Bury Model Flying Club, Bury St Edmunds

Affiliated to the British Model Flying Association

BMFA Information Need to Know 

Article 16 Updated 17 May 2021

Ian McDowell

If you are an avid forum user, or keen reader of the BMFA News (August 2021, pp35), you may know all you want to know about this. Me, I’m just playing catchup (again). Why didn’t the BMFA who have been through a spate of emailing members – or even the CAA who seem to love sending irrelevant emails – notify members of these changes?

Is the primary aim of Government to overcomplicate everything? Each of the 4 CAA recognised Associations now have their own Article 16.

The information here addresses ONLY Article 16 as issued to the BMFA and British Drone Flyers. Members of the other associations should seek information from their Association. I have no idea what happens if you fly above and below 25Kg aircraft.

The BMFA information pages are at https://rcc.bmfa.org/article-16 (opens in a new tab). The initial web page does tell the story, but more usefully a version of that page showing the changes is one of the downloads offered. There is also a downloadable Quick Guide and the full revised Article 16 for BMFA members…and British Drone Flyers members (beats me).

Some highlights:

  • New police powers: You can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of up to £1000 for not presenting evidence of competency when required; another fine for failing to display an Operator ID on your flying object; and another for failing to register as an Operator; and again for failing to report an Occurrence when required to do so.
  • There is no age limitation on remote pilots, but Operators must be 18 or over. Special arrangements exist for demonstration flights.
  • A very welcome clarification, in English this time, of the rules for flying gliders. I’ve still not spotted a definition of ‘Glider’ though.

On the negative side, plenty of room for rules divergence and the confusion that will always emerge.  I think that you can reasonably expect the police to be more than a little confused already should they have reason to intervene, so best be prepared and carry evidence of membership and prowess.

In passing…the BMFA Handbook (link opens in a new tab) has also been changed.

Incident reporting – visit the BMFA Reporting portal (opens in a new tab).

This information will be kept available to members via the Members Only tab (password required). Scan to the bottom of the page and click on ‘legislation’.