Shillito Wood Model Flying Group – Operational Guidelines v1.1 06092017

Background

Model aircraft flyers have been using the field for over 20 years and until recently any prospective

new member was only admitted if they could convince the existing members that they were already a

competent and experienced flyer. No learners or anyone who might require instruction or

supervision! This information is imparted to explain why the group have been able to use the field in

just about any wind direction whilst (nearly) always managing with a single car parking area.

The huge advantage of simplicity of that arrangement is now lost as we have created two additional

parking areas to cater for flyers with more diverse levels of experience.

This document has as its objective that of attempting to ensure that the now more complex site is

operated safely and considerately. This will require the cooperation of everyone using the field.

If this proves to be unworkable the operation will have to be re-simplified.

British Model Flying Association Rules

The rules and guidelines published by the BMFA in their current members handbook form the

foundation of the Safety Policy of the Shillito Model Flying Group flying (SWMFG) site and all flyers

using the site are expected to have read those parts which relate to their flying discipline(s) and to

comply with them. The SWMFG guidelines should be read in conjunction with these but where there

is conflict between the two the SWMFG guideline will prevail.

Who can fly? When?

Current Members of the SWMFG and those current members of The Sheffield Society of

Aeromodellers (SSA) who have given that club’s secretary a copy of their current BMFA Insurance

Certificate. The farmer requires a copy of the current insurance certificate for all flyers using the field

therefore that precludes ‘guest flyers’.

Solo - Flyers who have demonstrated to SWMFG or SSA officers that they have reached a suitably safe

standard (that required to qualify for the BMFA ‘A’ Certificate). This status is not transferable to any

other site.

BMFA Examiners, and flyers’ holding BMFA ‘A’ or ‘B’ Certificates.

Dual - Members who have not reached solo standard. These pilots must fly only under the supervision

of an approved Instructor or Supervisor.

Instructors / Supervisors

Specific individuals are nominated as Instructors or Supervisors in the belief that they are competent

to safely provide instruction in ‘ground’ subjects as well as the flying of model aircraft.

There are currently no restrictions on flying days or times.

What?

Radio controlled aircraft of all types. No control line, free flight or rocket models.

How?

Safety Officer (if appointed). All pilots must heed the advice and/or instructions of the Safety Officer

or his nominated deputy. That role is to ensure that the flying operation has been set up and

continues safely and to instigate change if local factors change such that the operation has become

unsafe.

If a Safety Officer is not on the flying field and 3 or more flyers are present, those flyers present must

nominate a Safety Officer or who will have the same powers and responsibilities as the official Safety

Officer.

If no flyer present under these circumstances is prepared to take on these duties then all flyers

present will be deemed to have accepted the responsibility of Safety Officer.

The Pilot in Command is responsible for ensuring that the aircraft and all associated equipment is fit

for flight, that the meteorological conditions are suitable and the pilot’s skills match the

requirements of the aircraft and the environment. The Pilot in Command is the pilot if flying solo,

and the Instructor or Supervisor if the flyer is flying under instruction or supervision. Members who

are not approved Instructors or Supervisors must not provide flight instruction. The role of an

Instructor or Supervisor includes the need to monitor the progress of the flight, to anticipate the

potential consequences of deteriorating performance of the aircraft and / or its pilot and take such

action as required to ensure that the flight concludes safely. If a buddy lead system is not in use and

the Instructor or Supervisor asks for the transmitter the trainee will relinquish that immediately and

without resistance. Instructors / Supervisors have the disadvantage that they usually don’t know what

a trainee is thinking, or even if they’re thinking at all and it is always helpful if trainees can give a

running commentary on what they are doing and what is being planned for the next stage of the

flight.

Landings and Take-offs should, wherever possible, be into the prevailing wind, “taking off” and

“landing” should be called by the pilot in command of the model. All take-offs will be commenced

from a point upwind of all pilots and spectators. Those present are responsible for ensuring that the

car park, pits, pilots and spectators are positioned such that they are in no danger from aircraft

landing or taking off.

Rotary winged and fixed wing aircraft must not be in the air at the same time.

Aircraft must be operated and flown in such a manner as to avoid any reasonably foreseeable

possibility of danger to any person, animal or property.

Where?

Flying over the active car park, pits, pilots, spectators or the Shillito Wood Public Car Park is

prohibited and overflying Shillito Wood should be avoided. If overflying the Wood cannot be avoided

then pilots must have due regard for the safety of people, animals and property in the Wood and for

the real and/or perceived threat and/or nuisance that the intrusion of a model aircraft can represent.

Part of this document includes an aerial picture of the site and superimposed on that is information

relating to the operation with the wind in its common, prevailing, direction. It also shows various

parking areas.

The BMFA Handbook lays out detail relating to the setting up of a flying site and flyers should be able

to relate that to any flying site they use and therefore be able to work out where to park if the wind is

not in or close to the ‘prevailing’ direction. Flyers are required to read and understand those

principles.

At the risk of being accused of being patronising also included is a diagram which attempts to convey

the theory in pictorial form. One of the first things that becomes apparent is that the various parking

options do not always fit exactly with the theoretical process. Remember however that no parked

cars, pits, or people should be upwind of the line for the Runway Threshold being used. Remember

that the entire flying area is available for use and if that is required for larger aircraft the operation

will have to be setup to cater for that.

On the plan, it should be obvious that whilst parking areas 2 best fit the theory, area 3 certainly does

not as take-offs will be almost overflying it, but we will use area 1 as it’s the biggest and still safe.

If the wind is from the south we’ll continue to park in Area 1 but will move the Runway threshold

anticlockwise round the circle and the Pilots’ flight line with it. Pilots will take off and land into wind

but the landing approach line will remain in the same direction as shown but with a ‘dog leg’ (slight

left turn in this case) on short finals to land into wind

The small version fits the circle on the main diagram and some may find it useful to cut it out and put

it on the main plan and try various wind directions. Others may not but whatever method you use try

to identify the correct parking area when you arrive because subsequent arrivals will park beside your

car and having to get 10 cars and contents subsequently moved will cause much wailing and gnashing

of teeth!