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WYDAC caters mainly for radio control aircraft including power, helicopters and gliders. Power and helicopter flying takes place on the Westland Helicopters airfield on Saturday afternoons throughout the year and on Wednesday evenings during the summer. Flat field thermal gliding off the bungee takes place on Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings in the summer. The club has access to slope soaring sites in the vicinity of Corton Denham which is just north of Sherborne, Dorset. The three sites available cover wind directions from the south-west, west and north-west.

Light hearted competitions are held in the following categories: sports power, scale, thermal and slope soaring. The club is a founder member of the Wessex Scale League.

An active training scheme offers beginners to the hobby tuition to solo flight and then on to BMFA 'A' Certificate standard. For more advanced flyers the club offers the opportunity to progress to 'B' Certificate standard that covers public display flying.

Club members give displays at local fetes and shows, when invited.

The club also publishes an occasional newsletter.

This is a miniaturised screenshot of the club website which is updated approximately once per month. The site carries the information quoted above about the club, together with pages devoted to club competitions, dates and results of the competitions. This is ModelFlighter Harold Clark's club (Harold's beautiful Mustang graced our opening screen last issue and can be seen again on the home page), and I was very interested to discover that Harold was equal first with Ray Bowden in the club's Scale 2001 competition, being the aggregate of results from four competitions during the season from which he gained two firsts, a second and a third place. You can see Harold's prize-winning model Fokker DVII on photo gallery, by the way. Harold was also third in the Sports Power 2001 contest. 

The site carries details of the Wessex Scale League and three pages of Members' Models as well as some good links and the usual e-mail contact link. 

Go to our photo gallery to see a few lovely models from club members. 

WYDAC's website is at http://www.whl.aeromod.btinternet.co.uk 

Here's the winner of the event, Dave Marlow, receiving his trophy from Santa Pete Wolf. Dave was flying his 60" homebrew pylon racer (right) - very satisfying to win against the ARTF plastics, no doubt. 

Thanks to Phil the Fridge Hayward for the pics.

Test Valley Model Flying Club, UK, held its Annual General Meeting on Friday, 4th January 2002, with a goodly number turning up for the occasion, held at a local pub. Following the usual formal business of the Chairman's remarks, presentation of accounts from Secretary/Treasurer Mick Munnery, election of officers and Safety Officer Neil Scratchley's report, the meeting moved on to the more light-hearted presentation of the annual trophies and awards.

First up to receive the new Junior Achievement Award from the Chairman, Gordon Cook, was young Paul Barnett, aged 9, who has shown remarkable (and enviable!) progress during the last 12 months. Paul's citation recognised that in the last year he has progressed through training on the buddy lead to being proficient on a trainer, into having fun with electric flight and is now confidently flying a low wing model.

Next came the presentation of the Fork Up Trophy - presented at the Chairman's discretion 'for the most meritorious error during the year' - in other words, to the member who has demonstrated some remarkable and memorable 'cock-up' worthy of perpetuation, public humiliation and a good laugh all round! This year the style, shape and name of the Trophy seemed even more poignant, with the 'lucky' winner being Pete Wells, whose attempts to use his propeller as a meat-slicer met with spectacular success at the expense of at least two fingers and a thumb (all eventually restored to full working order, glad to say) - awarded, in the Chairman's words, "as a reminder to us all of the dangers of a moment's inattentiveness whilst enjoying the pleasures of our pastime"!

The second Trophy to be awarded was the Pete Ivory Memorial Trophy, given in memory of a former member of the club who passed away several years ago, and awarded for 'personal enthusiasm to aeromodelling'. This year, as Gordon Cook told the meeting, the award was given with the accent not so clearly related to normal club activity, but nevertheless meeting the criteria. To quote the Chairman's citation accompanying the award, "Tonight it is my pleasure to award the Pete Ivory Memorial Trophy in recognition of the outstanding achievement for the construction and maintenance of the fortnightly ModelFlight website, promoting aeromodelling - and in a small way, the Test Valley club - to Reg Heath." I was amazed and very pleasantly surprised, I can tell you!

Last, but by no means least, was a further new award. As an ongoing incentive to the BMFA 'A' and 'B' Examination Scheme, all members having passed during 1999, 2000 and 2001 (or more precisely, the three years prior to the AGM) were eligible for a draw at the meeting, for which a £10 consideration was awarded. The winner was Pete Nicholls whose success in passing his 'A' Test just three days prior on New Year's Day 2002 was nicely recognised.

The meeting concluded with a popular raffle of prizes, with Pete Nicholls very thoughtfully giving his second raffle prize of a finger guard to Pete Wells, winner of the Fork Up Trophy! Light refreshments rounded off a most enjoyable evening! 

Pete Nicholls, Reg Heath, Gordon Cook, Pete Wells
Paul Barnett

ATS Flying School

Within just a few weeks of having moved to Draycott, ATS decided not to continue with fixed-wing tuition and JB Aviation has taken over the fixed-wing training operations of the former ATS Model Flying School which moved off the Thruxton site at the end of October last year. John Simpson polled the membership of JB Model Flying Club about this possibility and no objections were received. ATS at Draycott is now solely concerned with model helicopter flight instruction.  

The ATS Fixed Wing Training School has therefore now been operating on the site from the beginning of January. The activities of the flying school in no way curtails the use of the site for club members, but all club members have been circulated with revised rules to take account of the training that will be taking place.

Commencing from 5th January, a Saturday Training Slot dedicated to club members has been introduced, when John Simpson or one of the school instructors will be available between 1p.m. and 4pm, weather permitting, to assist beginners. The time available is divided as fairly as possible between those wanting assistance, and beginners are asked to bring their own aircraft if possible, although a club trainer and buddy-box system will be available if required, all without charge except for fuel used.

On-Site Shop

The JB Aviation on-site shop opened as from the beginning of January from which kits, accessories, fuel, balsa, ply and adhesives can be obtained at competitive rates.

Details of this club can be found at their website, www.jbmfc.fsnet.co.uk