Ashdown Forest Flyers is now up and running.
The meeting held on the 18th March 2024 approved the Club Constitution and Club Rules.
Membership form in PDF or Word format can be downloaded from the "Join Us" tab
The Club year will run from the 1st April to the 31st March. Which is in line with the Licence the BMFA South East Area with the conservitors.
The cost of this ‘Licence’ has always been recovered by the SE Committee.
However, in Jan 2024 it was decided to form a club – Ashdown Forest Flyers
Only members of this club will be able to fly on the forest and the club will fully finance the cost of the Ashdown flying ‘Licence’
Firstly, a bit of background information; the Forest is not public land, such as park or open space would be, and the rules for such are not the same. The Ashdown Forest Conservators were set up by an act of parliament and given powers to run and protect the Forest. The only right the public have is to walk on the forest; all other activities are controlled and governed by Licences granted by the Committee that run the Conservators to fly on the Forest under strict locations, dates and times.
Summary of Licence
Permitted Model Types: Free Fight, Radio Controlled, powered Gliders (electric) and unpowered Gliders
Flying Locations: Old Lodge Valley area bounded by Old Lodge Boundary; and Duddleswell/Nutley Road, Old Lodge Drive, B2026 and Friends Clump.
Flying Dates and Times:
Between 1 May and 31 August:
- Silent Free Flight models, including electric powered – up to 12.00 noon and from 6 pm to sunset on any day in the area detailed above..
- Power Assisted Free Flight models and Radio Controlled Gliders including electric powered Models – up to 10.30 am and from 6 pm to sunset on any day in the area detailed above.
Between 1 January to 30 April and 1 September to 31 December:
- Free Flight models and Radio Controlled Gliders including electric powered assisted Models – from 8.30 am to sunset on any day in the area detailed above.
Each year we negotiate a number of competition dates that enable us to fly from 8:30am to sunset, that do not clash with other events on the Forest.
The use of Helicopters, Multi-Rotors, 3D models, Gas Turbines, IC powered models and videoing from the air are NOT within the scope of our licence and therefore cannot be flown at all – this rule will be enforced by the Forest Rangers.
When flying on the forest please display a notice to the fact flying is taking place.
I have created a sign that could be used, it is dowloadable from Caution Signage
