As approved at the 2024 AGM
- GENERAL
1.1 The club is called the PITNEY AERO CLUB and it is affiliated to the British Model Flying Association (BMFA).
1.2 The purpose of the constitution is to define the operating framework of the club and the overarching membership rules by which all members are bound.
1.3 The constitution is supported by site-specific club rules relating to good practice, safety, and legality.
1.4 Changes to the Constitution may only be made at an AGM or EGM – see Section 6.2.4.
1.5 All members wishing to fly their own aircraft shall hold current BMFA, LMA or SAA membership.
- OBJECTIVES
The objectives are:
2.1 The promotion and encouragement of the building and safe flying of radio-controlled fixed wing model aircraft with the emphasis on, but not limited to, scale aircraft.
2.2 The provision of assistance and training to club members and the provision and maintenance of flying facilities for the members.
- MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Fees
3.1.1 Club fees are proposed by the Treasurer, agreed by the Committee and then voted on at the AGM.
3.1.2 Renewal fees must be paid by the end of January or the member will be deemed to have resigned.
3.1.3 Reduced fees can be offered to new members who join part way through the year, as set and agreed by the committee.
3.1.4 BMFA fees (or other insurance provider’s) and CAA fees are the responsibility of the member and must be paid before a member can fly. Failure to do so incurs disciplinary action.
3.1.5 The club may introduce a non-refundable joining fee for new members if approved at an AGM or EGM. The fee may only be levied once.
3.2 Membership categories
3.2.1 Full Adult member (Over 18 on 1st January in the year of membership)
3.2.2 Associate member: one that pays a reduced annual membership subscription to remain in the club as a non-flying member.
3.2.3 Junior member (18 or under on the 1st January in the year of membership).
3.2.4 Family members: the club can offer a reduced membership fee for a family couple, including any children, normally set to one adult and one junior fee.
3.2.5 Life members can be elected at the AGM for extensive services to the club.
3.2.6 Visitors: These may fly at the club on up to three occasions in any one year. Visitors who wish to fly their own aircraft must provide evidence to the committee of BMFA or other acceptable insurance and shall display their Operator ID on their aircraft as required by BMFA Article 16 guidelines. All new visitors shall be treated as novices and shall be supervised by a competent club member, as deemed by the committee, until proven to be competent enough to fly unsupervised.
3.2.7 Novice visitors are permitted three ‘Trial Flights’ without BMFA insurance providing they are under the direct supervision of a registered member who displays his/her Operator ID on the aircraft. [BMFA Handbook (2023) 5.2 Extensions (g) and Section 8.3.11]
3.2.8 Overseas visitors are permitted but they must conform to Section 8.3.12 in the BMFA Members handbook (2023).
3.3 New members
3.3.1 Prospective members must complete a club application form. Where possible one or more committee members will meet prospective members in order to explain how the club operates and answer any questions.
3.3.2 If registered with the BMFA and CAA they are welcome to demonstrate their flying skills.
3.3.3 The committee will decide by majority, whether the prospective member is accepted or rejected.
3.3.4 The club operates a probationary period of 1 year from the date of joining where a new member’s membership of the club may be terminated, at the sole discretion of the committee, if proven necessary.
3.3.5 A prospective member’s request for membership shall never be refused on the grounds of gender, race, belief or sexual orientation.
3.3.6 Membership numbers will be decided upon, and limited, as deemed suitable by the committee, in the interests of maintaining safe flying activities. Attendance quotas will be taken into account when determining overall club membership levels.
- DEFINITION OF CLUB MEETINGS
4.1 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall take place in November or December of each year and shall be the meeting at which the committee and its officers are approved and where changes to the constitution, club rules and financial arrangements (including club subscription levels) are approved.
(More details in section 6)
4.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by a majority of the committee or by any current club member who is able to establish that he/she has the support of at least 25% of the current eligible voting club members.
(More details in section 6)
4.3 Committee meetings
4.3.1 These shall be held as and when necessary for the successful day-to-day running of the club.
4.3.2 The quorum is 3 members.
4.3.3 Prior apologies should be given for non-attendance.
4.3.4 Meetings may be held virtually by agreement.
4.3.5 Voting is normally by a show of hands. A majority vote of those present is required. The chairman has a casting vote.
4.3.6 All proposals must be seconded and voted on.
4.3.7 Committee meetings shall be minuted and the minutes shall be circulated to the committee within a week if possible.
4.3.8 Club members may attend with the prior approval of the committee.
4.3.9 Where a club member believes that an issue should be dealt with formally, he/ she shall advise the committee /secretary who will convene a meeting to discuss it or for it to be added to the agenda of the next committee meeting.
- COMMITTEE ORGANISATION AND POWERS
5.1 Officers
5.1.1 The club committee shall consist of at least 5 members: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Safety Officer.
5.1.2 A member may fulfil more than one function within the committee.
5.1.3. The committee shall be elected at the AGM.
5.1.4 .The committee may co-opt other members as it sees fit.
5.1.5 The club may elect a President This is a figurehead who can act as a representative of the club or who can stand in for the Chairman but is not a member of the committee as such.
5.1.6 One or more Site Liaison Officers should be appointed, who may or may not be on the committee.
5.2 Powers of the Committee
5.2.1 Site rules may be modified with immediate effect in matters related to flight safety.
5.2.2 The committee is authorised to carry out negotiations and make decisions in the interests of the club or on behalf of the membership where necessary, without consulting the members.
5.2.3 Approval is needed from the committee for items of expenditure of over £20.
5.2.4 The chairman can call for the resignation of a committee member if a majority of the committee ask him to do so.
5.3 Special committee responsibilities
5.3.1 The Secretary is responsible for taking and publishing minutes at Committee meetings and General Meetings.
5.3.2 The Treasurer is to provide details of expenditure and income at the AGM and make recommendations for the next year’s subscription levels, which are to be voted on at the AGM.
5.3.3 A competent non-Committee member shall be elected by the Committee to examine the accounts before the AGM and verify that they fairly represent the financial position of the Club.
5.3.4 The Safety Officer has the final say in all matters relating to flying safety.
5.3.5 The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining an up-to-date list of members and their contact details and circulating it to the committee when needed.
5.4 Resignation: A committee member who resigns voluntarily shall do so in writing to the Secretary.
- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS (AGMs and EGMs)
6.1. Notice and agendas of an AGM or an EGM
6.1.1 Notice must be made known to each member via email or post.
6.1.2 Such notice shall be at least 28 days prior to the date of the particular meeting.
6.1.3 An agenda must be sent at least 14 days prior to the meeting giving the nature of the business to be discussed
6.1.2 All General Meetings will be minuted.
6.1.5 Any other business will only be accepted if the Secretary is given at least 7 days’ notice in writing of the item to be discussed.
6.2 Voting and Conduct of General Meetings
6.2.1 Quorum at AGM or EGM
At least 25% of eligible voting members of the club must be present at an AGM or an EGM for the meeting to be recognised.
6.2.2 Only paid-up members and Life Members may vote at General meetings.
6.2.3 Proxy votes are not accepted.
6.2.4 All proposals must be seconded and voted on. A majority vote of those present is required to carry any proposal, including ones to alter the constitution.
6.2.5 Amendments to proposals must be voted upon first.
6.2.6 Non-club members may attend as invited guests.
6.2.7 The Committee, through the Chairman, has the power to ask a person to leave any meeting in the event of that person disrupting the meeting.
6.3 Annual General Meetings
6.3.1 Where possible, those standing for election to committee posts should be published with the agenda.
6.3.2 In the event of more than one person standing for election to a post, the candidates should withdraw from the meeting, or else a secret ballot can be held.
6.3.3 New committee officers assume responsibilities from the end of the AGM.
6.3.4 An outgoing secretary shall remain responsible for completing the minutes and presenting these to the new committee .
6.3.5 The financial year shall run from one AGM to the next.
6.4 Extraordinary General Meetings
6.4.1 An EGM shall be held when it becomes necessary to conduct club-related business that would normally be held at the AGM but deemed as necessary by the committee (eg loss of flying venue).
- FLYING STANDARD
7.1 Achievement Scheme
7.1.1 Flying members are encouraged to participate in the BMFA Achievement Scheme.
7.1.2 If they haven’t passed at least the BMFA “A” Certificate they must either have demonstrated to the Club Instructor or the Safety Officer that they are capable of safe solo flying, otherwise they must be supervised on the flight line by someone who is deemed competent by the committee.
- RULES, DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY
8.1 Relevance
8.1.1 All club members and visitors must comply with all club rules and operate lawfully at all times.
8.1.2 Members cannot fly unless they have valid insurance cover and display their Operator ID on their aircraft, as required by the CAA.
8.1.3 All club members and guest fliers wishing to fly their own aircraft need to show proof of any required registrations when requested to by club officials. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, which may lead to dismissal.
8.2 Disciplinary action
This may be taken against any member for persistent or serious breaches of the site flying rules or the terms of the constitution. The committee has the right to suspend a member’s right to fly and, in extreme cases, to expel any member of the club for the offences below:
(a) Dangerous or intimidating flying.
(b) Breaches of the site flying rules.
(c) Bringing the club or BMFA into disrepute.
8.2.1 Nature of the disciplinary action
This will be in accordance with the procedure laid out in the BMFA guidance in:
Club Disciplinary Advice – BMFA & BDF Club Support (click to read online)
8.2.2 A written copy of this procedure will be given to anyone subject to disciplinary action.
8.3 Safety
Members are expected to be familiar with the BMFA Handbook, particularly the
sections on Safety (Section 13 and the relevant parts of 14) (https://handbook.bmfa.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-BMFA-Concise-Members-Handbook-FINAL-V2.pdf
plus the notes on hazardous materials in Annex B Technical.
https://handbook.bmfa.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-BMFA-Members-Handbook-Annex-B-Technical.pdf
- DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
9.1 Initiation of dissolution
Should it be considered necessary or desirable to dissolve the Club, the Committee will call an Extraordinary General Meeting. Should a quorum fail to appear, the meeting will be adjourned and a further EGM must be called within 14 days. The second meeting will proceed even if a quorum is not present and the motion will then be carried by a simple majority vote.
9.2 Disbursement of funds
On dissolution and after the sale of assets, settlement of all outstanding debts and the refund of subscriptions for the remaining part of the year to the paid up members; the funds remaining will be distributed to a charity, or charities, agreed at the final EGM.
9.3 All members will receive a final statement of accounts.
END OF CONSTITUTION – JR and MS 6/11/24