Motors

[DavRedf]

I keep on hearing and being told that I can only buy/use E engines and above if I am certified by thr UKRA.
That is a load of bull there is no law in the UK that says that I even have to be a member of that or any group.
As long as I have the required paperwork, in the UK it is a. Registered explosives store. b. Explosive certificate COER! c. Recipient competent authority document.
I can buy and use the big motors.
Now I dont want to belittle the UKRA or any other group as they do valuable work and help to keep our sport unregulated and safe.
But if I want to fly big rockets I DO NOT have to be certificated. I have had arguments with shops on this subject and have rarely been refused the motors I want.
Some of us are very knowlegable about explosives and rocket motors and as such have little need of any further "tests".
I have my own insurance for third party accident or injury.

Having said that it is my intention to join the UKRA in the future as in my opinion the deserve our support.
Sorry for the long "rant".

David

 

[Mike]

Where were you told you had to be a UKRA member to get the appropriate licences?

 

[DavRedf]

Hi Mike
Not to get the licenses, I can get those anyway, But to buy the motors. Some shops have been told it is the law that you have to be certified to buy them.

David

 

[Mike]

Sorry I'm a bit confused about what exactly you mean when you say you need to be certified. Do you mean certified Level 1, 2, 3 or have all the correct explosive certificates?

Are there hobby shops near you that sell APCP motors?

 

[Elbmod]

The certification comes into to bigger than G motors - you should be flying that size unless certified and I would guess that responsible retailers would take that view as well

You're right about the registered store and COER1 details, but surely the point of joining UKRA or one of the other BMFA affiliated groups is for hte sak of insurance - imagine a large rocket coming in ballistic onto someones car for example - do you fancy forking out!!

Just my two pence worth!

 

[DavRedf]

Hi Pete
So who says I have to be certified to fly large rockets?
The UKRA and who gave them the authority to say this? themselves.
What qualifications do they have to certify anyone?, what they have given them selves.
It seems that some people cant acept that others can have equal or better qualifications to do someting without having others say they can.
As for insurance, in the post I state that I have my own insurance and I completely agree that anyone who flys rockets without is a mug.

By the way a lot of this and the original post is as a "devils advocate" as I would rather have people who have some idea of what it is about making the rules instead of polititions who dont have a clue.

But my point is that I can and do fly large rockets on occassion and have little trouble getting motors.

David

 

[edwardw]

I also think that the point to certifying to fly bigger motors is to protect the hobby. Imagine someone just buying an M motor and throwing together a rocket and it injures people. The press would be all over how 'rockets are dangerous'. It is just to insure you have the skills to fly big rockets and construct them soundly.

 

[LarryH]

Dave, if you purchase High powered motors without being certified by your regions private governing rocketry organizations, you nor the seller really aren't so much breaking a law so to speak(you're not going to be arrested, and the seller will not be arrested for selling them to you as long as you have the proper explosives permits), what you're violating is your rocketry organizations safety code, it's really more of a volountary restriction that the seller agreed to place on his merchandise when asked by the UKRA. I dont know how it is across the pond, but over here a retailer of any type of merchandise has full right to deny sale of ANYTHING to ANYONE for ANY reason! There's no law that says a seller HAS to sell! But you see, this works both ways, if a seller agrees to restrict the sale of a certain product and then does not follow through, the manufacturers or distributors of the product may refuse sale of the product to the seller. It's all a volountary system of enforcement that keeps our butts out of hot water and the prying eyes of the media out of our hair. You see, people today are ban crazy, they want EVERYTHING that they deem to be even romotely dangerous BANNED! We're trying not to provide these types of people with the ammunition they need to fight us with. Unlike gunowners we have no Constitutional ammendments that protect our rights to own and fly rockets, and we dont have an NRA fighting for us to see that those rights are recognized.

 

[arthur dent]

I fly with out insurance but i don,t consider myself a mug.I am lucky enough to have a very large launch area and i also take great care and follow all the launch recomendations.

DAVREDF could you please let the rest of us brits know where you'r getting you'r high power motors.as far as im aware the only source at the moment is PETES rockets.

 

[DavRedf]

Hi
Sorry if it upset you refering to people who fly without insurance as "mugs".
That of course is my view and should not be used for other people. The decision is of course down to the individul concerned.

As for high power motors a friend of mine gets them from the continent when he goes there. He is a lorry driver.
On that subject the supply seems to be drying up as he has not been able to get any since before christmas.

My local model shop says that they can order them if enough are wante to make compliance with the regs worthwhile.

David