Board of Directors & Delegates - British Model Flying Association

Ian Pallister, FSMAE

Chairman

Ian’s interest in model aircraft started in 1960 with catapult-launched plastic toys and quickly progressed to the all sheet rubber-powered scale models from Yeoman and KeilKraft. He built his first single channel R/C model at the age of 12 and progressed through galloping ghost to a self-built proportional radio set bought with his first RAF pay packet in 1970.

After gaining a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Southampton University and 400 hours of pilot training he served for 26 years as an RAF Engineer Officer, leaving as a Wing Commander in 2004. He then embarked on a second career in the Civil Service as a training manager at the RAF College Cranwell where he was the RAF liaison Officer for model flying at Barkston Heath for several years before finally retiring in 2018. Throughout 11 years as Chairman of the RAF Model Aircraft Association Ian sat on the BMFA Areas Council. During that time he competed in all disciplines flown by the RAFMAA as well as the BMFA Scale Indoor and Free Flight Nationals. He was National Champion in Scale CO2/Electric in 1988 and in Peanut in 1992. Ian has judged R/C Scale flying since 1979 and, on retirement from the RAF, was co-opted onto the BMFA Scale Technical Committee to organize the Scale Indoor Nationals which he did for 5 years. Remaining on the Scale TC for 10 years he held the posts of Treasurer, Chairman and Council Delegate. He was elected Vice Chairman of the BMFA in November 2014 and took over as Chairman all too soon in October 2017 when his predecessor’s health deteriorated. Ian was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers in 2017. An active member of two BMFA Clubs as well as the RAFMAA, Ian’s primary competitive involvement remains Scale (R/C and Free Flight) but he enjoys all forms of R/C flying including thermal and slope soaring as well as an ongoing dabble with helicopters, multi-rotors and FPV. Ian lives in Lincolnshire and is married with two grown-up children and two grand-children Edit biography

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David Phipps

Chief Executive

Dave has been a BMFA staff member since 2003, becoming CEO in 2005. Dave is the BMFA Delegate to the European Model Flying Union and has served as its President since it was founded. He is also the BMFA Delegate (and a Director) of the General Aviation Awareness Council.

Dave was also General Secretary of the Royal Aero Club from 2009 until 2025. He has also served as Europe Air Sports Technical Officer for Unmanned Aircraft since 2014 and was a member of EASA’s Expert Group working on the finalisation of the EU regulations for unmanned aircraft. In 2016, he was a founder member of the European Model Flying Union along with colleagues from the German, Austrian and Swiss Aero Clubs who came together to formalise support for his ongoing work with EASA on behalf of the wider model flying community. He was voted in for a fifth term as President in 2025. The EMFU currently represents more than 200,000 model flyers throughout Europe. Dave has been a member of the BMFA since 1983 and has flown gliders, fixed wing powered aircraft, helicopters and multi-rotors. He served as the Power Nationals Co-ordinator from 2010 until 2021. He is a current member of the Shillito Wood Model Flying Group. He lives on the edge of the Peak District in Derbyshire with his wife Janine and six horses. He has two grown up children. In his ‘spare’ time he is the long-standing Chairman of his local Parish Council and the Village Hall Committee.

Keith Lomax, FSMAE

Financial Director

Keith served as Honorary Treasurer from 2003 until his election as Vice Chairman in 2022. Prior to that he was Area Delegate for the East Anglian Area in 1991 and BMFA Honorary Secretary from 1991 to 1996. He has also held committee posts at club and area level.

He has undertaken various roles in relation to the Power Nationals including being coordinator in 1992 and famously running the bar from 1994 to 1998; helped out at the Free Flight Nationals for four years; manned the BMFA stand at many shows; and initiated the children’s DART workshops at the Model Engineers Exhibition. Keith is married to Christine who also works at the Nats and on the stand, and has three adult stepsons (who also all work at the Nats, usually on the roping crew). Keith and Christine also have two dogs (George and Holly) who are known to quite a few members. Keith’s model flying activities started with R/C Power fixed wing ‘club’ flying and have included indoor and a very poor attempt at scale. Other interests include canal boat holidays, photography and anything to do with maintaining a house and the stepsons’ cars. Keith is a governor of a school for children with special educational needs. When he has time to go to work, Keith is an internal auditor (like an accountant but more friendly and interesting) and specialises in auditing computer systems. Having worked for various multinationals, Keith currently works at Motability Operations, the company that operates Europe’s largest car fleet – providing a service to over 400,000 disabled people in the United Kingdom.

Duncan McClure

Members Director/Vice Chairman

I have been an active modeller for over 40 years and I enjoy participation in many aspects of the hobby. I started off flying control line and free flight and then moved to RC, starting with a home built single channel radio. I now fly power sport, scale and aerobatics, glider (both slope and thermal), helicopters and more recently gas turbines and electric.

My entire fleet is now exclusively electric or turbine. For the last 36 years I have been a member of the White horse Model Club. I have served on the committee of this club for most of this period and have held most of the senior posts. I have been responsible for the development of training materials and have trained many members, both young and old, in power, glider and helicopter disciplines. Edit biography I have held power B and Club Examiner ratings since 1982 and I became an Area Chief Examiner in 2000. I have also been an Approved Instructor since the inception of the ‘up and away ‘scheme and a silent flight examiner since 1993. I am now also an Area Chief Instructor. I also fly full size and hold a Private Pilots Licence (PPL A) with IMC and night ratings. I fly on a regular basis and have a share in Piper Cherokee based at a local airfield. I find full-size experience invaluable for model flying, particularly in relation to safety and training. I worked for several years as a part time fixed wing flying instructor for ATS and the RC Hotel in Corfu, so I have gained valuable experience of training pilots of all ages and with a wide range of abilities, in both club and commercial environments. For my day job I work as a radiation physicist for the government, and have been involved in notable incidents such as Chernobyl and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive Polonium in 2006. Edit biography

Mark Benns

Sporting Director

Mark Benns has remained an active member of the Peterborough Model Flying Club for over 38 years. He has held committee posts in the Indoor and Free Flight Technical Committees since 2005 as well as playing an active role in the procurement of the BMFA National Visitor Centre.

Married with two grown up children, Mark is a Chartered Architect running his own Practice and is also a Director of a Company developing large scale Combined Heat & Power projects. A Free Flight aeromodeller since the age of 12 he has juggled his enthusiasm in both Indoor duration and outdoor competition. Mark recalls his first insight into aeromodelling was watching an RC glider demonstration at a local school fete, two weeks later he was hooked and a member of the Society. He dabbled with RC slope soaring back in his University days in Sussex and has been dizzied by Control Line at Cabbage Patch Nationals but his real passion is flying hand launched gliders, rubber models and for the last 12 years Competing at National, European and World level in the Indoor class of F1D.

Simon Vaitkevicius

Technical Director

Simon lives in Ulverston, Cumbria. His aeromodelling career started in 1993 when he became interested in thermal soaring and joined his then local club, the South Lincs Soarers. With encouragement from his colleagues he became more proficient and started to fly competitively at a national level.

Simon works in the North West of the UK as a Principal Engineer for a large UK Engineering company. He has a varied career in many sectors from aerospace, mobile phone design and more recently medical moulding and the marine sector, to running his own business specialising in the design of consumer electronic devices and training engineers and designers. He has lectured at several universities, and was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Visiting Professor title in recognition of his work in the field of linking engineering and academia. Simon is a EUR ING registered Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) where he is a Board member and Vice Chairman. Simon also sits on the Board of Directors for the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) serving as Technical Director, and previously served as Records Officer. He is also director and on the board of trustees of the Engineering Council and chairs the small to medium sized institution board. He is involved with BSI and ISO standards in the area of drawing and technical specifications. In 2010 Simon became UK National Champion for 100S RC model gliders and became involved with the BMFA Council taking on the role of Records Officer shortly afterwards.In 2022 Simon organised and led a UK record attempt which established the greatest number of model aircraft in the air at one time to celebrate the Centenary of the BMFA.

Helen Jones

Outreach Director

Helen Jones has always had an interest in all forms of aviation and particularly liked visiting air museums and the occasional air show. However until 2004 she knew very little about aeromodelling until she met her husband who flies Control Line.

It was through supporting and helping at both F2B and F2D events that she became aware of the importance of the BMFA and its role in promoting all forms of model sport flying. Before retiring she worked as a Primary School Senior Leader in Leeds specialising in Mathematics, Special Educational Needs and Safeguarding. She has also been the Local Authority Governor for another Leeds primary school for the last fifteen years. It is her aim to explore, develop and extend the BMFA's offer to young people so that they are enthused and inspired to join the BMFA and help shape the future of this amazing sport.

Paul Hoey

Honorary Secretary

Paul Hoey has been a lifelong builder and flyer of model aircraft who enjoys several disciplines including RC scale and sport aerobatic models However, his real interest is indoor FF scale and flying with the Norfolk Insiders group.

He is a member of Impington Village College MAC and South Norfolk MFC where he is a club examiner. Since retirement he has served as the East Anglia Area Delegate and chaired the Area Committee. Prior to joining the Board as Honorary Secretary he chaired the BMFA’s Centenary Planning Committee in 2022. Currently, he is a member of the planning group for the 2026 F4 Scale World Championships to be held at Buckminster. His working life revolved around education in one form or another as a teacher, youth and community worker and various management roles in Norfolk County Council where he concluded his career as Head of the County’s commercial education services. He has served as a Trustee and Board Chair of a multi-faceted substance misuse charity for over 20 years until stepping down in 2021 and continuing his involvement as a volunteer barista supporting people in recovery. All of which is underpinned by his Christian faith. The camaraderie and challenges of aeromodelling are important to him and therefore, he likes to be able to give something back to our great sport.

Peter Edmondson

I’ve held an interest in aeromodelling from a very early age while growing up in the countryside of Northern Ireland. Helped by Dad, my elder brother used to build free flight, doped gliders. We were fortunate that we could launch them from the house and then run across the fields to get them back. These days, I occasionally fly electric gliders from the same place.

Many things have changed over the years, but the love for building and flying model aircraft is as strong as ever. Since I retired 11 years ago I have been able to spend much more time building and flying my models. I am a traditional balsa builder who loves to build from plans including WW2 scale where I post my builds on “ RCScaleBuilder.com” forum as YNOT-57. Over the years I have had all types of models from IC and Turbine but now I just use electric power for both Fixed Wing & Helicopter. I have been a member of Raydon MAC for 30 years, and have served on the committee in a number of posts during this time, after a short illness which forced me to stand down from the committee, I am back to full health and now in the role of club Secretary once again.

Alex Woods

I am an Aircraft Mechanical Engineer with the Royal Air Force and have served for over 24 years. During my career, I have been based across the country and worked on a wide range of aircraft types. Highlights include the Tornado GR4 at RAF Marham and the Boeing Chinook CH-47 at RAF Odiham. I have also been fortunate to travel extensively around the world through my role.

My family and I currently divide our time between Shropshire, where I am based at RAF Cosford working as a Training Coordinator, and our family home in Norfolk. In my current position, I help to shape and influence the development of the RAF’s future aircraft engineers. I have been a keen aeromodeller since my teenage years, although my involvement became more serious after I began model flying during my Service career. I am proud to be a member of the Royal Air Force Model Aircraft Association (RAFMAA), which provides the opportunity to fly at some of the finest hard-surface sites in the country. My particular passion lies in balsa-built aerobatic powered models and gliders from the 1970s and 1980s. Formore than ten years, I have served as a RAFMAA Committee member, organising and leading model flying events, promoting aeromodelling as a valuable activity within Service life, and helping to preserve the legacy of the organisation while contributing to the development of future policy.

Martin Dilly, FSMAE

Started modelling in 1943 with an Airyda Blackburn Skua after first smelling doped fabric and ply and proper aromatic high octane fuel coming from rows of Whitleys and Hotspur gliders at RAF Hartford Bridge.

Joined West Kent MFC and SMAE in 1948; flying in competitions ever since. Joined Croydon & DMAC in 1949, flying C/L aerobatics, speed, combat, a little R/C (bang-bang rudder), flew early R/C slope soaring in 1960s, moved on to concentrate on F/F, mainly international class F1A gliders. Learned to glide at Detling, 1951 and to fly at Redhill and Croydon on Magisters and Tiger Moths in 1953 via a Flying Scholarship. RAF 1956-58 on ground radar, just missing Suez. Having several expatriate New Zealanders in the Croydon club led to a long involvement with the NZMAA, first as proxy flyer and team manager at F/F World Champs, starting with Kauhava in 1965 and as NZ delegate to CIAM since about 1970. I was made a life member of NZMAA in 1987. Other CIAM work has included chairing the Information & Education Committee and serving on several International FAI juries at World and European Championships. Managing the UK teams at World and Euro F/F Championships from 1980 to 2003 with a couple of years off makes me probably the next most experienced of the species after Viktor Eskov of the USSR and Russia. In parallel with this has been a lot of BMFA work, with an emphasis on the public relations side and the removal of inter-disciplinary blinkers, and work since 1970 towards Sports Council recognition of model flying, finally achieved about 25 years later. Despite 35 years as a TV cameraman for the BBC, Dilly Towers has always managed to avoid having a resident TV set, which may account for finding the time for it all. ‘All’ has included writing the Free-Flight and Foreign Flyers columns in Aeromodeller magazine for a period, co-founding Free Flight News, serving as BMFA PRO for two periods, editing and producing the SMAE newsletter, doing part of a TV series on modelling that still gets shown 20 years later, much to peoples’ amusement, representing BMFA on the Royal Aero Club Council, producing, editing and marketing most BMFA Free Flight Forum Reports annually since 1985, organising the Free Flight Forums, writing a couple of books on model flying, serving as London Area PRO since 1965 and as Council delegate since 1970. I was also heavily involved in the landmark Bromley public enquiry on model flying at a local park in the early 1970s, and in drafting the Home Office Code of Practice on Noise Limitation for Model Aircraft in 1970s. I was elected a Fellow in 1977 and received the Royal Aero Club silver medal in 1992. Current flying activity focuses on F1A, where the building of some carbon bunters and ‘Russian rod’ line has led to far more consistent towing and helped to compensate for the possible lack of launch energy at the bottom end of the towline. Other interests include jazz, baroque music, Eastern Europe and food.

Jonathan Robb

Jon lives in Bristol and started his aeromodelling career when he joined his local Beaufort Model Flying Club in 2018, after wanting to take up a new hobby. He enjoys both the flying and building aspect of the hobby. Through the advent of 3D printers and CAD software Jon has designed many parts for his models, both scale details and the odd repair. Currently he is building a ¼ scale Hawker Tempest V.

Having learnt to fly solo, the achievement scheme appealed to him, giving him a goal to aim for each time he went out flying. Ultimately, this resulted in him passing both his A and B achievements in fixed wing flying and, later, A achievement in helicopter flying. His enthusiasm and determination were noted by the Area Chief Examiner and he was encouraged to work towards his club examiner qualification. Looking to the future Jon would like to continue working towards various achievement scheme milestones, starting with his helicopter B test. Jon saw the benefit of the structured syllabus of learning provided by the achievement scheme and wanted to be a part of helping future RC pilots; he therefore became a club trainer following the BMFA syllabus. Jon also attends many of the area “Train and Test” days run by the Western Area. Jon is part of a team who regularly run outreach demonstrations at the Bristol Aerospace Museum, sharing his interest in the sport with the wider community. He is also involved in a collaboration between his club and the Royal Air Squadron, running an outreach program in schools to promote aerospace and the wider opportunities associated with it. Through a selection process consisting of various tasks, applicants from four schools across the Bristol area are whittled down to four candidates who go on to participate in a one-week residential gliding course. Jon is the chairman of the Wessex Scale League, an inter-club competition promoting scale flying and its associated benefits. More recently, Jon was appointed as the Western Area delegate and member of the Achievement Scheme Review Committee. Jon has worked in the aerospace industry for 16 years and is a qualified inspector, currently working as a radiographer on Rolls-Royce aero engines. As such, he is part of the wider Non-Destructive Testing team, maintaining quality in the manufacturing process and overall safety of the final product.

Bruce Collinson

Per the photograph, Bruce's public persona is as an auctioneer at the regular National Centre sales.

A lifelong Chartered Surveyor in private practice, he's a classic "returner", having had a hiatus from control-line at 18 until a chance meeting with a schoolfriend in 2015 and membership of North Leeds MFC, where he's a committee member who claims to be a very ordinary club pilot and a slow builder.

His main interest is in classic F3A but he cheats and flies mostly electric. Whilst there's an odd Yamada in his fleet, he admits to being a bit scared of them. If pressed he will admit to an over-developed sense of right and wrong and of an urge to put something back in. Typically, as a volunteer at a heritage railway, he knows nothing whatsoever about steam trains but succumbed to a need to get their gutters unblocked (and ended up handling strategic acquisitions and development to expand operational capacity). Nevertheless he harbours dreams that one day, they'll let him steer one. Still married to the present Mrs. C after almost half a century (child bridegroom), he shares a converted cowshed between Harrogate and Leeds with his gundog, her terrier and two cats and he enjoys cigars, fieldsports and claret (but rarely simultaneously). Despite being a qualified mediator he freely admits to deficiencies in anything remotely politically correct, sometimes to the despair of his two adult children.

Alan Paul

East Anglia

I was born in Jersey in 1956 and lived abroad in Africa, the Middle East and Far East until I returned full time to the UK to attend Liverpool University. I have always been mad keen on all aspects of aviation and dabbled with free flight, control line and radio control from an early age.

I had my first RC model when I was 13 – a galloping ghost rudder and throttle high wing trainer. I have always had some form of RC model since then. Whilst at Liverpool I joined the University Air Squadron and flew the Chipmunk and Bulldog. After leaving university I wanted to keep flying and the cheapest way was to defect to the Army and join the Army Air Corps. I spent 14 months at Middle Wallop in Hampshire learning to fly the Bell 47, Gazelle and Scout helicopters before being posted to Germany as an anti tank helicopter pilot defending the West against Soviet aggression. Flying RC models on the parade ground, my fellow pilots were alarmed to discover that flying RC was not as easy as it looked. I finished my 5 years in the Army at Oakington near Cambridge with 2,000 flying hours and discovered the Impington club were also flying on the airfield. Joining that club was my first encounter with SMAE, now the BMFA. Leving the Army I joined Marshall Aerospace as an engineering project manager and after 15 years and complaining once too often about the IT systems, I was made IT director and told to sort it out. I did this for 15 years before retiring in 2015. Since then I have spent much of my time model building and flying with a range of aircraft including fixed wing FPV and drones, indoor and outdoor aerobatics, floatplane flying, night flying and just about any model flying activity there is including buddy box training of newcomers to the hobby. I am currently a member of 3 local clubs and secretary of one. I am also a regular visitor to full size and model air shows up and down the country.

Martin Dilly, FSMAE

London

Steve Mason

Midland

I started model flying at the age of 8 with a Keil Kraft Cadet that was made for me by my Uncle. My Father, Uncle and I used to fly free flight gliders, control line and radio in a grass field in Spalding, South Lincolnshire.

When I left school in 1971, I went to work for GEC Telecoms in Coventry as a Trainee Installation Engineer, installing and commissioning telephone exchanges all over the country. I eventually moved into System X Development. This led to me leaving the hobby for a period as I used to live away from home. Squash and water-skiing took over as my main interest and I built 2 boats during this period the last one was a 16ft speed boat with a V6 PPJet propulsion unit. It was in the early eighties that my interest was reignited and I joined the Bournestormers Model Club (in Bourne Lincs). I have fulfilled many roles within the club and am now the Vice Chairman. My arm was twisted by the late Mike Goldby into becoming a Club Examiner and was then persuaded into becoming an Area Chief Examiner and Area Chief Instructor by the Club Chairman at the time. Since then I have been appointed Midland Area Delegate and agreed to take over from Alan Penn as Achievement Scheme Coordinator for the Midland Area. I have held both positions for several years. I left GPT (formally GEC Telecoms) in 1996 to start a new career by taking over an electrical, lighting and model supply shop in Spalding. Over the years, the store gradually become more of a ‘model shop’ and we are now in the process of manufacturing our own range of RC aircraft model kits.

John McNamara

Northern

Modeller since the age of 7, building plastic models and free flight gliders and rubber powered models. Later at secondary school built free flight A1 and A2 gliders with a school friend. Dabbled in Electronics & photography too. At 13, I joined the ATC where my modelling education proper began.

Age: 68, Married with two children and 4 grandchildren, Lives in West Yorkshire. Occupation: Semi Retired, Owner of JettstreamUK Previous occupation prior to retirement: UK Sales Director, Meiller GHP, Paragon Group.u Career synopsis: 39 years as a print sales professional. Prior to this a Service Engineer for 3M Business Equipment Division. Further Education: Electronic and Mechanical Engineering. Modeller since the age of 7, building plastic models and free flight gliders and rubber powered models. Later at secondary school built free flight A1 and A2 gliders with a school friend. Dabbled in Electronics & photography too. At 13, I joined the ATC where my modelling education proper began. I was soon building control line stunt and combat models. Our squadron had a C/L Stunt demonstration team which displayed at local air shows and country fairs. I was taught to fly radio control at the age of 14. I had learned to fly full size gliders in the ATC and continued whilst in full time further education. Modelling took something of a back seat during this time, but once I was at work, I began to build several slope soarers and a couple of power models. I joined the West Yorkshire Model Flying Club at this time. In the late 70’s I began to be interested the possibilities of electric flight. After a great deal of failure, I put my education to work to build better performing equipment Such as inverter battery chargers and Electronic Speed Controllers, as well as rewinding motors to serve as prime movers. By the early 1980’s I had several successful electric powered gliders and powered aerobatic models. All these items are taken for granted these days and are readily available. I was always interested in scale models and started building scale gliders and powered scale models. Several where own designs, with mixed success. In the late 1990’s I became interested in Ducted Fans and built several models of this type. I made a lot of new friends at this time, most of which are still close fiends now, but some are passed, but not forgotten. After finally finding my stride in ducted fan, turbo jet engines appeared on the scene. For the last 20 + years I have spent most of my spare time pursuing jet flying. In 2003, with a close friend we founded the Elvington Model Flyers, a specialist club for Jet flyers. I am honoured to be the chairman of this club. I have also severed several periods on the committee of the West Yorkshire club and that is my current position. In 2019 I was asked if I would help the Northern Area which was very short of members. I then took on the role of Delegate for the Northern area. Subsequently I volunteered to work with a group of members from different areas to examine the purpose and direction of the BMFA areas. We have worked on a revised, updated and more relevant constitution for the BMFA areas as well as a revised guide to the constitution. I continue to be a life-long modeller, flying jets, gliders, scale and electric. I plan to dabble in multi-cylinder petrol-powered scale shortly too. There is always something new to learn and new challenges to overcome

Gary Armstrong

North East

I was born in Northumberland in November 1963 and grew up and still live in Newcastle upon Tyne. Aeromodelling in one form or another has been a part of my life since the age of 8 or 9 when my grandfather presented me with a beautifully built KeilKraft Gypsy rubber model.

This led to frequent trips to Newcastle Town Moor on a Sunday afternoon to fly it and to watch the antics of the local R/C fliers. I became hooked and spent the next few years building Airfix models and as my skills improved progressed to KeilKraft flying scale rubber models, free flight gliders and eventually control line. Christmas 1976 brought my first two channel 27mHz radio and after a couple of false starts when the local “expert” crashed my trainer, I taught myself to fly on a 100” thermal soarer. More power models followed, all two channel which if nothing else was great practice for landing from unusual situations as I was never quite sure when they would run out of fuel. I joined the newly formed Newcastle Model Flying Association in the spring of 1980 and have been a member ever since, it was soon after joining that I was introduced to precision aerobatics (F3A) and with a new six channel radio I set about learning as many of the manoeuvres as possible, before starting to fly competitively with the GBRCAA. I passed my BMFA “B” in the mid 1980’s and became a club instructor and examiner soon after, and in 1991 I was invited to become an Area Chief Examiner, a post I still hold today. I have been involved with the North East Area since 1986 when I was appointed club delegate for the Newcastle MFA, and initially served on the Area committee as the R/C discipline secretary. Subsequently I served as Area Vice-Chairman and currently I’m the Area Secretary, Delegate, and Achievement Scheme Coordinator. Although I no longer fly competitively, I still do some occasional judging at aerobatic competitions, and now fly large scale aerobatics, large warbirds and a variety of scale and non-scale slope soarers. As mentioned earlier aeromodelling has been a large part of my life and most of my working life has been in the model trade, starting with a Saturday job in “The Model Shop” on Blenheim Street in Newcastle, and then over 30 years with “Phills Models”, first in Heaton and then in North Shields, with a couple of years at Glens Models in Renfrew in between. I now work a couple of days a week with the team at FighterAces.

Chris Bradbury

North West

I actively take part in all disciplines of RC flying, and regularly fly Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Gliders and Drones. It’s a passion that has taken over my life and takes me around the country, and I love it.

I run two drone related businesses, one being a traditional drone photography/filming company, and the other a drone show (swarm) business. I also work part time for the BMFA as the ‘Drone Support Officer’, where I share my knowledge with those looking to fly drones.

If I’m not working with models and drones, I’m helping someone else get into it or progress, as I’m also an active Area Chief Examiner in the North West, as well as active on the Achievement Scheme Review Committee. Lastly, I’m the current editor of the BMFA News and collate the magazine each quarter to try and balance the content across all disciplines in a fair way.

Roy Tarbox

South Midland

Aside from a various spells of aeromodelling as a youngster, I started in earnest 2012 with micro models and park flyers. I thoroughly enjoy the designing and building aspects of the sport as well as the flying.

Ian Watts

South East

David Smith

Southern

I am a retired NHS consultant anaesthetist wishing to give something back to aeromodelling now that I have a bit more time available. I became an aeromodeller as a teenager, firstly with KeilKraft free flight rubber kits and then with home-designed control line models running PAW diesels.

Finding control line unpleasantly dizzying, I obtained a 27 MHz MacGregor single channel ‘bang-bang’ set with which I lost several models before building a reed receiver from a magazine design and modifying the MacGregor to drive it. I built a two-channel digital proportional system, including the servos, in the early seventies, but it was too heavy for aircraft use so was pressed into service in an electric scale motor torpedo boat. Medical school, competitive hockey and fencing, postgraduate training, and family commitments created a lull in my flying activities until purchasing my first model helicopter in the mid-nineties, a Morley Maverick. Progress was slow following the initial flurry that resulted in my A certificate, as a result of work and ongoing family commitments, but retirement has provided more time to improve my flying. I do also fly fixed wing, but my main flying interests are scale and vintage helicopters.

Johnathan Rob

Western

Alan Belcher

Wales

Born in 1948, I am married with three grown up children and two grand children. I was introduced to aeromodelling at a very early age by my father who was a keen woodworker and ex RAF. I started with Keil Craft rubber power and progressed to Jetex models.

After joining Cardiff High school I moved on to control line and self stabilising ( pendulum control ) free flight which was not that effective! This made me look more seriously at Radio Control which was in those days single channel and really only one step beyond a free flight model. I built the Aeromodeller no1 receiver and transmitter and after much experimenting and reading of text books on electronics was finally able to make it work. I then progressed to constructing 12 channel reed transmitter and receivers which presented new challenges. Unfortunately this spelt the end of my interest in Aeromodelling as I found solving the problems and designing and testing electronic systems very absorbing. This new knowledge proved to be of use in the newly formed South Wales Amateur Rocketry Group (SWARG) which was a consortium of secondary schools in Cardiff. My contribution to SWARG was in designing, constructing and testing the rocket and ground antennas and telemetry systems. SWARG had several successful flights until the government decided to stop allowing MoD facilities to be used for amateur rocket launches. I then undertook a degree in Electronic Engineering with Physics and obtained my amateur radio transmitting licence. On graduating I joined the BBC Engineering Research Department. I was fortunate that my day to day work was of an advanced nature and over a two year period it facilitated a collaborative or external PhD in Electronic Engineering with Surrey University. At that time I had a young family with strong ties in Wales. We returned to Wales where I become a Medical Physicist at Velindre Hospital Cardiff. Later, in 1980 I become a Lecturer in Electronic Engineering at Swansea University. I was able to introduce aeromodelling related projects to final year students so this began the return to my hobby. I continued this theme when I later became a Professor in Electronic Engineering at Cardiff University. In 2016 I left academia to become full time employed in my own research company. Then came Covid 19 which mean that I spent more time at home and I took the opportunity to focus on aeromodelling. This made me more aware of how relevant it was that Wales was actually a country with its own laws and Parliament. Laws in England allowed clubs in England to be open for flying but laws in Wales meant clubs there were closed. My academic and professional career had required me to be involved in many committees and I enjoyed the challenges that they presented. I joined Swansea Model flying club in the mid 80s and passed my 'A' 1991. In 2021 I become a committee member of Swansea Model Flying club and in 2022 I became the Mid West Area Delegate. My aim is to improve communication between our clubs and BMFA and to look for grant funding opportunities which may arise. This is proving to be a challenge as the Area is split between two countries and two governments. As a resident of Wales it seems appropriate for me to use the access this gives me to the Welsh Government to explore how the BMFA can better support our clubs in Wales I am now practising for my 'B' certificate!

Felix Marten

South West

My aeromodelling interest started with my father’s help. A 5ft f/f polyhedral glider was a great success and flew well followed by a pretty little glider that flew like a brick, in hindsight, incorrect CofG. A control-line model completed my introduction to the hobby.

1965, joined the ATC, gained my Seargent stripes, learnt to fly full size gliders at RAF Chivenor and flew in many other aircraft from Chippies to a Shackleton.

I had several careers including thatching, horticulture and professional driving. I concluded my HGV career in the HGV driver training industry. 1993, returned to modelling with a 40 powered 3 channel Super 60 and learnt not to put my fingers into the disc again. 1995, gained my B certificate and became a Club Examiner in 1999. 2000, with an enthusiastic team including the late Great David Boddington, I set a Guinness World Record using my rules and my quarter scale Piper Cub to tow 10 gliders together. 2003, became the SWArea events coordinator. Displayed at Woodspring Wings and many local shows but mostly enjoyed towing gliders at aerotow meetings and soaring the hills and cliffs of Devon. 2021, I initiated what has become the Southwest Model Gliding competition, four sites host a fantastic following. Current posts (2026):- - A committee member of the East Devon Radio Control Club having stood down in 2023 from 15 years as Chairman. - Vice-Chairman of the Okehampton Model Flying Club. - Chairman of the Southwest Area since it reformed in 2022.

Peter Edmondson

Northern Ireland

I was able to get involved in R/C when I was gifted a 3ch Yamamoto and SC46 at Christmas, aged 11 years old. We built it in the roof space and come Spring-time 1993, Dad took me to join the Ulster Model Aircraft Club (UMAC) There was a long period when I stopped flying between 2000 and 2014 but when I eventually returned, I quickly rekindled a dormant passion for aeromodelling. Flying fixed-wing, I mostly enjoy models in the 20cc petrol or 6s electric range. Along the way, I’ve had my fair share of mixed fortune.. In late 2017 I started flying Helicopters and have worked progressively on learning 3D. I’ve participated in the 2021 & 2022 UK 3D Masters at Buckminster but I still love flying powered fixed-wing and the occasional big slow glider too. In 2018, the Northern Ireland Association of Aeromodellers (NIAA) appointed me as area Treasurer and in 2021 I was appointed as Area Delegate. This year, I am delighted to see the return of events back to the Northern Ireland calendar. I felt the absence of these events over 2020-21 left a huge void for many of us who enjoyed traveling to local events. This year, we have been able to resume a normal calendar and get events up and running again. I look forward to being able to represent and support the membership clubs here in Northern Ireland.

Alex Woods

RAFMAA

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