Model Flying
Photograph of Radio-Controlled Biplane
Circa 1975
I began my love of aircraft at the age of eight, probably due to the fact that my late father Stefan Komosa was a Mosquito pilot in World War 2, one of the first jet pilots flying Vampires and Meteors in the 1950's and ending his flying career sailplaning with Blackpool and Field Gliding Club in the late 1980's.
I started flying radio-controlled aeroplanes in 1972 when my father, whom I'd pestered for years, built me a 48 inch wingspan two-channel high wing plane. It was powered by a reliable O.S. 20 engine and controlled [usually] by British-built Horizon digital proportional radio gear.
Incredibly, that aeroplane flew for nearly two years, until the output transistor in the transmitter failed, loosing contact with the model and resulting in a pile of balsa and polystyrene foam! However, a new four-channel O.S. Cougar radio unit had already been purchased and I now had control of the ailerons, throttle, as well as the rudder and elevator.
It was about 1976 when I met my mate Keith Turner, who now owns Blackburn Model Centre, a link to which can be found below-
Link to Blackburn Model Centre
If you follow that link however, be warned, as you'll probably end up spending lots of money and it's not the most accessible website for visually-impaired "interneteers"!
Keith's first venture into model flying was with a 1940's designed keilkraft Super 60... which didn't last long and ended up as a pile of balsa wood much sooner than my first model did!
However, one Summer's day in 1976, Keith turned up with the latest Super 60. He had made a good job of building it, and as I was now a model flying instructor, I took the controls for it's first test flight. Imagine Keith's horror as I shouted "I've lost control", Keith running after the now quickly disappearing aeroplane over the horizon. Immediately, the model turned and flew gently down wind at about 150 feet, Keith running his heart out to catch up with it. After a while the Super 60 turned into wind and towards me, Keith now totally exhausted and nearly crying ran towards me to be met by a rye smile, as I'd had control all the time!... Keith never forgave me and it's the topic of conversation in my local pub whenever we meet up, although women aren't usually impressed with the story!
Well, to continue with my flying career, I took part in the 1978 British National aerobatics competition with my home-designed "Mystic", a photograph of which is depicted below.
Photograph of black/white aerobatic aircraft
The Nationals were a real "eye-opener", as the standard of flying those pin-point accurate manoeuvres was incredible, with loops, slow/four-point/ eight point rolls, Immelman turns and three-turn spins etc. Nevertheless, I managed a credible 11th out of about 36 competitors, but I never took part again, as the pressure and cost were too much to bear! I therefore, took up something less stressful i.e. flying radio-controlled helicopters! If you can pat your head, rub your tummy and tap dance at the same time, then you can fly a model helicopter!
Photograph of Model Helicopter
Well, as you should be aware if you've read my home page, I'm now without eyesight, having lost it in 1986. However, as with my love of fast motor cars, I still enjoy flying radio-controlled aeroplanes. "How", I can hear you say. Well, I use a very stable aircraft, a Super 60 as it happens, and the roles are now reversed as my mate Keith now takes the master pilot controls and I act as co-pilot using two transmitters linked together by a "buddy box" system.
More than that, the plane is fitted with an autopilot, which like a full-size aeroplane, fixes an altitude and direction using a micro processor unit fitted inside the fuselage and switched on and off by the pilot from the ground. This results in me being able to fly the plane using my hearing as a direction finder, at a safe height and with Keith ready to take over the controls should I be unable to hear the Super 60's whereabouts.
Should anyone from the model flying world wish to contact me, especially any of my old friends from the days of fun with Blackburn and District Model Aircraft Club, then please send an e-mail to-
[Copyright] Allied Law 2002