A terrific medal haul for the British team in the F3N (Freestyle Helicopter) at the World Championships in Ballenstedt, Germany that finished today.

The British F3C team started off well with Steve Roberts and Mark Christy making it through the Preliminary Round to the Finals Rounds.

The Achievement Scheme Review Committee will be hosting a further Achievement Scheme Roadshow on Saturday 5th October. The venue is The Ship Inn, Thornbury Road, Alveston, Bristol, BS35 3LL Refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided. We are very please to announce that David Phipps, BMFA CEO, will be joining us for the Roadshow to discuss the latest regulatory changes and how they may affect model aircraft flying and the achievement scheme. This will be an ideal opportunity to find out ...

Do you know an examiner or instructor who has gone that extra mile this year? Maybe they have worked hard at promoting the scheme within your club, or perhaps they have toiled long and hard to get a pupil up to the required standard? Alternatively, they could be a pupil who has done the same, having persevered for some time in order to achieve their goal, or maybe they put in a stellar performed on their test? If you know someone like this, then why not nominate them for an achievement scheme ...

MIKE BILLINTON, FSMAE, 12/3/1932- 5/7/2019 Mike Billinton was a unique person, a self-taught engineer, engine builder and tester, author and control line speed multiple winner - being the first person in Europe to break the 200mph record for the 10cc class. This was at Barkston Heath at the Nationals in the early 1980s; the OS engine manufacturers from Japan were there on the day with Ron Irvine from Irvine Engines and the record caused quite a stir and atmosphere on the day. He competed in con...

The Science and Technology Committee holds its third evidence session on its Commercial and recreational drone use in the UK inquiry on Tuesday 9th July.  Watch it online at Parliament TV. Witnesses: At 9.30 am Gemma Alcock, Founder, SkyBound Rescuer Professor David Dunn, International Politics, University of Birmingham David Phipps, Chief Executive, British Model Flying Association  At 10.30 am Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Depart...

BMFA members have been expressing their deep concern and criticism of the BBC Two documentary, ‘Britain’s Next Air Disaster? Drones?’, which sensationalised the potential risks from ‘drones’ and grossly mis-represented the entirely safe activities routinely undertaken by thousands of lawful ‘drone’ operators. The BMFA and other UK Associations acknowledge that unlawful operation of unmanned aircraft could potentially result in unacceptable conflict with manned aviation, but the risk shou...

We have this morning registered our concern with Martin Rolfe, the CEO of NATS regarding the comments made by their representative at the Select Committee evidence hearing which took place on the 26th June, where 'drone' operators were categorised as either 'clueless, careless or criminal'. We have received assurances that NATS would never categorise operators in the inappropriate manner described by their representative and they will be taking steps to make sure that the Select Committee under...

Firebirds Model Flying Club club member and author of the much read BMFA New ‘Nostalgia Notebook’ feature, Roger Stanton passed away on May 29th this year. Roger was a proper ‘old school’ aeronautical modeller who told stories of how as a child, he saved up his pocket money, dreaming of the next model that he would be building. Many of his stories made it to a much wider audience via the pages of the BMFA News magazine, through which he made many friends and contacts. Roger’s love of avia...