Mumbai's flights of passion
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Here's why an increasing
number of aeromodellers in the city are giving vent to their fantasy
Who says a childhood dream
can't come to life when you're older? Just ask a group of folks who
gather at the Race Course each weekend, who are testimony to that. For
come Saturday and Sunday mornings, you'll find people
of all ages chasing the early blue skies with their pet hobby -flying!
Tiny model aircraft, we mean. This is aeromodelling -a hobby about
building and flying model aircrafts, that's catching on in the city, of
late...
WHEN PASSION MEETS A CHALLENGE
The idea is to get the craft into the air and control it as you try manoeuvres and formations, and have a blast with other fellow flyers.
Says Darius Engineer, of Dhobitalao, who has been chasing his hobby since childhood, “Flying is not a cakewalk; but it's easy to learn the basics fast. The range of a remote-controlled aircraft is 1.6 km (by the line of sight), but when it's that high you may not see the craft, so 300 feet is ideal.“ Any chance of mid-air collisions? “Yes, that's a possibility, so there are usually not more than four or five models in the air at a time. Each flight lasts 7-10 minutes, after which one gets mentally fatigued. Then you simply take a break and start again,“ he says.
Another flyer Jim Desai, who comes here all the way from Borivali, says aeromodelling has more takers now than ever before. “Flying is one of the most innate desires; everyone wants to try it. While most people can't fly a real plane, the feeling of operating a model one via remote control is equal ly thrilling and, in fact, more difficult. In the former, you can gauge a situation from the cockpit and decide what to do, but when aeromodelling from the ground level, you have to estimate what might happen,“ he says.
WHEN FUN TAKES OFF
The enthusiastic flyers gather here by 10 am, planes in tow. And in about half an hour, the buzz starts. They tote along the fancy models to a clearer area, remote controls in hand, and quite soon you hear shouts like “taking off ' and “ready on field“ from everywhere. Says Rakesh Verma, founder of an Indian aeromodellers club, “The flying doesn't happen too early as it's a Sunday so by the time everyone comes by, its 10 am. It's also safe as there are supervisors and each aeromodeller follows a certain discipline.“ And the planes -models that are replicas of existing or imaginary aircraft -can be seen in a mind-boggling variety! Newbies have smaller ones in paper or thermocol while others have plastic, metal, balsa wood, fibreglass and polystyrene ones.
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
Says Umesh More, chair man of a flying club More people need to take up aeromodel ling. It's an intelli gent hobby and prepares young people to under stand aviation better. Thus, in itself, it's very educative. We have an annual air show where people from all over con verge at Aamby Valley, as well other local shows, but we need still more awareness and talks for this hobby.“
IT'S A GREAT TEACHER
Desai, a pilot trainer by weekday and aeromodeller by weekend, says he eats, drinks and breathes his hobby, says, “It's a tremendous feeling -you are engineer, builder, navigator, pilot and maintenance engineer -all rolled into one. It also teaches you a lot about physics, the principles of flight and hand-eye coordination.“
For Now Gen, that's so far been brought up on diet of TV and smartphones, it makes for a smart change.“More city kids are waking up to this new brand of gadgetry that makes them think on their feet,“ he says. “I guess also brings out the child in everyone as it's a fantasy come true.“
WHEN
Around 30-40 aeromodellers fly their craft on Saturdays and Sundays, round the year, except for the monsoon months.
MAKING AND COST INVOLVED
The plane model kits can be bought from websites and assembled. Prices range between `20 for a Chuck Glider made of thermocol paper to ones made from styrofoam and balsa wood that start at `300 to `30,000.Jet engine-fitted and other radio-controlled ones go upto `19 lakhs, depending on the model.
“ DO YOU NEED PERMISSION?
Yes, it's a must, says Engineer. “As per International Civil Aviation regulations, you cannot fly an aircraft of any kind over populated areas below a height of 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a radius of 1 km.
Thus, the Race Course is apt as there are no structures there.
Also, drones are not allowed.“
The idea is to get the craft into the air and control it as you try manoeuvres and formations, and have a blast with other fellow flyers.
Says Darius Engineer, of Dhobitalao, who has been chasing his hobby since childhood, “Flying is not a cakewalk; but it's easy to learn the basics fast. The range of a remote-controlled aircraft is 1.6 km (by the line of sight), but when it's that high you may not see the craft, so 300 feet is ideal.“ Any chance of mid-air collisions? “Yes, that's a possibility, so there are usually not more than four or five models in the air at a time. Each flight lasts 7-10 minutes, after which one gets mentally fatigued. Then you simply take a break and start again,“ he says.
Another flyer Jim Desai, who comes here all the way from Borivali, says aeromodelling has more takers now than ever before. “Flying is one of the most innate desires; everyone wants to try it. While most people can't fly a real plane, the feeling of operating a model one via remote control is equal ly thrilling and, in fact, more difficult. In the former, you can gauge a situation from the cockpit and decide what to do, but when aeromodelling from the ground level, you have to estimate what might happen,“ he says.
WHEN FUN TAKES OFF
The enthusiastic flyers gather here by 10 am, planes in tow. And in about half an hour, the buzz starts. They tote along the fancy models to a clearer area, remote controls in hand, and quite soon you hear shouts like “taking off ' and “ready on field“ from everywhere. Says Rakesh Verma, founder of an Indian aeromodellers club, “The flying doesn't happen too early as it's a Sunday so by the time everyone comes by, its 10 am. It's also safe as there are supervisors and each aeromodeller follows a certain discipline.“ And the planes -models that are replicas of existing or imaginary aircraft -can be seen in a mind-boggling variety! Newbies have smaller ones in paper or thermocol while others have plastic, metal, balsa wood, fibreglass and polystyrene ones.
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
Says Umesh More, chair man of a flying club More people need to take up aeromodel ling. It's an intelli gent hobby and prepares young people to under stand aviation better. Thus, in itself, it's very educative. We have an annual air show where people from all over con verge at Aamby Valley, as well other local shows, but we need still more awareness and talks for this hobby.“
IT'S A GREAT TEACHER
Desai, a pilot trainer by weekday and aeromodeller by weekend, says he eats, drinks and breathes his hobby, says, “It's a tremendous feeling -you are engineer, builder, navigator, pilot and maintenance engineer -all rolled into one. It also teaches you a lot about physics, the principles of flight and hand-eye coordination.“
For Now Gen, that's so far been brought up on diet of TV and smartphones, it makes for a smart change.“More city kids are waking up to this new brand of gadgetry that makes them think on their feet,“ he says. “I guess also brings out the child in everyone as it's a fantasy come true.“
WHEN
Around 30-40 aeromodellers fly their craft on Saturdays and Sundays, round the year, except for the monsoon months.
MAKING AND COST INVOLVED
The plane model kits can be bought from websites and assembled. Prices range between `20 for a Chuck Glider made of thermocol paper to ones made from styrofoam and balsa wood that start at `300 to `30,000.Jet engine-fitted and other radio-controlled ones go upto `19 lakhs, depending on the model.
“ DO YOU NEED PERMISSION?
Yes, it's a must, says Engineer. “As per International Civil Aviation regulations, you cannot fly an aircraft of any kind over populated areas below a height of 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a radius of 1 km.
Thus, the Race Course is apt as there are no structures there.
Also, drones are not allowed.“
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