Whether you’re looking to learn the basics of flight, are ready for your A-certificate, or want to learn more advanced skills, you’ll find someone willing to help you.
The BMAC Approach to Training (see the link below) describes the Club’s training arrangements and tells you what your training is likely to include.
Whether you are a Member new to the hobby or one of many BMAC Members who would like to advance their flying, the Club aims to help. The first step is to obtain an appropriate aircraft and equipment, so read our Buying Guide and ask before you buy! Then the challenge is to learn to handle and fly aircraft safely and advance to the stage of solo flying. However, the Club is also keen to assist you in advancing beyond that stage, whether to achieve the BMFA ‘B Certificate’ or to advance in other areas such as aerobatics or scale flying.
Buying Guide - Click here
Basic Training
In order to fly at the BMAC, people must be supervised until they achieve the BMFA ‘A Certificate’. We use a system of ’Instruction’ and ‘Supervision’ to help Members to progress to that stage.
The following links provide a description of the Club’s Approach to Training as well as a ‘Pilot Log and Route Map’ and a more comprehensive ‘Training Guide’ to the different training stages that lead up to the A-certificate standard.
BMAC Approach to Training
Pilot Log - Click here
Training Guide - Click here
Training Patterns - Click here
Instructors' Notes - Click here
If you want to receive training at the Club. please read the ‘Aproach’ paper and print the Pilot Log and Route Map to keep with you when at the field. Ask your instructor or supervisor to update this after each flying session. The Training guide is very comprehensive – you may wish to read that as well but, bear in mind that it is intended as a framework to cover the things that must be learned Different instructors may vary their approach a bit. This is why the pilot log is so useful as any instructor can see what is needed next.
Not sure who to ask to instruct you? You may find the following guidance helpful.
How to find your instructor - Click here
Getting in touch
Ideally, you can get to meet Instructors and Supervisors at the field. Once in touch, you can then exchange contact details. You may find that you need to use the help of more than one instructor because of your own and the Instructors’availability, so don’t feel tied to one instructor only. If you are having difficulty contacting an Instructor, e-mail your interest to basingstokeaero@gmail.com and we will try and help you.
The Whatsapp Training Group: once you have started your training program you should join the above group. Instructors, students and some supervisors will use the group to let people know when they will be at the field. It can also be used to ask if anyone will be at the field for training. This is all that the group is used for, so it does not get cluttered with general chat.
You can join the group by asking Jason, the Membership Secretary, to add you to it, either by speaking to him or by mailing basingstokeaero@gmail.com
Before you set out
It is important that your model is in good flying condition before you start to fly. Before each session, and before each flight, your instructor will help you to check the model. However, to avoid time wasted at the field, please look at the following check list and go through these checks before you leave home and recitfy any problems that you find.
Aircraft Check List - Click here
Beyond the A Certificate
For those that wish to progress further, the BMFA ‘B Certificate’ is a good goal. It requires a greater range of flying manoeuvres and greater flying accuracy than the A cert and is usually done with a slightly more advanced model than the basic trainer. Apart from the sense of personal achievement, the B-Certificate is often used to show sufficient competence to participate in some competitions and displays.
The Club has a number of BMFA Examiners and several Instructors experienced enough to provide guidance on preparation for the B Certificate. Here again, if you wish to prepare for this test, speak to some of the Instructors and/or Examiners for advice. Even better, get together with a couple of others who are also preparing and form a self-help group, still with guidance where needed from the Instructors. The following provides a few tips for those preparing for the B-Certificate.
Tips for B-Certificate - Click here
Club Instructors
Post-Covid, the Club is in the process of revising arrangements with Club Instructors. Those listed below form the current Instructor team and others are currently being recruited. You may make arrangments with instructors and supervisors by personal contact, but if you have difficulty, please use the e-mail address listed above and the Committee will try and help you to get started.
Note that our Club examiners can perform fixed wing A-Cert and B-Cert tests as well as multi-rotor and Heli A-Cert tests.
We hope to have an improved method of individual contact soon, but the best method will always be to visit the field and speak to people face to face.
