Rocket Flying Rules
One: All pyrotechnic rocket flying will be conducted according to the United Kingdom Rocketry Association (UKRA) Safety Code, Version 7.0 ~ full details at: -
Two: All rocket flying will be under the authority of a Range Safety Officer (RSO), at the appropriate Level (UKRA Model or Level 1, 2 or 3 RSO’s).
Three: All pyrotechnic rocket flying will be under a NOTAM (with specified hours for each day, as above) issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and in co-ordination with Air Traffic Control at Glasgow Airport, in observance of the Air Navigation Orders (ANO) covering rocket flying (see UKRA Safety Code). All rocket launches will be in Launch Windows arranged with the local Air Traffic Control centres (through Glasgow Airport ATC). No rocket launches will be permitted outside of Launch Windows or the specified NOTAM hours.
Launch Windows at the FMRS.
1.For rocket flights up to 3,000 Feet (915 Metres) AMSL an “Open Window” (Block Approval) for the duration of the day's rocket flying will be arranged.
2.Flights above 3,000 Feet (915 Metres) to 16,000 Feet (4,876 Metres) AMSL require specific Launch Window times to be arranged with and through Glasgow Air Traffic Control.
3.All Launch Windows will be arranged each flying day on a rolling basis with and through GATC by a Launch Control Officer (or sometimes the Duty RSO) by means of Mobile phone communications from the FMRS scene of operations with the Duty Watch Manager at GATC. Flyers will be kept fully advised of Launch Window times, durations, and maximum altitudes by the duty RSO’s.
Please Note: The 2 Nautical Mile radius, 16,000 Feet AMSL volume of airspace in which rockets are flown above the FMRS is a complex mix of Controlled and Uncontrolled Airspace, used by Glasgow and Prestwick Airports, and the Scottish Airways Control Centre, for commercial passenger and cargo carrying air traffic, and also private light aircraft and helicopters flying through at low altitudes. Over many years a good working procedure has been developed with the CAA and the local Air Traffic Control centres that we communicate with, enabling safe co-ordination of rocket flying and air traffic movements through and above the FMRS air space. To ensure that this continues to be the case the above Rules will be strictly observed and if necessary enforced. Deliberate infringement of these Rules by any rocket flyer will result in immediate and possibly permanent grounding of their flying at the IRW.
Four: All pyrotechnic rocket flying – that is with combustible Solid, Hybrid, and Liquid propellants – requires valid current British Model Flying Association (BMFA) Membership to be held by all UK flyers at the IRW. This is necessary to ensure that rocket flying at the IRW is covered for Third Party Civil/Public Liability Insurance provided by Membership of the BMFA. In reasonable cases, for first-time flyers only, some Model Rocket flights only may be permitted without BMFA Membership (*), but strictly under supervision and mentoring by a valid UKRA Member, and under all of the other rules stated above. (* As provided for under the BMFA Insurance rules – see “Extensions”, paragraph (g), page 10 of the current, 2017 Edition, of the BMFA Members’ Handbook. This provides for BMFA Affiliated Clubs to extend their Club Insurance cover to first time visitors who have no previous flying experience, visiting Club events, and who to try out flying – in the case of the IRW, rocket flying. As the IRW organising and host Club, SARA, can grant such extension.)
Out-with the “first time flyers” extension, other flyers are asked to please physically have their BMFA Insurance Certificates and Membership Cards with them at IRW.
Where there is a reciprocal recognition and insurance arrangement between the UK Rocketry Association (UKRA), and the national rocketry associations of other countries Non-UK flyers are asked to please have their reciprocal (UKRA) membership and insurance documents physically with them at the IRW. There is Certification recognition between UKRA and -
- National Association of Rocketry (NAR).
- Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA).
- Canadian Association of Rocketry (CAR).
For overseas, non-UK rocket flyers at the IRW, the BMFA provision for extending Insurance cover to them free of charge will apply under the BMFA Overseas Visitor rule, which states -
Clubs may offer temporary BMFA membership to visitors from overseas countries. In the interest of international relations, no charge will be made for this class of membership which again may be offered for a single period of 30 days.
Full or Temporary BMFA Membership can be purchased at the IRW. (See also https://bmfa.org/Join-Renew/Join-the-BMFA)
Full UKRA Membership can be purchased at the IRW. (See also http://www.ukra.org.uk/join)
Five: Where required by UK Law all rocket flyers must have valid up to date Explosives Certificates and Recipient Competent Authority (RCA) documents for the rocket propellants that they are using, and they must physically have these documents with them at the event, as flyers may be asked to produce documents at the request of an RSO. Also, at any time during the event the IRW could be subject to a visit and inspection by the Police, either at the Lapwing Lodge Base Camp, or a the FMRS Flying Site. All propellants must be suitably and safely stored and handled at the Base Camp and Flying Site. Information and advice about the Explosives Certification required to acquire, store, transport and use solid rocket propellants (whether for use in Solid or Hybrid Motors) is available on the UKRA web site (as above). Or contact the IRW Organising Committee (see contact details in Important Information).
Six: Experimental/Research rockets. This type of rocketry (primarily in the High Power or Large Rockets class of rockets) is covered in Section 8: Research of the UKRA Safety Code, at www.ukra.org.uk/safetycode
If you are planning to fly an Experimental/Research rocket at the IRW, and you are unfamiliar with the Research section of the UKRA Safety Code you must access this, read it, and make sure that you fully understand its requirements. Details of Experimental/Research rockets must be notified in full to the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee at least 30 days before the intended flight, and approval granted. However, it is recommended that you should if possible notify such details to the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee considerably more than 30 days before the intended flight. You can e-mail the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee at
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including “Experimental/Research rocket” in the Subject line.
Anyone intending to bring and fly a Liquid Propellant Rocket at the IRW is urged to contact the Organisers as soon as possible (again, please see Important Information).
Seven: Large Rockets, i.e. rockets of over 10,240 Newton-Seconds installed Total Impulse (N and above motors, or motor combinations amounting to the same), require to have: -
a. Been examined, mentored and approved by the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee through the UKRA Large Rocket Scheme. This Scheme requires full supervision and mentoring by the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee of all Large Rocket projects that are to be flown under UKRA-BMFA Insurance, from the beginning of Large Rocket projects. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that details of all Large Rocket projects planned to be flown at the IRW be provided to the UKRA Safety & Technical Committee as soon as possible. Please e-mail them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Details and documents of the UKRA Large Rocket Scheme are available and downloadable at www.ukra.org.uk/lrs
b.Special Permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Such Special Permission is required to be individually and separately issued for each and every Large Rocket launch. To obtain the Special Permission required for a Large Rocket Launch, application must be made in writing to: -
CAA Airspace Regulations Operations,
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Tel: 0207 453 6599
