the same (£38/pa) or a couple of pounds more for this year, but we are waiting to see what is voted through at their AGM on 20th November.
Don’t forget to go on-line to renew your CAA membership. (Was £9 last year) You should get a reminder e-mail from them or the BMFA.
We will let you know what the total fees due as soon as we know, along with the usual payment details.
AGM
We will be holding the AGM at The Bowling Green on 1st December. We are looking to supply a ham or cheese roll and chips on the night for those who can make it.
If you are going to attend can you could please text Richard with your Name and your preference of Cheese or Ham please. (Richard 07917 232673)
There will be the reports and election of new committee members etc.
If you have any points you would like to discuss at the meeting. Please let Ricardo or any member of the committee know and we will add them to the agenda.
New Year Meal.
On Wednesday 12th January 2022, we will be having our traditional cavery meal at the Nailors Arms , Doctors Hill.
For members the cost for a carvery meal will be £5 and for non-members £10. (Carvery only)
You can have a sweet but this will be down to individual members to purchase the sweet of your choice.
If you are going to attend the winter meal, please let Alan Brown know via e-mail or text.
We will need to give the Nailors an idea of the numbers attending.
Alan Phone 07875 866535 email earthtoalan@hotmail.co.uk
As usual you can add the cost of the meal to the fees paid in December.
Curry Night at the Shimla Peppers , Bromsgrove
Just a reminder… Wednesday 17th November at 7:00pm.
Have you booked with Richard? It’s a good evening with great food.
For those who have not been before…
Shimla Peppers is in Bromsgrove centre. Parking is on Morrisons car park and is free after 7:00pm.
You then walk through the ally way at the back left of the car park, and follow the buildings to the left and left at the end of the block.
The food is very good, order what you like and we split the bill. Cost is (was) about £16 per head with a tip left. You will not leave hungry!
Bring your own favourite tipple as they only serve soft drinks.
Club night (AGM + cheese/ham cob + chips) will be on Wednesday 1st December:
See you soon “Up the patch” …..
Alan Brown & The Committee
October 2021 Newsletter
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September 2021 Newsletter
No Newsletter
August 2021 Newsletter
New Members:
We have no less than 5 new members to Welcome this month..
Graham Campbell , Rob Pinches , Phil Williams , Richard Giles and Tim Walsh.
Be sure to say Hi when you see them up at the patch, and give them the usual Bromsgrove welcome.
An Extra General Meeting is to be held via ZOOM at 8:00pm on Wednesday 15th September to discuss mowing options:
It is to discuss with you all a couple of options for the long term mowing the strip…
We will need your input to discuss and decide which of the options the membership want to employ.
We hope you can join us on the night. It should not be too long a meeting.
An email with the Zoom meeting link will be sent out with a reminder nearer the time…
All Day Fly Number 2.
What a fantastic days flying. We were very lucky and dodged all the rain. Although we did see quite a few heavy showers passing through to the south of us…
A BIG THANKYOU to all those that make the day run so well and keep us so well fed.
A special mention to Stewart Worrall’s and Keith Ward’s other halves who made cakes for us.
I’m not sure about anyone else but I had a fab days flying and didn’t want very much in the way of tea when I got home!
Don’t forget to go and look at the photographs of the day on the web site… click the link below and head to the gallery..
www.bromsgrovemodelflyingclub.org.uk
No move Track and Trace after 16th August:–
With the end of restrictions on August 16th we will no longer be required to fill in the track and trace details on the WhatsApp group.
Club night as usual on Wednesday 1st September:
We had a decent number of members turn up at The Bowling Green pub for the August meeting. (Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, B60 4BH) The beer is great and the food is just as tasty, Annnnd we are indoors now. Come on down and have a pint and a chin wag ..
Happy and Safe Flying.. See you soon “Up the patch”…..
Alan Brown & The Committee
July 2021 Newsletter
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June 2021 Newsletter
No Newsletter
May 2021 Newsletter
All Day Fly Number #1:
As COVID rules are relaxing, we can at last put on a BBQ and all day fly. To ensure that the silage has been taken, and that we miss bank holidays, ..the date is set for 5th June.
We will postpone by 1 week if the weather does not play ball. The usual GO / NO GO decision will be made on the Friday before and an email / text will be sent out.
Field Parking:-
The parking is working very well and we have had some very good turn outs with 20+ cars parked with plenty of room to spare.
Electric Fence:-
As you are probably aware the cows are now out in the parking field and the electric fence is in place.
There are insulated handles for removing / reconnecting the wires.
As soon as the wires are separated the handles and wire are no longer live.
When re-connecting the hooks MUST be attached to the wires , NOT the plastic insulators.
It is a public footpath of course, and as such the public will also have to pass through the fence.
This is perfectly legal, as long as signs are displayed. We should however try and ensure that the fence is put back and working properly if we are around, and when we leave.
Mowing:-
The mowing team have got the field into great flying condition. (Well done lads)
We have taken the decision to try and continue doing our own mowing for now, and anyone who fancies a bit of healthy exercise and would like to help, can join the mowing What Sapp group. We do have a couple of mowers, but any additional ones would help speed up the process.
CAA and Operator-ID’s
I would like to remind everyone that to fly “Legally” all members must have and display a CAA Operator ID on all of their flying models. Below is a quote from Andy Symons of the BMFA.
“From an insurance perspective, cover can only be fully assured for ‘lawful activities’ and if a member does not comply (if required by law) then they will be operating unlawfully, and their insurance cover could be in question in the event of a claim. Your code of flying states ‘It is a club requirement that you are registered with the CAA for DMARES (Drone, Model Aircraft Registration and Education Scheme).’ In my view any member knowingly operating unlawfully is in breach of your club requirements, setting himself outside the insurance and is committing at the very least misconduct and potentially gross misconduct and something that the club should use its disciplinary procedures to deal with. “
Below is Clause 11 from the Bromsgrove Flying Club Constitution..
All members are expected to co-operate in the smooth running of the Club and to fully comply with the Club Code of Flying. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the Club which may lead to dismissal.
PLEASE ensure that you have renewed with the CAA and that you display your CAA Number on your flying aircraft.. Stay legal… We will be checking.
Noise and Flying:
Please ensure that your planes are in good condition, and if they sound noisy, please don’t fly them.
We do not want to hear about noisy planes from our neighbours.
Do not stray too far away. No more than the 3rd hedge, in front of the flight line.
No more Bubbles or Pods!
From May 17th we just need a Who, date and times for the track and trace group. We don’t need your bubble or pod.
The Task Force
The task force is busy following up some hot leads, and we hope to have some news soon..
See you at the ADF.. We are long overdue a burger and fly..
Alan Brown & The Committee
April 2021 Newsletter
No Newsletter
March 2021 Newsletter
No Newsletter
February 2021 Newsletter
No Newsletter
January 2021 Newsletter
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