Aeromodel(l)ing

My name is George.

I like to build small airplanes that can fly. This is my hobby. It is called “Aeromodeling”. The small airplanes are called “aeromodels” or simply “models”.

Like every other aeromodeler, I too assemble my models from specialized materials, than I buy from “Hobby Shops”. The most important material is a very light wood called Balsa. I cut the wood with a sharp knife, according to the instructions of a “plan” and then I assemble the pieces together with glue. A model with solid wooden airframe can fly as is, but open (skeleton like) airframes need further covering with paper or other suitable material to form the flying surfaces. These are treated with few coats of clear and colored dope to make them tight and moisture proof. There is also a modern covering material, a heat shrinkable plastic film, which after its application doesn’t need further treatment.

There are two kind of aeromodels: Scale and Non Scale.

Scale and non scale models are divided into many categories. These are grouped in three classes, according to the way they are controlled. So, we have the “Free Flight” models, which have no means of control after take-off, the “Control Line” models, that are controlled with two metal cables and fly in circles around the pilot, and finally the “Radio Control” models that the pilot can control with a Transmitter that holds in his hands. The “Radio Control” models are very impressive. They are engine powered or “gliders” (models without an engine). Popular are also the model helicopters.

Very small free flight models can be powered by compressed gas motors or a loop of rubber. The majority of the powered models use small internal combustion engines, similar to our car engines, but they burn special fuel. They can turn a propeller as fast as 30.000 (thirty-thousand) revolutions per minute. Today, we also use electric motors, that are powered by rechargeable batteries. The electric motors are very quiet and enviromentaly friendly.

Most of the modelers join together to form a “modeling club” and fly their models at organized “flying fields”. They fly for fun or in competition. Some of the popular contest categories for the motorized radio control models are “Aerobatics” and “Pylon Racing”, and for the gliders is “Duration Flying”. There are local contests between the members of an aeromodeling club, there are National contests where all the modelers of one country can enter, and finally there are open international contests and Continental and World Championships where the competition is carried among the national team members and teams as well.

Every nation is encouraged to have a National Aero-Club or Aeronautical Federation that is looking after the activities of the various aero-sports in its territory,aeromodeling being one of them. This NAC is also the official body in contact with the International Aeronautical Federation, the “F.A.I.” which in turn, through its Aeromodeling Commission, “C.I.A.M.”, issues international contest rules, approves the international contests and homologates the aeromodeling world records.

Aeromodeling is not only a hobby and a sport, but is also an educational field that can help a young person consider his career possibilities by developing his handcrafting skills, and by motivating him to study related topics like physics, chemistry, engineering, aerodynamics etc.

It is not difficult for you to build a simple model airplane. All it takes besides the wood and glue, are few tools like a modeling knife, sandpaper, pins and a straight building board.

George

  P.S. Please check the list of easy to build and fly models, of the Galaxy Training Program.