TARMAC Notes for November

 

 

 

To correct the view that control line almost ready to fly models (ARFs) are a new phenomenon, here is a photo of an all metal ARF called the Topping 100 that was on the market in 1945.  These rugged, but I suspect fairly weighty aluminium models could be fitted with a range of motors.  This one had an Ohlsson .60 spark ignition engine and all the associated batteries, coil and tank etcetera jam packed into the slippery looking fuselage.  It probably went like the clappers of doom, but I doubt if it was very aerobatic.

 

Norm Kirton has just been off to Singapore for a holiday with an old aeromodelling mate of his and their wives.  Norm had arranged in advance to visit the local Aeromodellers and when I heard about it, I asked him to write down some details for these notes.  The trip was an eye opener for Norm and shows just what can be done with some forward thought and support from the government.  The Singaporeans have very successfully used (and continue to use) some of the elements developed by the RAF and RAAF with the Air Training Corps (ATC) to attract and prepare suitable young folks for a career in aviation.

 

The pal that accompanied Norm was Ed Faragher, who, like Norm, was a member of Stanley and Districts Model Aero club in England back in the dreamtime.  They flew all kinds of aircraft together those days, and even made a homebuilt Braemer Pulse Jet that they never managed to get off the ground, but it did run.  More recently Ed has built a Wren turbine from a kit and attached it to a scooter which he rides around the factory grounds.  After he got married he moved away down to the south of England to take up a pattern makers job in motor racing for the March and Williams formula one teams.  He now lives near the Silverstone race track and works for 888 racing creating scale models, operating a rolling road wind tunnel and researching aerodynamics for racing cars (Formula one as well as the tin tops).  The Aussie branch of 888 racing in Queensland are doing quite well with Craig Lowndes driving a Ford for them.

 

Norm writes:            I was asked by Charlie Stone, to write an article about my aeromodelling and full-size flying experiences whilst on holiday recently in Singapore. So here it is.

 

Just prior to going on holiday to Singapore on 8^th October, I contacted Richard Ong who had recently written about F2C (FAI team racing) and their newly opened racing site in that country.  I had arranged to telephone Richard on arrival, as they were to have a competition that weekend, however, home politics dictated that I wait until the second Saturday.

 

 

 

Left to Right are Ed Faragher, Stephen Beber, Simon Khoong, Lam Fook Soon, Tony Chang, Norm Kirton.  At the Singapore Youth Flying Club centre.  The photo was supplied by Norm Kirton.

 

By arrangement, Richard picked up myself, and my ex-modelling mate from England, with whom we were holidaying, at 1pm on the Saturday.  He told us that their control-line site was at a flying club, which I expected to be something akin to our local light aviation airfield at Jandakot.  After about a ¾ hour’s drive north of Singapore’s townsite we came to an ex army base at Seletar and it is here that Richard took us into an imposing new building, which we found to be “The Singapore Youth Flying Club”  Still not suspecting anything, and assuming that Richard just had access to a room here, we followed him into the foyer where we were asked to sign-in.  Richard told us just to put in any number for the contact telephone.  He then took us down a corridor to one of two “Aeromodelling classrooms”.  On entering we were staggered by the amount of models on the benches and around the room.

 

We were having a look at his team racing equipment when the CCA manager Stephen Beber (CCA stands for Controller of Certification Authorities and is the monitoring body for all certification authorities in Singapore.) and his team entered the room and introduced themselves.  They then took us on a conducted tour of the facility, whilst giving information about it.

 

 

 

A photo of one of the roomy classrooms at SYFC.  The photo was supplied by Norm Kirton.

 

It turns out that the Singapore government has established a flying training establishment for the training of Singapore youth with a view to becoming Air Force aircrew.  In their consent form they state “Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC) conducts flying training (including joyrides) and aeromodelling courses for selected full-time students in recognized schools. We aim to create awareness and interest in aviation by making aeromodelling and flying subjects of learning for Singapore youth”.  The centre boasts a line up of no less than 12 full-size aircraft, which are mostly Piper Warriors.

 

Classrooms inside the building consist of two aeromodelling rooms fully equipped with separate machinery areas, a room equipped with two computers running flight simulators (1 with Flight Sim 2004 and the other with a model aircraft sim) both projected onto a wall, and then there were other rooms filled with computers running flight navigation programs.  The facility was also equipped with a fully stocked shop and a canteen.

 

It was interesting to find that aeromodelling features quite prominently in the school system.  And even more interesting was the fact that at the 4^th Inter-Schools Aeromodelling Competitions held in November 2004 there was a record 80 teams entered in Junior Rat Race (girls included)!!!!!!!!!

 

Whilst talking to the staff I discovered that some of them are bringing 12 of the youth to Pearce in November and they wish to visit CLAW at Whiteman Park for the F2C racing there.  It appears that they did visit Tarmac in 2002 and wish to see more.  I offered to meet them on their free days and take them to Whiteman Park and, hopefully TARMAC’s BASI field.

 

Eventually we were able to drag ourselves away from the extremely enthusiastic team who insisted on showing us everything, so that we could go to watch Richard and David practice with their Yugov team racer.  This team is extremely competent and competitive. They are averaging 17.3/10 laps, which is quite a respectable speed.

 

 

 

Ed caught in the corner of the club display room which is lined with aeromodelling equipment and beautifully finished models of all types.  The photo was supplied by Norm Kirton.

 

I have raised the possibility of starting postal (email) competitions between our countries with the future aim of international travel (it’s only a 4½ hour flight now). This was met favourably with Richard and I have agreed to become involved with the organization of such events.  I do hope that this leads to greater interest in Western Australia.

 

Having spent almost 5 hours on site we were both mentally gobsmacked at what we saw. 

Credit must go to the foresight of the Singapore government and those who pushed the scheme into fruition as they are empowering the country’s youth into aviation whilst simultaneously creating an induction for their air force.

 

I thank the staff of SYFC for their gracious hospitality and hope that we are able to reciprocate in some small way on their forthcoming visit.

 

I have copies of their in-house magazine “Take Off” plus the Singapore Nationals 2005 program and will take them to Basi field (and CLAW when I visit) so that anyone may peruse them.  (Norm says that you can look at them as well if you like J CS) 

The SYFC website can be accessed at http://www.syfc.sg/       Norm Kirton.

 

 

 

Here is a device that I find invaluable in the workshop.  It looks like an old foot controller from a sewing machine which is what it once was.  This one has been modified by having the resistance wire guts ripped out of it and replaced by a 250 volt microswitch.  (It goes without saying that this sort of work has to be done by a licenced electrician.)  This modification means that it can be used to turn on and off electrical appliances at the press of a toe.  I usually have it connected to my drill press but it is also exceedingly useful when using the Dremel tool in those places where you want it to get into position before turning it on.  Try it.  You’ll like it.

 

Sometimes I feel confused.  Lost as though in the mists of the Bermuda triangle.  Which reminds me, I hear that a chap called Pythagorus had a theory about the Bermuda triangle.

 

Charlie Stone                VH4706                      Email  cestone@bigpond.com