Power Information

The flying field is situated on the south side of Tonbridge, just off the A21.

Flying Rules for Tonbridge (power)

  1. We are able to fly power models at this site from 10am until 2pm on Wednesdays and Sundays, plus 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. In addition silent flight is allowed on Wednesdays, 4pm to dusk.

  2. Every full member will be issued with a club identity card, which must be shown to authorised personnel when requested.

  3. A class 1 flyer iIs a member who has passed the BMFA 'A'.certificate of the radio control achievement scheme in the type of aircraft they fly. i.e. fixed wing or helicopter. If a member joins the club with an 'A' certificate then they will fly with a club examiner or instructor to show their standard of flying before going solo. All Student Flyers must only fly on a buddy system until an instructor says they are ready to take the ‘A’ test.

  4. Guest flyers are allowed with prior permission from a committee member. They will pay a day membership and must prove they have BMFA membership. To fly solo they must have a BMFA 'A' certificate and prove their standard of flying as in 3.

  5. Access to the field is by a locked gate; non-members should therefore make prior arrangements if they wish to visit the site

  6. No members are to fly or run engines without an efficient silencer. All aircraft will be tested for sound level before flying for the first time. The maximum permitted sound level is 82db as measured in accordance with the methods detailed in the BMFA handbook. Any changes, i.e. engine or propeller size, then the test must be done again.

  7. The running and flying of gas turbines is not permitted.

  8. Fail-safe’s, where fitted, on I/C and electric fixed wing must be proved to a club examiner, instructor or committee member , to put the throttle to idle or stop in the case of electric, before flying for the first time.

  9. Mobile phones shall not be taken beyond the sign and on to the flight line.

  10. Any glider launch point must be agreed with the power flyers, if present.

  11. Pilots must stand together in the designated areas and no more than 3 powered fixed wing aircraft to fly at any one time.

  12. Helicopter and fixed-wing not to fly on main runway at the same time.

  13. Only one helicopter on the main runway and one on the hovering patch at the same time.

Banned Frequencies:
An ex-member flies quite close to our field. We have agreed that frequency 89 will be kept free so that there will be no interference. Please make sure you do not use this frequency at the field. When the Gun Club are operating, we are not permitted to fly near them. For this reason, on Gun Club dates, we only permit the flying of Helicopters, or Electric Shock Flyers which must be flown at a height of not more than 30 feet, and must be within the boundary of the runway. If you arrive at the site on any other date and there are more than 3 cars parked at the Gun Club, you must enquire as to whether an additional shoot has been organised and check with them whether it is OK to fly or not. Please remember that their decision is final.

For 2008 the gun club are using the site on the following dates which will therefore not be available for flying.

March 30th
April 20th
May 18th
June 8th and 29th
July 20th
August 10th and 24th
Sept 21st
Oct 5th