1) Name The name of the club shall be the Kestrels
Model Flying Club.
2) Objects The aims of the club shall be :-
a) to provide facilities for the sport of model aircraft flying.
b) to assist members to improve their standard of building and flying
and to require strict observance of all rules in the interests of safety.
c) to encourage club social activities.
d) to abide by and promote the national policies and rules of the
governing body for the sport by affiliation to the British Model Flying Association
(BMFA).
3) Membership
a) ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP - There shall be two classes of Ordinary
Membership, viz. SENIOR and JUNIOR. Persons seeking membership who are 18 or over on the
date of application for membership shall be required to join as SENIOR. Those under the
age of 18 on the date of application or renewal may join as JUNIOR members.
b) HONORARY MEMBERSHIP - Honorary Membership shall be conferred at the
discretion of the Committee.
c) The number of members admitted to the Club has a limit of 50.
d) New members who are not existing members of the BMFA
will be required to join the BMFA as a condition of membership of the Club.
e) All persons joining the club agree to be bound by the terms of the
Club Constitution.
4) Subscriptions
a) The amount of the annual subscriptions shall be determined at the
Annual General Meeting.
b) The annual subscriptions (plus BMFA fees where due) shall be payable
on the last meeting in December and shall cover the membership for the next calendar year.
c) Membership not renewed by February 1 shall be deemed to have lapsed
and an additional "rejoining fee" may be levied.
d) On payment of the fees the Club will obtain and distribute the
members BMFA Card and Certificate of Insurance which is required by all members flying
under club rules.
5) Officials
The Officials of the club shall be the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and Safety Officer.
Other than the Chairman, posts may be combined subject to agreement at the AGM. All
officials shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.
6) Committee
a) The business of the Club shall be managed by the Committee which
shall consist of the four Officials.
b) The Committee shall have the authority at their discretion to co-opt
up to a further 2 members for specific duties.
c) Any new posts filled by co-opted members shall be submitted to the
next AGM for ratification if they are required to continue.
d) The Committee shall be responsible for the production and
maintenance of Club "Flying Rules" which shall be binding on all members
operating on any site being used officially by the Club.
e) BYE - LAWS - The Committee, during their term of office, may vary
the "Flying Rules" at their discretion and may also pass Bye - laws relating to
other aspects of the Club's activities. Any such variations and bye - laws to be ratified
at the next Annual General Meeting.
f) QUORUM - A quorum of any Committee meeting shall consist of a simple
majority of the Committee members, including co-opted members.
g) Frequency of Committee meetings - the Committee shall meet not less
than twice per year.
h) INDEMNITY - If a Committee member engages or becomes involved in
Court Proceedings, whether Criminal or civil, in his representative capacity on behalf of
the club as opposed to his capacity as a private individual notwithstanding that he is
taking part in Club activities but in circumstances where it would be unreasonable for the
Club as a whole to ratify his actions, then in the former instance i.e. in his
representative capacity the Club will indemnify the Committee member against any fines or
damages or costs awarded against the Committee member. In the event of a Committee member
being awarded damages or costs in the course of proceedings taken by him in his
representative capacity then such damages or costs will become the property of the Club
and not the Committee member personally, and forthwith upon receipt by the Committee
member that Committee member will pay them to the Club Treasurer.
7) Annual General Meeting
a) an Annual General Meeting shall be held each year for which 14 days
notice shall be given. The meeting shall consider the reports of the Chairman, Treasurer,
and Safety Officer, and shall elect the Officials for the ensuing year.
b) Any rule changes, new bye - laws or Committee co-options shall be
submitted to the members for ratification at the Annual General Meeting.
c) VOTING - Each Ordinary Member shall be entitled to one vote and in
the event of an equal number of votes being cast for and against any proposition or
amendment then the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote .
8) Finance
a) AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS - An Accounts Examiner (not an Official of the
club) shall be appointed for the ensuing year at the Annual General Meeting. A financial
statement duly signed by the Accounts Examiner shall be presented to the membership at the
following Annual General Meeting.
b) BANKING - The Funds of the Club shall be lodged in Bank Accounts
approved by the Committee.
c) WITHDRAWAL OF FUNDS - Money may be drawn from the Club's accounts
against the signatures of the Treasurer and Secretary, or other combination of Official's
signatures as agreed by the Committee.
9) Flying rules
a) The "FLYING RULES" shall apply to all Club members while
operating on any site officially approved and recognised by the Club for Club flying.
b) The official Club site comprises the nominated field at Muckross,
Kesh. (The particular field may be changed at some time to suit the requirements of the
Landowner, and on certain days of the year an alternative field may be made available
while the nominated field is put to other use.)
c) Over flying of buildings, roads and houses is not permitted.
d) All flying should be in accordance with the general rules laid down
in the BMFA Members Handbook.
e) There are no restrictions on flying days and times, (except for the
occasional days mentioned in 9b) above. Should any outside circumstances cause new
restrictions to arise then members will be notified to as soon as possible.
f) In accordance with BMFA Rules only pilots holding a "B"
Certificate are permitted to fly at demonstrations organised by the Club at other sites.
g) BMFA Insurance is mandatory for Club Members.
h) Club members are required to meet any statutory (and BMFA)
requirements relating to the use of radio for the remote control of models. The use of
radio control on 27 megs is at present allowable.
i) The control of the allocation of frequencies for model flying shall
be by means of numbered FREQUENCY PEGS and a FREQUENCY BOARD. Each transmitter shall be
equipped with a peg showing its frequency Number. No transmitter is to be switched until
the correct peg has been obtained from the board. Members are also required to check the
frequency in use with the frequency scanner on the board.
j) At the present time there are no restrictions on the types of models
permitted to fly on the Club Field other than those not covered by the BMFA insurance
policy.
k) Members must not fly in such a manner that is likely to endanger
other members or persons around the flying site.
l) A pilot intending to land should clearly call "Landing",
giving time for others to clear the area and to warn anyone intending to use the area to
take off. Pilots involved in "dead stick" landings as a result of engine failure
shall have priority for landing over all other airborne Radio Controlled models.
"Dead Stick landing" should be called clearly by the pilot.
m) Models developing faults in the air should be landed immediately.
n) Members shall be responsible for the conduct of any guests whom they
bring to the Club site.
o) No car parking is allowed near the flight line.
p) Any behaviour by a Club member which is prejudicial to the continued
use of the Club's facilities, or is in deliberate contravention of the Flying Rules, or is
offensive towards Club members or guests will be considered by the Committee and may
result in the expulsion of the offender from the Club.
q) The "Flying Rules" shall be subject to annual review and
ratification at the Annual General Meeting.
10) Guide On Caring For Junior Members
a) A Junior Member is defined as being under 18 year of age.
b) A responsible adult is defined as a senior
member or parent/guardian who has the experience commensurate with the type and degree of
supervision required.
c) Junior members must be supervised at all
times by a responsible adult. The level of supervision is to be commensurate with the
junior’s age, maturity, capabilities and levels of experience.
d) Junior members under the age of 14 years
shall not start an engine or carry a model with the engine running unless they are
supervised by a responsible adult.
e) No junior member shall fly a model aircraft
unless supervised by a responsible adult who holds the minimum of a BMFA Achievement
Scheme “A” Certificate or the junior member holds a “A” Certificate
and has been authorised to do so by the Club Committee.
f) No senior member is to be expected to
assume responsibility for a junior member unless he/she has been specifically requested to
do so by the junior member’s parent/guardian. If required to do so, he/she is to
assume complete and total responsibility for the junior member whilst he/she is in charge.
g) Notwithstanding the requirements of
Paragraph f), should a member discover a junior member is unsupervised he/she must assume
responsibility for the junior member’s safety in the first instance. The situation
should then be rectified as soon as possible by seeking out the junior member’s a
parent/guardian/nominated supervisor. Any instance of such an occurrence is to be reported
to the Committee as soon as possible.
h) Whilst supervising junior members, senior
members should be aware of the requirements of the Children Act (1989) and avoid placing
themselves in the position that could be open to misinterpretation or question. A leaflet
giving advice is available from the BMFA Leicester Office or from the Club Secretary.
i) The Club does not undertake to
supervise junior members other than for the actual act of model aircraft flying and
associated pre-flight and post-flight procedures, unless specifically arranged. The
activities at the flying site do not finish at a regular time and it is therefore the
parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure the well being of the child over and above
arranging a predetermined collection time. Should a parent/guardian wish to leave their
child at the flying site, it is their responsibility to arrange for one of the senior
members to supervise him/her during their absence.Parent/guardians are required to study
carefully the Club rules relating to junior members. A membership form must be
countersigned by the parent/guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age, thereby
signifying that they accept the conditions of junior membership.
11) Winding up.
In the event that circumstances arise (such as lack of members, no suitable flying field,
change in legislation, or other factors beyond the control of the Committee or the
Members), which would cause the Club to cease its activities then an Extraordinary General
Meeting shall be called.
14 days notice of this meeting shall be given to all remaining paid up
Members.
The meeting shall consider the situation and if a simple majority of those present are in
favour of winding up then the Club will immediately cease its activities.
After all outstanding liabilities have been settled the balance of funds remaining are to
be donated to a Charity, which is acceptable to the majority of the Members attending the
Extraordinary General Meeting.
