BMFA, Clubs, FPV and all that

[Arrowfish]

Hi All, Just wondering what if any has been your involvement with flying clubs.
To put a bit of meat to the question, I';ve had my TBS Disco for a year now and when I first started looking into the whole build and flying FPV I asked to join some clubs. After reading forums it seemed like a solid idea to get involved with a club so I could meet people who had experience with model flying so I would have a safe environment to learn this new skill.
I approached three clubs in my local area stating what I was flying and how. Two responded along the lines that FPV was the work of satan  :evil and that I should politely get lost... The third just didn';t respond.
I have to admit I';m not a great club';y person anyway but how are us FPV flying quad types supposed to function if the crowd won';t let us play.
As with the great majority of FPV';ing quads I find somewhere I';d like to fly and get on with it these days, I make sure I';m not overflying people and property and generally don';t go over 150 ft.
The BMFA';s web page has the usual statement about promotion of the hobby in all its forms and inclusion. I have to say that my experience has been of exclusion..
Sorry for the rant but let me know your thoughts...   

[dirtyharry]

I found the opposite to be honest. There are some "grumpy old men" in my local club but equally theres plenty of  guys who show a genuine interest in fpv/ multicopters. You have to remember it is a group of random people that do it for fun , so your going to get a mixed bag of folk and its not going to be run like a profit making  business.

One big problem you have is that multirotors are pretty new to the scene and its hard to set up new rules/training for something that many don';t have experience of. Hope is on the horizon tho as I believe there is a new training guideline for multirotors about to be rolled out.

[Biffa]

This will be a mixed bag of replies.

Perhaps you should write to the BMFA about these three clubs and see what their response is (assuming of course the clubs are BMFA registered as not all are) especially seeing as the BMFA have recently jumped on the multi rotor/FPV bandwagon.

Kind of funny that the BMFA as a leading, governing body are interested but the old gits at grass roots level wont give you the time of day.

[flybywire]

There are three ';recognised'; clubs in my area, so I';m kind of spoiled for choice.  My beef with clubs is not so much do they want me?, as do I want them?  I don';t mean this in an arrogant or anti-social way, more a ';non-social'; way if you get my drift?  I have to say, in my dotage, that I';m not the most social person on God';s earth, plus the fact that when you don the gogg';s and fly fpv, the last thing you want is folk nattering on to you about Man Utd';s latest conquests, or the price of BT shares.

That being said, I was invited last week up to the club at Gumley, where they have a beautiful club house with all facilities, and fly both fixed wing and heli';s.  I did mention fpv/multi';s and I was told that another member regularly flies his multi "which has a camera on it", so it does sound tempting.
I must admit, it would be nice to fly totally legally for once, without having to keep watch for the happiness police.



Keep on rocking in the free world!

I had my tongue surgically removed from my cheek at birth. 
 

[flybywire]

Thinking on...
It brings to mind something that Orwell wrote back in the late forties, describing his perfect hostelry: 

"The architecture and fittings must be uncompromisingly Victorian.
Games, such as darts, are only played in the public bar so that in other bars you can walk about without the worry of flying darts.
The pub is quiet enough to talk, with the house possessing neither a radio nor a piano.
The barmaids know the customers by name and take an interest in everyone.
It sells tobacco and cigarettes, aspirins and stamps, and lets you use the phone.
"[...] there is a snack counter where you can get liver-sausage sandwiches, mussels (a speciality of the house), cheese, pickles and [...] large biscuits with caraway seeds [...]."
"Upstairs, six days a week, you can get a good, solid lunch -- for example, a cut off the joint, two vegetables and boiled jam roll—for about three shillings."
"[...] a creamy sort of draught stout [...], and it goes better in a pewter pot."
"They are particular about their drinking vessels at "The Moon Under Water" and never, for example, make the mistake of serving a pint of beer in a handleless glass. Apart from glass and pewter mugs, they have some of those pleasant strawberry-pink china ones. [...] but in my opinion beer tastes better out of china."
"[...] You go through a narrow passage leading out of the saloon, and find yourself in a fairly large garden [...] Many as are the virtues of the Moon Under Water I think that the garden is its best feature, because it allows whole families to go there instead of Mum having to stay at home and mind the baby while Dad goes out alone."

He goes on to ask:

"And if anyone knows of a pub that has draught stout, open fires, cheap meals, a garden, motherly barmaids and no radio, I should be glad to hear of it, even though its name were something as prosaic as the Red Lion or the Railway Arms".

Excerpt from ';The Moon Underwater'; by George Orwell (Evening Standard Feb 9th 1946).

I rest my case. 

[Arrowfish]

A mixed bag of reply';s is what I was expecting, which is good.
I agree with Flybywire';s sentiments, it just struck me that since the majority of the ';OLD Crowd'; have taken umbrage to FPV that they may wish to help rain in the Trappy';s of this world.

I look forward to anymore thoughts. 

[flybywire]

I guess that with the invention of the internet, hobbies like multi-rotors/fpv etc have become global interests, with a virtual live daily feed of events, from the mundane to the headline grabbing.  Those of us that can remember a world before the digital revolution may have dim memories of ';closed shop'; clubs, usually with one or two matriarchal figures who ruled the roost, breathing fire, brimstone and treacle on all who transgressed.
I';m sure there must be a more widespread acceptance of multi';s/fpv today, surely TG?



Andy

P.S I';m trying to picture how the fellows of my old club would react to the above topic.  In fairness to them, although they were an opinionated bunch (as I';m not of course  ) I think they all shared a genuine common interest in anything that could fly, whether it be pukka 6 channel pits specials, or flying bed-steads.
Come back Vince, all is forgiven & forgotten..

[Rocket_Col]

I had the same idea, join a club and get some wisdom from them. All BMFA clubs off the site
all local to me, emailed all 3 asking about joining and using a quad/hex with FPV.........
Nothing, not a thing, sent with read reciept so i know someone read it.
Dont know what the problem is.
Just fly on my own in the hills now.

[Wireless]

I';ve had mixed experiences with clubs, some good, some bad.

The first time I took my helicopter to my local club was donkeys years ago and I was the only rotary pilot there. They were a bunch of fuddy-duddies and took one look at my "hydraulic palmtree" and declared it the work of evil, that little babies would die and then the sky would fall in so I set about getting them on my side.

Not really, but they had a list of excuses as long as your arm why they didn';t want me flying. Apparently they are too noisy, clog up the circuit, cause accidents and are too unreliable. I persuaded them to let me at least demo it (Raptor 30 v2) and they agreed to let me have a few flights that day provided I gave them warning. I worked the circuit like a fixed wing, flew with moderation and the helicopter worked flawlessly. I think I ran three or four tanks of fuel through it by the day';s end. I went away with them still not wanting helicopters, but perhaps more interestingly, of the five people at the field that day I was the only one not to have an accident...

My tip would be find a good club that wants you as a member. They do exist, you just might have to travel a bit...

[Arrowfish]

I think they all shared a genuine common interest in anything that could fly, whether it be pukka 6 channel pits specials, or flying bed-steads.

Yes, an interest in anything that could fly! That';s what I thought would be the attitude but I am naïve it seems, but not alone as it Rocket_Col has had a similar experience.

[hotrodspike]

As Groucho Marx once said " I wouldn';t want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member"  ::)

[Soul]

I tried my local club but came away with the impression that it was mostly geared towards fixed wing. Apparently only 4 people could fly at once (fixed wing) but only 1 heli/multi, so everyone had to stop to let 1 guy fly (and they had to use a certain part of the field). All seemed too restrictive to me....

[Biffa]

All seemed too restrictive to me....

I think that is what puts the majority of people off.

As much as I would love to fly with like minded people I love just stuffing a multi or foamy in the car (or even just walking over the road) and having a quick fly.

I could think of nothing worse than queuing up to take turns or being made to buddy up until deemed worthy to fly solo and having to pay for the privilege!

[FlyinMarty]

Guess I';m lucky I at a club that is purely helis - I then got my telsaquad and shortly after some else got a phantom.

We are a small club and every member is "on the board" - as long as it';s not fixed wing (a restriction placed by the land owner) everyone is happy.  Guess this is different to most clubs, as I said i seem to be lucky.

[guest325]

I tried my local club but came away with the impression that it was mostly geared towards fixed wing. Apparently only 4 people could fly at once (fixed wing) but only 1 heli/multi, so everyone had to stop to let 1 guy fly (and they had to use a certain part of the field). All seemed too restrictive to me....

Same af our club but fortunately for me they do a lot of standing rattling - so obviously I take advantage of this  very often I';m the one who gets through the most batteries by quite a margin  If anyone complains guess what my response is..... 

[miniconverter]

If your in South Yorkshire your welcome to join us, we fly anything (including aerosols in the fire) 7 days a week 24 hours a day 365 days a year. As long as you don';t do anything dangerously stupid (that';s my job) you can do what you like as many in the air as you like but the most I think there';s ever been is 5 no restrictions on air space and no requirement for everyone to go round and round in the same direction. If for any reason you need clear airspace there is more than plenty of time as its only a small club.

We also have a bit of a hut with a log burner and a chain saw and enough wood to last till the next millennium. Everyone is friendly but we do tend to take the pi55 a bit so if easily offended best to look else where.

Also don';t insist on BMFA qualifications just show
us you can fly and away you go feel you need help just ask and there is plenty available but to be fair non for multirotors yet but I am working on it.

[Soul]

Sounds like the type of club I';m after. Shame you';re a bit far

[kilby]

Out club started with me as the only quad flyer (and one commercial quad pilot who flew planks for fun).

Now everybody has a quad for indoor flight and there are a few bigger ones too.

Everybody is friendly and will definitely take the pi$$ the help pilots will also make a return when the weather gets better

No snobbery about what';s flown and it';s all electric.

Of course it did take a while to educate them