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Air sports Newtownards

Newtownards Model Flying Club

A model-aircraft club at Newtownards airfield — a hobby club, not a book-and-go day out.

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ClubNot a bookable experience — join to take…
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NewtownardsNewtownards Airport, County Down
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Model flyingWhat it is
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Newtownards Model Flying Club — A model-aircraft club at Newtownards airfield — a hobby club, not a book-and-go day out.

  • What you can do: Members fly radio-controlled model aircraft; newcomers join and learn with BMFA instructors.
  • Who can go: Not a bookable experience — join to take part; any spectating is informal.
  • Weather: Weather-dependent and informal; no fixed flying timetable.
  • Booking: Not applicable — contact the club about membership instead.
  • Cost: Membership-based — check current details with the club.
Plan your visit

What the club actually is

Ards Model Flying Club flies all disciplines of radio-controlled model aircraft from Newtownards Airport, using the airfield's tarmac and grass runways. It's a membership hobby club rather than a public attraction — there's nothing to book and no paid flight for visitors. New members get free flight training under BMFA-qualified instructors and can work through the BMFA achievement scheme. If model flying interests you, joining is the path in.

Model-aircraft hobby club RC planes, members fly BMFA affiliated Free training for members Newtownards airfield Not a bookable experience
Good to know before you go:

Flying here runs on the weather, so slots move at short notice — take the reschedule, it’s part of the sport. Some of the sites and clubs listed on Days Out NI are for members and qualified pilots rather than walk-in visitors, so check what’s on offer before you set off. And check the age, weight and health limits before you book: they’re set by the aircraft, not by anyone being fussy.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📱A bookingAlmost everything up here runs on a slot you’ve arranged ahead — clubs included.
  • 🧥Warm layersIt’s colder up there than it is on the ground, and colder again waiting on the airfield.
  • 🗓️A flexible dayFlights move with the wind. Keep the day loose and you’ll enjoy it far more.
  • 📷A cameraThe view is the whole point — coast, lough and mountain, all in one lap.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Model-aircraft hobby club
What you can do
Members fly radio-controlled model aircraft; newcomers join and learn with BMFA instructors
Public access
Not a bookable experience — join to take part; any spectating is informal
Booking
Not applicable — contact the club about membership instead
Weather
Weather-dependent and informal; no fixed flying timetable
Cost
Membership-based — check current details with the club
Location / airfield / site
Newtownards Airport, County Down
Address
Newtownards Airport, Portaferry Road, Newtownards, County Down
Booking contact
[email protected]
Questions

Before you go

Can anyone go, or is it members only?
Not a bookable experience — join to take part; any spectating is informal
What actually happens on the day?
Members fly radio-controlled model aircraft; newcomers join and learn with BMFA instructors
Do I need to book?
Not applicable — contact the club about membership instead
What happens if the weather turns?
Weather-dependent and informal; no fixed flying timetable
How much does it cost?
Membership-based — check current details with the club
Getting there

Newtownards Model Flying Club is at Newtownards Airport, Portaferry Road, Newtownards, County Down. Tap below for directions.

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Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About it

Ards Model Flying Club was formed in 2019 and flies from Newtownards Airport, an airfield east of Belfast. It's affiliated to the British Model Flying Association as Area 13 (Northern Ireland Association of Aeromodellers) club number 3165, and flies all disciplines of radio-controlled aircraft from the field's tarmac and grass runways.

The club provides free flight training to members under BMFA-qualified instructors and supports the BMFA achievement scheme, so newcomers can learn to fly safely and gain recognised certificates.