Welcome to our BRCMAC website.
If you’re not familiar with our club or with our sport then I hope this site provides you with some further information. We would be delighted to meet you and to welcome you into both our club and this wonderful sport. Please feel free to contact us via our Contact link where we will try to answer any questions you may have and offer any advice you require.
As a private model aircraft club we have been established since 1949, and has always operated in the Bristol area. For the last 30+ years we have operated from our Duckhole site, just north of Thornbury. In all we have around 50 members and are a very friendly bunch, with a vast range of experience and skills to help new members settle in to our hobby. Interests are wide and encompass Scale, Sport & Fun Fly, Aerobatic, Gliding We also have members who fly Helicopters & Multi-rotor Drones. These are not flown at the same time as fixed wing aircraft, for safety reasons but are allocated slots to fly independently.
We are registered with our Local Authority and the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) who, together with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), control the rules on flying model aircraft in the UK. Our Club’s Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance is arranged and managed through the BMFA and is provided automatically as part of our club membership package.
The Club has a number of instructors who provide flying tuition at no charge, and several examiners to test competence. We have pro-active training programmes to allow new members (new and established) to both start and/or improve their flying under tuition, either using their own aircraft if suitable or the club’s own trainer aircraft (The Club Tub) which is fitted with a dual-control ‘Buddy Box’ system. A club rule is that NO member may fly at the club unsupervised until they have qualified by holding an appropriate BMFA ‘A’ certificate (Fixed Wing), (Helicopter), (Multi-rotor) or better.
Members fly during each day and evening, particularly during the summer months, as their time and the weather permits. The Club AGM is held in December.
We have a fantastic club atmosphere which provides great support and advice from experienced members, and some of our members are very innovative in what they build. We also try to encourage active participation from younger members – not just in flying, but also in building and repairing models (yes, they do occasionally need repair). We often find that it’s the “dads” who bring their sons the the Club and then find that they’ve got bitten by the hobby too. We also have a fair number of members who took a sabbatical from aeromodelling of earlier years and now find they have the time and money to indulge the hobby again.
As a full member of our club you will enjoy the benefits of:
- A secure and exclusive use flying site, with a dedicated parking area and a 72 metre grass strip.
- Flying hours that are approved – 09:00 hrs until 21:00 hrs for 365 days per year.
- Full Public Liability Insurance cover under the BMFA insurance scheme.
- Club Instructors and BMFA approved examiners
- Club trainer aircraft (the Club Tub) available for initial flight training, using a buddy box transmitter.
- Training programmes to achieve ‘A & B’ flying certificates.
- A friendly group of around 50 members who can offer advice and assistance.
When you’ve had a chance to look around our site in more detail, you will see that we have great facilities in which you can enjoy your hobby. Our club is funded by modest annual fee payable by each Club Member. Click these links for more information on Fees and becoming a Member.