High Fly

What started as an experiment by the Wright Brothers has today developed into a full -fledged sport across the world,inspiring aeromodellers to draw an aerial spectacle while showcasing their mechanical finesse. For this team of four students from Padmabhooshan Vasantadada Patil Institute of Technology,Bavdhan,Pune (PVPIT),the passion for building such models goes beyond just the mechanics involved. Tweaking the radio while fiddling around with his transmitter,one can see a team hard at work as they talk about their passion. The team which calls itself Garuda has till now participated in a number of aeromodellers event conducted across the country.

Their recent achievements include bagging the second position at the event ‘ Laws of Motion’ at ‘Kshitij 2011’,the annual techno-management event of IIT Kharagpur and ‘Think’11’,the annual technical event of Shri Dharmasthal Manjunatheshwar College of Engineering And Technology (SDMCET),Dharwad,Karnataka,which was conducted on April 20 and 21. “At ‘Kshitij’,the task was divided into two parts. In the first part,the model aircraft had to perform some stunts like making a complete 360 degree roll,a vertical loop and a horizontal circle within a radius of 30m. In the second part,the model aircraft had to take off from a specified runway and drop two rings at specified targets and land smoothly. At ‘Think 11’,t he task was to glide for as much as time possible without motor power after two min power time ” says Mandar Gole,a member of Garuda group,who is now pursuing the third year of engineering. Aircraft models were not just well designed but also colorfully painted.

Building a perfect model which has enough stability to fly through strong wind is a matter of perfect aeronautical and electrical engineering,whereas flying the model requires skill,perfect calculation and quick decision-making. The team is guided by Madhav Khare,an experienced aeromodeler. Sanket Dange,a fellow team member says,“ We started practice in December 2010 for all the tech fests. We spent one month in building the aircraft model and the consecutive two months in flying it. Take-off and landing are major aspects as the events offer limited ground for ROG takeoff and landing. Flying within the small area is important to learn as it helps in successfully completing tasks within restricted time period.”

The general secretary of Pune Aeromodeller’s Association,Sandeep Bajare,shares,“ Many people think it is child’s play,but to fly a model plane one has to develop their orientation,judgment,reflexes and knowledge of electronics,model engine and aeronautics.” He guides the students to build and fly their model aircraft for these competitions.