Fixed Wing Training
We have an enviable reputation for effectively teaching people to fly, whether you are a “born again pilot” returning from a long absence of flying or a complete beginner who has never even held a radio transmitter before, we can help you to get in the air and fly safely.
We are one of the last clubs in the UK to provide free training to our members.
If you are a complete novice and have yet to purchase a model, please contact the club before you head to the model shop (we have had some very dubious models turn up, which have been recommended by the model shop and are completely unsuitable for training purposes).
We will arrange for you to visit the field and we will explain what models are suitable for you to purchase.
It is a club rule that to fly solo and unsupervised you must pass the BMFA “A” test, this is something that is very common to a lot of clubs. There is no set pattern to how training takes place, you aren't "shoehorned" into a scheme, it is down to the individual pupil and instructor, some people learn fast and some people learn slow, you can learn at your own pace, there is no minimum training period and we have in the past taken people from raw novice to passing the BMFA “A” test within a week.
We have four BMFA registered trainers with three additional trainers who are sometimes available (by appointment) for weekday training as well.
Weather permitting; flying training takes place at the club field on Saturdays from 2:00pm until 5:00pm. This is by appointment and to book a session, you must contact the instructor by 7pm on the Thursday preceding the coming Saturday. The duty roster is published in the club newsletter with contact numbers.
However there are also a lot of actions you can take yourself that requires no assistance at all and that will rapidly advance this process, simulators are a great way to start to learn to fly and generate the muscle memory, and even when you can fly they are still a great tool for learning or practising that advanced manoeuvre or simply for a bit of practice on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Some of us actually learnt to fly on a simulator.
You will also need to know the BMFA Rules from the members handbook, you can read it online here, it’s all relevant but sections 8 to 19 are particularly relevant as you will eventually be tested on them in the test.
You also have to pass the theory part of the “A” Test, here the achievement scheme website is an invaluable source and it is here that you can learn the answers to the mandatory questions, you can even take a mock test.
Of course, to pass any practical test you need to know what you have to do and what standard of flying is required for a pass. It therefore helps if you know what standard the examiner has been told to look for when conducting the test.
You can even go and see what is required to pass each test by viewing the videos (A & B) below: