Does your club welcome multirotor flying?

[trebor]

There's a few quad flyers at our club, we wait for fixed wings to land and fly when it's quiet with no problems. But there is always one cant say too much we will go out when it's quiet start flying and this idiot will come out afterwards and fly fixed wing at the same time forcing us off. Planes were here first attitude I think, he wouldn't wait for us to finish even if it's just 5mins. 

Edited By trebor on 23/12/2017 08:42:35

[Engine Doctor]

No problem with  Heli, multi rotor and fixed wing .every discipline welcome apart from turbines .All pilots stand close enough together so as to be able to speak to one another. If a fixed wing wants to take off or land then the multi rotor move their hover away into the field leaving runway clear ,similar scenario if a MR or Heli want to take off or land. Club doesn't encourage any cliques and everyone gets on with having fun with safety being paramount.

[Martin McIntosh]

My club has about three other members who fly quads and also fixed wing. They are very good at it. I have a few quads but other than test flights there I have really only flown them in Corfu. The guys in the club do not try to fly them other than when it is quiet in the week and never at the same time as fixed wing, but despite this the rest of the committee, of which I was a member until last month as safety officer, wanted to ban them just to get the things out of the way. I argued and won the case that just because you may not be interested in a new discipline you should not ban it. Quads of any sort are not now going to go away.

But, at the AGM one of the above nominated another member to take my place for reasons not specified. I promptly resigned my post and as a club examiner. That`s gratitude for you.

I shall now fly quads as and when I wish until told otherwise.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

We had a bad period as a club quite a few years ago, some hated helis with a passion, some flew helis very inconsiderately, rows every weekend n meetings were a nightmare, rules by the score came in, minimum distances etc etc etc, nothing worked. Times have changed for the better, fly what you want now and they do.

[Trevor Crook]

I put my vote in the third category as I've covered both clubs I'm in. One has set times when helis have priority, the other does not allow anything with powered rotors. This is a condition imposed by the MoD (it's their land) and our planning permission.

[Jungmeister]

At Holdfast Model Aero Club, we treat Multi-rotors like Helis. We have a dedicated area for hover practice, away from the fixed-wing flight line. Expert flyers may fly from the normal flight line but must conform with the circuit pattern in use and not get in the way of others. Usually commonsense prevails and Helicopters operate one at a time while fixed-wing takes a 10-minute break. We do not "Teach" Multi-rotor or Heli but can offer assistance with set-up. FPV (both fixed and rotary) must be under direct visual control at all times. This requires an observer. Australian MAAA and CASA rules are very strict but plenty of weird things happen off the field, causing complaints. CASA has a very proactive approach with publicity on the rules. I noticed today, Boxing Day, with the start of many sporting events including the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, that CASA has been on the radio with warnings about operating over public gatherings.

Post-Christmas, we expect an increase of visitors to our field who ignore the fact that it is a facility for Club Members only. Our approach is to invite them to join the Club and learn to fly fixed-wing (using our Club supplied training aircraft and Instructors) with the opportunity to set up their drones. We offer four visits free of charge. This sometimes works and we have gained Members as a result. However, the Club fees usually deter the casual drone flyers.