Glad i found this thread!! i am about to be stationed in bahrain and want to bring my 450 e razor heli. from what i read it sounds like its gonna be a pain. but i wounder if flying on base would be allowed. also i think military luggage goes through different coustoms....

Originally Posted by joeywasworth

Glad i found this thread!! i am about to be stationed in bahrain and want to bring my 450 e razor heli. from what i read it sounds like its gonna be a pain. but i wounder if flying on base would be allowed. also i think military luggage goes through different coustoms....

Hay Joy, well there is no flying at the base but there is some flying going around let me know when you come to Bahrain
military luggage as far as i know they don't get searched but i have a friend who actually got searched and he had his heli on him and they made him ship it back to USA

i plan on disassembling my heli to ship it so maby if i put the pieces in different suit cases it will through them of hehe... good to hear there is some hope of being able to fly there tho. is flying actually allowed now or what?????

oh and any suggestions on how to get a tx/rx through Bahrain customs? is putting them in seperate luggage the best way? kinda a lot of work to do all this but i have invested too much money in this hobby to go with out it for a year!

Originally Posted by joeywasworth

i plan on disassembling my heli to ship it so maby if i put the pieces in different suit cases it will through them of hehe... good to hear there is some hope of being able to fly there tho. is flying actually allowed now or what?????

They may allow on base I plan on asking that here soon I just need the head count to propose the idea

Originally Posted by joeywasworth

oh and any suggestions on how to get a tx/rx through Bahrain customs? is putting them in seperate luggage the best way? kinda a lot of work to do all this but i have invested too much money in this hobby to go with out it for a year!

Don't take it apart it's a waste of time and if you put it in your luggage it will be found I am 100% sure. Get a nice size box and remove the boom skids and head wrap them in bubble wrap. Then wrap your TX line the box with foam peanuts stick your stuff in and cover with more peanuts. Send it USPS to yourself priority (NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED!!!) This is important because no will sign for it and it will be returned to the post office and make sure you put electronics on the customs form.

The disappointing truth is that all aspects of RC flying (and flying in general) remains illegal. If I'm not mistaken Bahrain is the only GCC country that bans the hobby outright. According to the official Bahrain Customs website, RC flying has been prohibited by the Ministry of Interior for 'security and safety reasons due to the space limitations'. State paranoia goes well beyond the world of RC flying. Airspace over the entire country is restricted from surface level to an unlimited upper level so flight schools and general aviation are non-existent. Hardly an inviting place for aviation enthusiasts!

Having said that there is a very small community of RC pilots in Bahrain who will be happy to share some of the dos & donts with you. Despite the draconian rules on RC flying, serious RC pilots always find creative ways of importing their stuff. The obvious advise is to not import RTF models in a single box or suitcase. If it looks like an aeroplane or a heli under the xray it will be stopped by customs.

Many of the electronics found in RC planes/helis are also found in RC cars and boats (which are legal). Use this to your advantage! It's quite easy to explain why you have a fancy looking Tx in your suitcase when there's an RC car parked next to it..

If you don't mind building from scratch there are one or two arts & craft shops that sell balsa wood and EPO foam.

As far as flying sites go, you want to be as discrete as possible and avoid flying in public areas. Most people in Bahrain have never seen an RC plane so you will get people rubber-necking and pulling over which will do nothing but invite unwanted attention. Private back gardens (preferably large ones) tend to do the trick if you've got a slow flyer. Private sport halls (schools) are perfect places for indoor flying on weekends.

Happy landings!

Note: Might be worth mentioning that non-RC flying such as RTP, control line, free flight etc is technically legal as it lacks the RC element specified in the rule. Explaining that to the bearded wonders at customs would be another matter all together..

Hey guys

I'm a keen foamy EDF flyer and have been enjoying this hobby back in London, UK. Have now moved to Khobar, Saudi Arabia and am possibly moving again to Bahrain!

Have the rules changed regarding RC Flying in Bahrain? I'm sure some of you manage to fly so where do you hideout?

Used to buy quite a bit from hobbyking while I was in the UK. where do you suggest I should buy stuff from while I'm in Bahrain and how should I bring it into the country?

Thanks all

Man this is so depressing

I'm planing to move to bahrain this year after living in UK for 17 years. Really excited about moving and now this!! I can't believe it's banned

Safty and land limitation? BullS**T

We need to do something about this!

After some reaserch its seems that Bahrain is the only country on the face of this planet where flying any rc is illegal. The law does not specify what is banned with specifics such as what type, size, range, altitude etc... Only that flying rc is banned period!

Why me

Well I know it's a old topic but the thing about Bahrain is it's only illegal to import these items there is no standing law but in the same breath unless you know the right people be very discreet if you plan to do it.

If you can get to Saudi on the causeway (visa needed?) there's RC flying in Dhahran.

Originally Posted by abenn

If you can get to Saudi on the causeway (visa needed?) there's RC flying in Dhahran.

No visa needed for bahraini going to saudi. I'm not willing to travel to another country for rc. We need to fix this in Bahrain for Bahrain. I'll be looking to start a petition to get things going. Not sure how the system works there as i've been away for some time so let's hope it's possible. I'm not very confident but i'll try my best. I really think this is stripping people of a freedom that everyone should have and enjoy. No logical reason to ban this whatever way you look at it. If anyone disagrees please share your views.

With all the turmoil going on in the Middle East and Bahrain, you could easily get in trouble if you try to push it. ref http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Mid...#axzz1iJRENXln
The ones in power are not in a good mood at this time.

I was thinking that indoor model airplanes might be the way to go, after things settle down. Little small indoor planes would be less risky and less of a threat to those in power. So that might be a way to approach it and let it develop over time as they see it isn't a security threat.

It is my belief that someone years ago, used RC planes to take pictures of the country from overhead and it then quickly became a security threat to those in power. Plus it might have infringed on privacy behind some of the walled in compounds or homes where one might take pics of women sunbathing or something too. But whoever did take pics with a RC plane at the last time it was done, really did upset someone in power a lot.

You might be right about this being the worst time to ask for anything. Or it might prove to be the perfect timing. Who knows.

Your idea about indoor flying is very interesting. This is definitely one way. The other is to designate RC flying zones or areas. Pilots must obtain a membership for using these RC airfields. 

BTW Where and when did you get this information about a person taking pictures from an RC aircraft? Do you have anymore details? When did this incident take place? 

Originally Posted by earlwb

With all the turmoil going on in the Middle East and Bahrain, you could easily get in trouble if you try to push it. ref http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Mid...#axzz1iJRENXln
The ones in power are not in a good mood at this time.

I was thinking that indoor model airplanes might be the way to go, after things settle down. Little small indoor planes would be less risky and less of a threat to those in power. So that might be a way to approach it and let it develop over time as they see it isn't a security threat.

It is my belief that someone years ago, used RC planes to take pictures of the country from overhead and it then quickly became a security threat to those in power. Plus it might have infringed on privacy behind some of the walled in compounds or homes where one might take pics of women sunbathing or something too. But whoever did take pics with a RC plane at the last time it was done, really did upset someone in power a lot.

The best way is to go to the news paper with it. I have a friend in the MOI that is helping me with the matter. I have sent PM's to guys posting on this thread and have gotten no reply the main thing to make this work is to not have people full of crap about it.

I have been here for about three years and everyone I have came across has did more talking then acting. Going to KSA won't work because you have to be invited into the country. Even when I get the article posted because of the paranoia and actions of late it probably will get looked over. This place is nice but corrupt at the same time so our hobby does not draw the attention to be considered.