Rules and Regulations

Council, MAAA, and Club Safety Rules

You must be a member of the RSSF Club and hold current MAAA insurance to be able fly at all fields.

You must adhere to the rules as set down on the back of the membership application form.

At the Springfield flying site the maximum altitude permissible is 400 feet without exception.

At the Redbank flying site the maximum altitude permissible is 400 feet. However if Air Traffic is monitored by a

separate Club member to ensure air safety then flying to 1000 feet is permitted. This regularly occurs on Tuesday Redbank gliding days .

You need to be familiar with the CASA approval documents for Laidley Slope site and Redbank Plains.

Guidelines for flying at the Springfield site are available here.

The Map of the flying area at Springfield is here

Competitions and Certifications

A range of different competitions have been held by the club in the past. Active competitions are listed in the sections below.

Members can also train to obtain their MAAA Bronze, Silver, or Gold wings. Guidelines for what is required to obtain these qualifications are provided on the MAAA website for Manual Procedures and see MOP027. MOPs - Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (maaa.asn.au)

60 MINUTE GLIDING CHALLENGE RULES

A club competition to glide (without motor) for 60 minutes or more in one flight is a current activity at Redbank Recreational Park. If a flyer has achieved this feat he will be given a set of wings logo, to add onto a glider etc . So far only one club member has achieved this a pure glide of 60 minutes under competition rules.

Competition rules:

This challenge is intended to be flown at the Redbank Plains Recreational Park on glider days organized by the Club. It is not intended for the Laidley Slope; the Springfield/Camira field or any other flying site.

Flying must be limited to within 500 meters radius of where the pilot is located which corresponds approximately to the dimensions of the park. Flying over the High school should be avoided.

The “60 minute challenge” can only be valid if:

1. It is observed and timed by the competition director of the day. He should be a financial member of the Club.

2. The challenger pilot must be a financial member of the Cub with MAAA insurance; or a member of another club and guest with MAAA insurance.
   The aircraft must be a fixed wing glider. It can be launched by an on-board motor with folding prop; aero-towed by another model aircraft; or a winch or bungee.

3. The aircraft must comply with club rules, no bigger than 3 meters wingspan and approximately 2 kilos flying weight. It can be lighter and smaller if the pilot wishes, so Radians and smaller aircraft are valid.

4. The challenge can only take part if the challenger’s flying fully complies with the CASA instrument of permission to fly under a maximum of 1,000 feet AGL (above ground level).

5. The challenge begins when the glider has reached a maximum altitude no higher than 1,000 feet AGL. The altitude the pilot chooses to commence the challenge is at the discretion of the pilot. It commences when he switches off the motor or releases from a towline.

6. Once the pilot has switched off the motor in the glider, or released from the launch line, the timer/stopwatch is activated and the 60-minute challenge to glide commences.

7. The motor must not be switched on again at any time of the remaining flight challenge or the challenge is void.

8. The pilot may sit, lie down or stand to fly the aircraft, but the glider must be in clear sight and under control at all times. Every effort must be made to avoid a fly away and safe flying is of paramount importance.

9. The competition director will advise the challenger from time to time as to minutes elapsed. On getting close to 60 minutes he will provide a minute-by-minute count down.

10. The challenge is complete and awarded if the gliding flight from motor off/line release amounts to more that 60 minutes.
    There is no benefit from flying longer than 60 minutes. Pilots may attempt the challenge multiple times and each attempt stands alone and minutes flown are not cumulative.

11. Should a general aviation aircraft/helicopter fly over or be near the field during a challenge attempt, the competition director is responsible for safety and may order aircraft down and void the challenge attempt. This could happen at any time and is at his sole discretion even if the challenger is close to reaching 60 minutes duration. This is a requirement of the CASA instrument of permission to fly to the maximum altitude.

12. The prize for each and every pilot who achieves the 60 minute duration flight challenge is a “60 Minute Champion” sticker logo that can be displayed on the aircraft’s wing, on your transmitter box, car back window. The challenge can be flown and achieved multiple times and a logo awarded for each.

60 Minute Gliding Challenge Champion Sticker.