Achievements
Fixed Wing Power Achievement
THE ‘A’ CERTIFICATE (FIXED-WING)
The examination for an ‘A’ Certificate may be taken on application to a Registered Fixed Wing or Helicopter Examiner. The candidate must successfully carry out the following flying test and reference to the Guidance Notes is very strongly recommended:
(a) Carry out pre-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
(b) Take off and complete a left (or right) hand circuit and overfly the take-off area.
(c) Fly a ‘figure of eight’ course with the cross-over point in front of the pilot, height to be constant.
(d) Fly a rectangular circuit and approach with appropriate use of the throttle and perform a landing on the designated landing area.
If the engine stops during the landing the model may be retrieved and the engine restarted to enable the remaining parts of the test to be completed.
(e) Take off and complete a left (or right) hand circuit and overfly the take-off area
(f) Fly a rectangular circuit at a constant height in the opposite direction to the landing circuit flown in (d).
(g) Perform a simulated deadstick landing with the engine at idle, beginning at a safe height (approx. 200 ft) heading into wind over the take-off area, the landing to be made in a safe manner on the designated landing area.
(h) Remove model and equipment from take-off/landing area.
(i) Complete post-flight checks required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
All manoeuvres must be carried out in front of the pilot and, depending on the wind direction, (c), (d) and (f) may be flown as shown in the accompanying drawing.
The above schedule is treated as one test flight and must be completed in one attempt. Two attempts per examination will be allowed in any one day.
Exceptionally if, in the opinion of the Examiner, either the configuration of the model or the surface of the flying area is such that a rolling take-off would not be possible, hand launches may be permitted.
In addition to the flying schedule, the candidate must answer correctly a minimum of five questions on safety matters, based on the BMFA Safety Codes for General Flying and local flying rules.
THE ‘B’ CERTIFICATE (FIXED-WING)
The examination for a ‘B’ Certificate may be taken on application to a Registered Examiner. The examination may be carried out by:
(a) A Chief Examiner (fixed-wing qualified)
(b) Two Registered Examiners (the ‘lead’ Examiner must be fixed-wing qualified).
If your club does not have any Registered Examiners, does not have enough Examiners or has any problems with co-ordinating the work of your existing Examiners you should contact your local Area Achievement Scheme Co-ordinator who will be able to help. Names and telephone numbers of Area Achievement Scheme Co-ordinators are available from your Area Secretary or from the BMFA Leicester office.
The candidate must successfully complete the following flying tests and reference to the Guidance Notes is very strongly recommended:
(a) Carry out pre-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
(b) Take off and complete a left (or right) hand circuit and overfly the take-off area.
(c) Fly a ‘figure of eight’ course with the crossover point in front of the pilot, height to be constant. This manoeuvre must be flown more accurately than the similar manoeuvre in the ‘A’ certificate test.
(d) Fly into wind and complete one inside loop.
(e) Fly downwind and complete one outside loop downwards from the top (i.e. a bunt).
For aircraft (scale aircraft specifically) which for reasons of structural strength or control limitations cannot perform an outside loop, a Split S or Reversal (from level flight, half roll to inverted, hold, then pull through half loop to recover in level flight) may be accepted by the Examiner.
(f) Complete two consecutive rolls into wind.
(g) Complete two consecutive rolls downwind using the opposite direction of roll rotation to that used in (f) above.
(h) Complete a stall turn either left or right.
(i) Gain height and perform a three turn spin. For aircraft which will not spin, a spin attempt resulting in a spiral dive (not necessarily of three turns), will be acceptable. In each case the initial heading and the recovery heading must be into wind and the model must fall into the spin (no ‘flick’ spin entry).
(j) Fly a rectangular landing approach and overshoot from below 10 ft. Note that this manoeuvre is an aborted landing, not a low pass.
(k) Fly a rectangular circuit in the opposite direction to that in (j) at a constant height of not more than 40 feet.
(l) Fly a rectangular landing approach and land (wheels to touch within a pre-designated 30 metre boundary).
(m) Complete post-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
Parts (d),(e),(f),(g),(h) and (i) must be performed in airspace designated by the examiner prior to the test flight. The schedule must be completed in one flight.
Exceptionally, at a pre-determined point in the flight an intermediate landing may be permitted for the sole purpose of refuelling or the fitting of a freshly charged flight battery. This landing may only be made with the prior consent of the Examiners. Two attempts per examination will be allowed in any one day.
All manoeuvres must be carried out in front of the pilot.
Depending on the wind direction, (j), (k) and (l) will be flown as EITHER left hand overshoot circuit, right hand rectangular circuit, left hand landing circuit OR right hand overshoot circuit, left hand rectangular circuit, right hand landing circuit.
In addition to the above flying schedule, the applicant must answer satisfactorily a minimum of eight questions on safety matters based on the BMFA Safety Codes for General Flying and Model Flying Displays and local flying rules.
THE ‘C’ CERTIFICATE (FIXED-WING)
Fixed Wind 'C' Certificate is for advanced aerobatics. Please use the link above for information on this award.
Helicopter Power Achievement
THE ‘A’ CERTIFICATE (HELICOPTER)
The examination for a helicopter ‘A’ Certificate may be taken on application to a Registered Helicopter or Fixed Wing Examiner. The candidate must successfully carry out the following flying test:
(a) Carry out pre-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
(b) Take off and hover tail in over the take off point, with the helicopter skids at eye level, for approximately fifteen seconds.
(c) Hover the helicopter slowly forwards for approximately five metres, stop, and hover briefly.
(d) Hover the helicopter slowly sideways for approximately five metres, stop, and hover briefly.
(e) Hover the helicopter slowly sideways in the opposite direction for approximately ten metres (five metres past its original position in front of the pilot), stop, and hover briefly.
(f) Hover the helicopter slowly sideways in the first direction to bring to its original position in front of the pilot and hover briefly.
(g) Fly slowly backwards, bringing the helicopter back to its original position over the take off point, stop, hover briefly and land.
(h) Take off and hover briefly, turn 90 degrees either left or right and fly forward to perform two ‘lazy eights’, each at least 30 metres in length. Each time the helicopter passes in front of the pilot it must be sideways on to the pilot and throughout the manoeure the model must be flying forward, not sideways.
(i) At the conclusion of the ‘lazy eights’, bring the helicopter to a halt above the original take off point, hover briefly and land.
(j) Complete post-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
The above schedule must be completed within one flight and two attempts per examination will be allowed in any one day.
In addition to the above flying schedule, the candidate must answer correctly at least five questions from the BMFA Safety Codes for General Flying and local flying rules.
THE ‘B' CERTIFICATE (HELICOPTER)
The examination for a helicopter ‘B' Certificate may be taken on application to a Registered Examiner. The examination may be carried out by:
(a) A Chief Examiner (helicopter qualified)
(b) Two Registered Examiners (the ‘lead’ Examiner must be helicopter qualified)
If your club does not have any Registered Helicopter Examiners, does not have enough Examiners or has any problems with co-ordinating the work of your existing Examiners you should contact your local Area Achievement Scheme Co-ordinator who will be able to help. Names and telephone numbers of Area AS Co-ordinators are available from your Area Secretary or from the BMFA Leicester office.
The candidate must successfully complete the following flying tests.
(a) Carry out pre-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
(b) Pirouette and Hover.
(c) Perform one ‘Top Hat’.
(d) Take off and climb to a safe altitude.
(e) Fly a left hand circuit.
(f) Fly a right hand circuit.
(g) Fly a 'figure of eight' course with a crossover point in front of the pilot, height to be constant ( note this is not a hovering manoeuvre ).
(h) Perform one twenty second nose-in hover.
(i) Perform one double stall turn. Note that the stall turns must be performed with opposite rotation i.e. first one to the left, second one to the right or vice-versa.
Direction 1
Direction 2
(j) Perform an approach at 45 degree to the vertical, landing within a predetermined two metre square.
(k) Complete post-flight checks as required by the BMFA Safety Codes.
All manoeuvres must be carried out in front of the pilot in a similar manner to the fixed-wing ‘B’ Certificate and, in addition, parts (e),(f),(g) and (h) must be performed in airspace designated by the examiner prior to the test flight. The schedule must be completed in one flight.
Exceptionally, at a pre-determined point in the flight an intermediate landing may be permitted for the sole purpose of refuelling or the fitting of a freshly charged flight battery. This landing may only be made with the prior consent of the Examiners. Two attempts per examination will be allowed in any one day.’
In addition to the above flying schedule the candidate must answer satisfactorily at least eight questions from the BMFA Safety Codes for General Flying and Model Flying Displays and local flying rules.
Silent Flight Achievements
THE ‘A' CERTIFICATE (Silent Flight Electric)
THE ‘B' CERTIFICATE (Silent Flight Electric)
THE ‘A' CERTIFICATE (Silent Flight Thermal)
THE ‘B' CERTIFICATE (Silent Flight Thermal)
Penalties !!!!!!
If a certificate holder or an examiner Consistently Disregards the requirements of the Safety Codes or the Local Club Rules, his club or specialist body is empowered to take the following action:
(a) In the first instance, a verbal warning to the offender from an officer of the club.
(b) In the second instance, a written warning from the club committee.
(c) Subsequently, reference to the Areas Council for consideration of withdrawal of the offenders certificate or examiners registration, stating the problems involved and enclosing a copy of (b) above.
Once this action has been taken the offender will not be permitted to re-take the test for a period of 6 months from the date of withdrawal.