Interested in joining the BCMA? We’d love to have you! A couple of things are required to apply for BCMA membership:
- A friendly, positive attitude
- An AMA membership card (which you can get here)
To join, come visit us at the field and ask to speak to an officer. The officer will help you fill out the appropriate paperwork, gather your dues, and explain the Pilot/Student program.
Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions…
Frequently asked Questions:
Q: Do I need a Remote ID?
A: Our Flying Field is a FAA Recognized Identification Area (FRIA)
Q: Can anyone join?
A: Any active AMA member can apply to join the BCMA.
Q: How much is it to join?
A: Dues for adults are $75 year plus a one-time $25 initiation fee. When it is time to renew, if dues are paid before Jan. 1st. there is a $10 discount, making it $65 for the year. This fee does not include your AMA membership. For youth (anyone under the age of 19), the cost of yearly dues is only $1 if joining with a parent, or $1 plus the one-time $25 initiation fee if joining alone. The AMA youth membership is free. You can get more information on the AMA youth membership at the AMA Website.
Q: Do I have to be a member to fly?
A: You can fly with the assistance of a BCMA Instructor even if you aren’t a member. To fly unsupervised, you must be an active BCMA member and you must have passed your pilot certification.
Q: Do you fly only planes?
A: We fly all sorts of stuff! Planes, helis, multi rotor aircraft etc. If you’re worried about your particular aircraft, just check with an officer first.
Q: Do you fly only fuel aircraft? Can I bring my electric plane?
A: Absolutely! We fly both electric and fuel aircraft.
Q: What times do you fly?
A: Our official hours:
Monday-Saturday:
Electrics: 8:00am – Dusk
Gas/Glow: 9:00am – Dusk
Sunday:
Gas/Glow/Electrics: 12:00pm (Noon) – Dusk
NOTE: After 5pm and on Sundays, the gate is locked. Please coordinate with a BCMA officer if you are planning on visiting after hours.
During the week our flying times vary so contact us if you are wanting to visit on a weekday.
Q: Can you teach me to fly?
A: We have many instructors who regularly volunteer to train new pilots.
Q. Is there a cost for instruction?
A. No cost just be sure to have fun!
Q: If I want to learn, what do I need to provide?
A: A good attitude! We have trainer planes available at the club, just be sure to contact your instructor ahead of time so they can have everything ready. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor to make arrangements for flight lessons and/or check flights from student to pilot.
Q: Can you suggest a good trainer airplane?
A: For a first plane, you can either choose fuel or electric. Fuel is the more traditional route, but foam electric planes are generally cheaper, tougher, and easier to get started with. If you are interested in a fuel setup, the Hobbico Avistar is quite popular as is the Hanger 9 Alpha. For electrics, the FlyZone Sensei or E-Flite Apprentice are good choices and both come in Ready To Fly (RTF) packages. Definitely avoid warbirds or jets for your first plane as these are more difficult to fly than the high-wing trainers listed above.
Q: Can I get instructions on flying helicopters?
A: Yes, we have several heli instructors.
Q: Do you permit FPV?
A: FPV is permitted as long as all standard field rules are followed and you are complying with AMA FPV guidelines (please see the AMA’s blog for more details)
Q: How do I get to your field?
A: There are directions here on our website.
Q: What’s the largest planes that can be safely flown your field?
A: It depends on the type of plane, but we have several pilots who regularly fly 100″+ wingspan sport planes.
Q: Do you allow jets?
A: We do allow EDF jets. Turbine jets are not permitted due to the nature of our GeoTex fabric Runway.
Q: Do you have a battery charging station?
A: Yes
