1) Name The name of the club shall be
the Newton Aycliffe Model Flying Club.
the Newton Aycliffe Model Flying Club.
2) Objects The aims of the club shall be :-
a) to provide facilities for the sport of model aircraft flying
b) to assist members to improve their standard of building and flying and to require strict observance of all rules in the interests of safety.
c) to encourage club social activities
d) to abide by and promote the national policies and rules of the governing body for the sport by affiliation to the British Model Flying Association (BMFA)
3) Membership
a) ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP - There shall be two classes of Ordinary Membership, viz. SENIOR and JUNIOR. Persons seeking membership who are 18 or over on the date of application for membership shall be required to join as SENIOR. Those under the age of 18 on the date of application or renewal may join as JUNIOR members.
b) HONORARY MEMBERSHIP - Honorary Membership shall be conferred at the discretion of the Committee.
c) In the event of it being necessary to limit the number of members admitted to the Club (because of lease restrictions or other reasons) the membership limits shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting.
d) New members who are not existing members of the British Model Flying Association will be required to join the BMFA as a condition of membership of the Club.
e) All persons joining the club agree to be bound by the terms of the Club Constitution.
4) Subscriptions
a) The amount of the annual subscriptions shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.
b) The annual subscriptions (plus BMFA fees where due) shall be payable on the last meeting in December and shall cover the membership for the next calendar year.
c) Membership not renewed by February 1 shall be deemed to have lapsed and an additional "rejoining fee" (as determined at the Annual General Meeting) may be levied.
d) On payment of the fees the Club will obtain and distribute the members BMFA Card and Certificate of Insurance which is required by all members flying under club rules.
5) Officials
The Officials of the club shall be the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and Safety Officer. Other than the Chairman, posts may be combined subject to agreement at the AGM. All officials shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.
6) Committee
a) The business of the Club shall be managed by the Committee which shall consist of the four Officials.
b) The Committee shall have the authority at their discretion to co-opt up to a further 2 members for specific duties.
c) Any new posts filled by co-opted members shall be submitted to the next AGM for ratification if they are required to continue.
d) The Committee shall be responsible for the production and maintenance of Club "Flying Rules" which shall be binding on all members operating on any site being used officially by the Club.
e) BYE - LAWS - The Committee, during their term of office, may vary the "Flying Rules" at their discretion and may also pass Bye - laws relating to other aspects of the Club's activities. Any such variations and bye - laws to be ratified at the next Annual General Meeting.
f) QUORUM - A quorum of any Committee meeting shall consist of a simple majority of the Committee members, including co-opted members.
g) Frequency of Committee meetings - the Committee shall meet not less than twice per year, (nominally in July and November )
h) INDEMNITY - If a Committee member engages or becomes involved in Court Proceedings, whether Criminal or civil, in his representative capacity on behalf of the club as opposed to his capacity as a private individual notwithstanding that he is taking part in Club activities but in circumstances where it would be unreasonable for the Club as a whole to ratify his actions, then in the former instance i.e. in his representative capacity the Club will indemnify the Committee member against any fines or damages or costs awarded against the Committee member. In the event of a Committee member being awarded damages or costs in the course of proceedings taken by him in his representative capacity then such damages or costs will become the property of the Club and not the Committee member personally, and forthwith upon receipt by the Committee member that Committee member will pay them to the Club Treasurer.
7) Annual General Meeting
a) an Annual General Meeting shall be held in April each year for which 14 days notice shall be given. The meeting shall consider the reports of the Chairman, Treasurer, and Safety Officer, and shall elect the Officials for the ensuing year.
b) Any rule changes, new bye - laws or Committee co-options shall be submitted to the members for ratification at the Annual General Meeting.
c) VOTING - Each Ordinary Member shall be entitled to one vote and in the event of an equal number of votes being cast for and against any proposition or amendment then the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote .
8) Finance
a) AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS - An Accounts Examiner (not an Official of the club) shall be appointed for the ensuing year at the Annual General Meeting. A financial statement duly signed by the Accounts Examiner shall be presented to the membership at the following Annual General Meeting.
b) BANKING - The Funds of the Club shall be lodged in Bank Accounts approved by the Committee.
c) WITHDRAWAL OF FUNDS - Money may be drawn from the Club's accounts against the signatures of the Treasurer and Secretary, or other combination of Official's signatures as agreed by the Committee.
9) Flying rules
a) The "FLYING RULES" shall apply to all Club members while operating on any site officially approved and recognised by the Club for Club flying.
b) The official Club site comprises the nominated field at Carrsides Farm, Newton Aycliffe. (The particular field may be changed at some time to suit the requirements of the Landowner, and on certain days of the year an alternative field may be made available while the nominated field is put to other use.)
c) Over flying of the farm buildings and the farm workers houses is not permitted.
d) All flying should be in accordance with the general rules laid down in the BMFA Members Handbook.
e) There are no restrictions on flying days and times, (except for the occasional days mentioned in 9b) above. Should any outside circumstances cause new restrictions to arise then members will be notified to as soon as possible.
f) In accordance with BMFA Rules only pilots holding a "B" Certificate are permitted to fly at demonstrations organised by the Club at other sites.
g) BMFA Insurance is mandatory for Club Members.
h) Club members are required to meet any statutory (and BMFA) requirements relating to the use of radio for the remote control of models. The use of radio control on 27 megs is at present allowable.
i) The control of the allocation of frequencies for model flying shall be by means of numbered FREQUENCY PEGS and a FREQUENCY BOARD. Each transmitter shall be equipped with a peg carrying a disk or rectangle (maximum 50mm dia or high) showing its frequency Number. No transmitter is to be switched on until its FREQUENCY PEG can be clipped onto the equivalent numbered space on the FREQUENCY BOARD. Members are also required to indicate the frequency in use by displaying a pennant of the frequency colour on the top of the aerial.
j) At the present time there are no restrictions on the types of models permitted to fly on the Club Field other than those not covered by the BMFA insurance policy.
k) Members must not fly in such a manner that is likely to endanger other members or persons around the flying site. Downwind
l) A pilot intending to land should clearly call "Landing", giving time for others to clear the area and to warn anyone intending to use the area to take off. Pilots involved in "dead stick" landings as a result of engine failure shall have priority for landing over all other airborne Radio Controlled models. "Dead Stick landing" should be called clearly by the pilot.
m) Models developing faults in the air should be landed immediately.
n) Members shall be responsible for the conduct of any guests whom they bring to the Club site.
o) No car parking is allowed on the field. All cars are to parked in the farmyard or access road.
p) Any behaviour by a Club member which is prejudicial to the continued use of the Club's facilities, or is in deliberate contravention of the Flying Rules, or is offensive towards Club members or guests will be considered by the Committee and may result in the expulsion of the offender from the Club.
q) The "Flying Rules" shall be subject to annual review and ratification at the Annual General Meeting.
10) Winding up.
In the event that circumstances arise (such as lack of members, no suitable flying field, change in legislation, or other factors beyond the control of the Committee or the Members), which would cause the Club to cease its activities then an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called.
14 days notice of this meeting shall be given to all remaining paid up Members.
The meeting shall consider the situation and if a simple majority of those present are in favour of winding up then the Club will immediately cease its activities.
After all outstanding liabilities have been settled the balance of funds remaining are to be donated to a Charity, which is acceptable to the majority of the Members attending the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Children and vulnerable adults.
NAMFC recognises and accepts the need for all members to act within the guidelines of the BMFA policy on Children and vulnerable adults.
In particular, this means that "Children must be supervised at all times by their parent or guardian or a host member acting in loco parentis (i.e. in place of a parent: having or taking on the responsibilities of a parent when dealing with somebody else's child). Children are not allowed on the flight line unaccompanied".
A Welfare Officer has been appointed and will give guidance on any specific situations. The Welfare Officer, the Chairman, the Secretary, and the Treasurer have CRB checks, together with any other member whose activities in the Club would justify a check.
Please feel free to use this constitution as the Draught for a Constitution for your own club.