Guidelines

We'd prefer not to call them rules, but experience has taught us that if the following guidelines are stuck to by all members, visitors and guests we will all have a good time and enjoy our hobby.

Field Access

A few simple rules apply;
Drive on the track at all times! Don't take detour's cross country please.
Keep your vehicle speed down to 20 Kph MAX .

Fire Ban

The field will be closed for the duration of total fire ban declarations within the ACT.

Noise
The new BMAC field is noise sensitive and requires that ALL models are noise checked before flying . BMAC members are required to fill in the noise and structural form that is signed by another club member. Visitors are asked to have their models noise checked before flying.
The required noise limit is 96db at 3 meters. You will find this is easily obtainable by most current motor/prop combinations.

Safety in the Pits

We all need to conscious of safety in every aspect of our hobby, but it is perhaps in the pits that we should be extra vigilant as many accidents occur when starting and tuning our models.
Before anything.. confirm that your transmitter key is in the keyboard. If there are other flyers on your frequency, identify them and make yourself known to them. Share the slot with consideration. NEVER remove another flyers key from the board, even if you know that they are not flying. ALWAYS ask them politely if the slot is free and ask them to remove their key so you can fly.
Check and recheck your throttle position before starting. Modern well behaved motors will spring to life very quickly and if your throttle is set wide open (maybe you had a dead-stick landing previously and forgot to reduce throttle?) there is a good chance that your motor will go from stopped to flat-out in seconds... a potentially dangerous event if you are not ready for it...
Is your model adequately restrained before starting? It is a BMAC policy that a mechanical restraint be used. It can be as simple as a secured rope around the tail or use a restraint from the club house. Perhaps the best type of model restraint is a friendly hand. Having a fellow flyer hanging onto your model with both hands leaves you free to concentrate on starting the motor safely.
Don't run your motor full-chat in the pits. The danger of a blade flying off is very real and no-one wants to be in the vicinity of a 5 inch razor sharp plastic dagger spinning through the air at high speed. The most likely time for a prop to shed a blade is the first time your start the motor after an 'arrival' and the stress of a high speed run is when it will occur. Standard practice is to start your model in the pits with your model restrained and if you need to tune the motor, move out of the pits toward the flight line and point the nose of your model away from people. Tune there. (ps: some flyers are in the habit of holding their model nose-high while tuning, not a great idea as the danger band has just increased from the plane of your prop to 360 degrees around you!)
NEVER taxi your model in the pits. ALWAYS carry or roll it into and out of the pits area.

Flight Line Etiquette
The secret to a harmonious time on the flight line is simple. Communicate with your fellow pilots and everyone will know what is happening!
Before approaching the strip stop and use your eyes and ears. Do you know where all the currently airborne models are and what they are doing? It's the model that you haven't seen that is going to catch you unawares! Also, if someone is on landing approach or has maybe gone dead-stick they are not going to appreciate your barging in.

Before your model gets onto the strip (either by taxiing or by hand) announce your intentions to the other pilots on the flight line. Call "Take Off - Ok?", then wait until you have received acknowledgement from all before proceeding.
While flying, stand in the pilot’s box. It is designed so that all pilots are close together so they can communicate while flying and as protection from stray planes.
If you feel the need to fly low, let people know before you come buzzing past. A call of 'Low, left to right' (etc) will let your fellow pilots know what to expect and will give them a chance to clear the air (or to say 'Hang on!') before you come through.
A clear 'Landing' or 'Touch and Go' call will also let people know what to expect and to give you space.
A pilot who has called 'Landing' has right of way. No other aircraft should be in the vicinity of the strip while a landing is being conducted.
Similarly, if a pilot calls 'Dead Stick' they have immediate rights to the strip. Other airborne models should clear the strip area immediately.
Before venturing onto the strip to retrieve your model, again, call clearly and receive acknowledgement from other pilots. Make sure they understand you (or an assistant) is about to go onto the strip before leaving the pilots position.

CASA REGISTERED FLYING AREA
The airspace surrounding BMAC flying field is registered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for the operation of model aircraft. Under this registration model aircraft may be operated east of Gungahlin Drive within 600m of position S35o13.6’, E149o07.9’. The normal maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level applies. (See the Registered Flying Area map.)
FLYING ABOVE 400 FEET
Model aircraft may be operated up to 1,000 feet above ground level provided a clearance is obtained from the Canberra Tower. For operational reasons the Canberra Tower may not be able to grant a clearance or may need to cancel the clearance at short notice. Details of the procedure to obtain a clearance are set out on the Altitude Clearance Board at the club house.
Model aircraft MUST NOT exceed an altitude of 400 feet above ground unless a clearance is in place.
WEATHER RESTRICTIONS
Model aircraft may be operated only in daylight hours.
Model aircraft may be launched only when weather conditions that allow the entire flight of the model to be observed.
Model aircraft must remain 500 feet below the general level of any cloud base.
NOISE RESTRICTIONS
Before a model aircraft is flown at the BMAC site it must be noise tested by a BMAC committee member and certified that it complies with the BMAC noise limits. Models powered by internal combustion engines are restricted to the area south of the runway. Electric powered models and gliders may operate north of the runway.
SAFE OPERATION OF MODEL AIRCRAFT
Model aircraft must be operated in accordance with CASR 1998 Part 101 Subparts A, B, C and G, CASA Advisory Circular AC 101-3(0), MAAA Manual of Procedures and BMAC local rules. A model aircraft shall not be operated in a manner that creates a hazard to persons, property or manned aircraft. Model aircraft MUST NOT fly over the pit, club house or car park.
A through lookout of the surrounding airspace must be maintained prior to launching a model aircraft to ensure that no manned aircraft is operating in the vicinity. At all times it is the responsibility of model aircraft to avoid manned aircraft.
For safety reasons there is a 30m wide ‘safety clearance zone’ between the pit area and the runway. Three model start-up areas are located within the safety clearance zone. These are fitted with permanent model restraints and are to be used for starting models prior to flight. The start-up areas are not model parking spots. All models should normally be parked and prepared in the pit area.

GAS TURBINES NOT PERMITTED
The BMAC Crace Grassland flying field has a synthetic grass runway and synthetic grass taxiways. Gas turbines are NOT permitted on the synthetic grass.

LINKS TO DETAILED PROCEDURES AND RULES
CASR 1998 Part 101http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/rules/1998casr/101/101casr.pdfCASA Advisory
Circular AC 101-3(0) http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/rules/1998casr/101/101c03.pdf
MAAA Manual of Procedures http://www.maaa.asn.au/maaa/mop.html

Registered Flying Area Map