CHESTER MODEL FLYING CLUB

SAFETY POLICY AND RULES

SECOND EDITION, JULY 2008

1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES

To provide, in addition to Club Rules and the BMFA Members’ Handbook, an advisory document covering recommended aspects of safety.

2. SAFETY OFFICER

A Safety Officer, appointed by the Club, has responsibility for:

i) Producing working documents.

ii) Setting out a safety programme with which all flying members should comply.

3. OPERATIONAL GUIDE

3.1 GENERAL

Members should have read and be thoroughly aware of the recommendations on all aspects of model flying given in the BMFA MEMBERS’ HANDBOOK.

 3.2 FLYING R/C MODELS

i) In the event of low flying aircraft approaching the flying site, members should take avoiding action.

ii) All flyers should observe the method of frequency control in use on the day. This may take the form of a peg board, a log of frequencies or, when few fliers are present, liaison between flyers.

iii) Inexperienced pilots should not fly without an experienced helper.

iv) So as to avoid mid-air collisions, pilots should never cross silhouettes with another model unless they are absolutely certain that there is separation distance.

4. I/C POWER MODELS

Pilots should ensure/check the following:

• That the model/engine/propeller combination has been satisfactorily noise tested with the engine set to deliver its maximum power and the test results have been logged by the Club noise tester.
• That no more than 3 i/c models will be airborne at any time.

5. FLYING SESSION CHECK

On leaving the flying field, all gates should be left as you found them. i.e. open if found open and shut if found shut.

6. INDOOR FLYING

Note that most of the precautions in the BMFA Members’ Handbook for outdoor flying apply also to indoor flying. When flying takes place in locations other than the Clubroom, the Committee appoints a Duty Pilot who has responsibility for drawing up safety and operational rules for the specific event.

This document cancels and supersedes the First Edition dated February 1994.