Academy

BMFA NW REGION FLY-IN JULY 2003

 reasonable crop of models and flyers turned up for the North West Region Fly-in at the Academy flying site. Many thanks to the BMFA NW Region officials and Academy members who made the day a success.

We have a group of pilots with “A” and “B” certificates who can help new modellers become proficient flyers. The grass field is well away from any major settlements, and there are no flying restrictions, although we normally fly on Wednesday evening in Summer, and on Sundays and Bank Holidays throughout the year. We have instructors who will give one to one tuition at other times if that is more convenient (Basically they just like flying at any time!)

The Academy is a showcase for Megamodels, and as well as providing instruction the academy flyers have branched out into some unusual projects

THE VULCAN

In 1991 Frank and Allan Anslow along with Brian Heyes embarked on a project to build a 1/10th scale Vulcan bomber. The extensive construction programme took several hundred man hours to complete and the basic airframe was completed some two years later. The choice of engines, their configuration and complex fuelling system, proved more difficult than originally thought.

The model remained a non flying static Vulcan until 1996, when a team of enthusiastic aero modellers from the “Roy Lever Flying Academy” decided to pursue the initial challenge. The powerplants chosen were four Z-24 Pulse jets each generating 10lbs thrust. After many trials, setbacks and different approaches a unique fuelling system was developed, allowing the four pulse jets to be installed into one model, something which has never been attempted before in aero modelling.