Blackpool & Fylde Radio Controlled Model Society (BFRCMS) have sent details of not one but two projects where they have helped their local community and raised the status and visibility of their club and model flying in general. If more clubs got involved in community projects like these then we may be able to recruit more younger members to the hobby.
If your club has been involved in any community events that you think may be of interest then please send details to the BMFA NW Area webmaster (bmfanw.webmaster@gmail.com) and we will put a post on the website.
Dave Hindley’s reports of the two projects make very interesting reading:-
Club Challenge with Blackpool & the Fylde College.
An update on the BFRCMS club college project year two. We have been working for a second time with Blackpool and the Fylde College. We were invited to return to the college by the Head of Department following the success of the project last year.
The project started in January and successfully completed in mid-June this year. We had a full group of 10 students studying a National level qualification in aeronautic engineering. Some of the students are progressing onto a degree course at the college, one joining the RAF and several going into employment.
Anthony Ollerton and I attended a morning session each week at the college to support, advise and mentor the students as the project progressed. This year the session was a formal timetabled session, which greatly improved the progress and outcome.
The students built a small depron biplane, with motor, speed controller and LiPo battery. The college purchased a radio transmitter and several receivers and 10 sets of servos for the project. The club provided the depron and propellers and various hardware items.
The students completed construction in May and we were fortunate to have the college sports hall as the indoor flying facility. Each student had a short test flight where their plane was trimmed out, followed by a competition for the longest flight.
In discussion with the college staff we decided since the performance of each individual was very close, to award each student with a prize and to award one student with an outstanding achievement award. The prize took the form of a £25 Amazon voucher for 9 students and one £50 voucher for the outstanding award. BMFA NW kindly donated sponsorship to the project, the Club supported with a financial contribution plus the offer of one year’s free membership to all participating students.
In response to the interest of the students we organised a visit to our club field. A number of club members brought a selection of models to demonstrate, students had the opportunity to have a trial flight using a club trainer and buddy system. This went down really well and the students were very enthusiastic.
As a result we have a number of young people now very interested in continuing to be involved in radio controlled model aircraft. Also the project has given the students some excellent opportunities to explore modelling skills, and this has provided added value to their academic achievements, which will enhance their CV.
Plan
Completed Model
Collaboration with the Grundy Art Gallery.
BFRCMS has been involved with the Grundy Art Gallery, Artangel and award winning artist Hetain Patel, in a project where the club demonstrated flying at night with illuminated aircraft. The project came about by the gallery and artist Hetain Patel seeing photographs of night flying on the club website.
One of our club members designed and built a number of these illuminated models with a sophisticated light control system, where the light sequence is controlled remotely. The club holds an annual bonfire night evening event, where a number of club members fly these illuminated aircraft during a firework display.
Following communications between the art group and the club, a night flying session was arranged with filming done by a professional crew, directed by the artist. Following production of a documentary film, a gallery display was put on at the Grundy Gallery
In Blackpool, the display included the film of illuminated night flying and a static display of the illuminated models along with larger static models, mixed with other art displays.
A club member attended the gallery in May to give a talk about the radio control model flying hobby. This included the role of BMFA, the range of models in the hobby, and the training program offered by the club. This was attended by a significant number of the general public who showed an active interest in the hobby.
The gallery display was in place from March until June, when it then moved to another display in Blackburn, including the model aircraft belonging to BFRCMS club members.
The club feels that this project has been a valuable exercise in community engagement, promoting our hobby to the art world and to the general public. We look forward to future projects of this kind.
Dave Hindley
BFRCMS Club Secretary and Welfare Officer