Alan Gorham_

It's almost like the OP has two accounts on this forum. The similarity between some of their constant queries and complaints is striking..

Simon I can only speak from own instructing experience which is 9 pupils of varying ages. I used the pupils own aircraft which were an Arising Star, Boomerang and E-Pioneer, plus my own Hi-boy. The pupils made the best progress on the more stable models and indeed without being ageist, the older pupils needed a little bit of thinking time plus positive stability to sort things out from time to time. Hence in my experience the Hi-boy and Arising Star helped the pupils to progress the most. My pupil who had the Boomerang was a natural flier and progressed rapidly anyway, so I guess he found a slightly faster, less stable trainer no problem. He moved very quickly onto flying 40% scale 3D aerobatic aircraft. The pupil who had the e-pioneer was also the oldest and he found it hard to fly as it had minimal stability and used to run away from him. I didn't like flying it either! I guess if the Fledgling was free then it's a no-brainer to use it, but I certainly wouldn't have bought it as a basic trainer on the strength of that review!

The reviewer also comments on how fast it flies, how little lateral stability it has, how it will fly the entire B cert schedule and that it would only be suitable as a trainer in a proper club training environment. I did mention in my OP that the reviewer also commented on the fragility of the structure. So, if you read beyond the very last line of the review you can see there are several factors that made it a not so ideal trainer. Perhaps it was thought diplomatic to not end the review on a very negative note.

Found the review... https://www.modelflying.co.uk/fledgling/

Cant remember its name but it was sold by YT International. The reason I remember it was that it was given a rather unfavourable review in RCM&E for being quite unsuitable as a trainer. A weak structure, fast flying and lack of stability caused by minimal diherdral were all cited.

Hi Martin. I'll take this please. I've sent you a PM.

J Perkins are the distributors of Futaba.

I don't have a local model shop, so I've been buying fuel online from Model Shop Leeds for years and more recently from Southern Modelcraft as they have begun to supply by mail order after a change in ownership.

Big Moki two strokes and most of the big STs weren't supplied with a silencer.

Still 2 UK based fuel suppliers. SC glow engines started production again. Thousands of good quality used engines of all types around for reasonable prices. No issue.

Surely it's cheaper to run them on the 10% oil, zero nitro fuel they were designed for? They aren't exactly frugal drinkers of fuel so every economy measure helps.

Big SuperTigre engines required low oil content fuel. Model Technics Big Brute was this fuel but its obviously not available now that Model Technics dont exist. I've contacted Justin at Southern Modelcraft to mix up a few gallons of custom brew for my big ST engines.

But that's exactly my point...you've said in your last post that it isn't a PSS model, but the thread title calls it PSS. Slightly odd!

Is it slightly telling that you have posted this in the slope soaring and dynamic soaring section rather than the PSS section if the forum? It's a beautiful model and it looks like it will go like a rocket but it's not a PSS model surely?

I can put items in a basket and begin to checkout... Also I messaged Justin in January about an order of custom mixed fuel and he was responsive then. It's also maybe a bit early for them to advertise shows so maybe its a bit early to start panicking yet?

Its Hawes not Howes.

Fairly sure they were designed by Nigel Hawes.

You took off with a lot of up elevator straight into a stall.

Its not about jumping through hoops. My post was response to the poster who posted an anecdote about the CAA which was wholly unconnected with the DMARES scheme and the poster hoped that the CAA didnt ruin model flying. My point is that the scheme has run for 5 years without detriment to anyone's flying that I can see. Therefore the post was simply just moaning without foundation.

As a counterpoint to that, we are now into the 5th year of the DMARES scheme. Has anyone really found their enjoyment of flying in any way hampered by the trivial compliance requirements?

Blatantly untrue! I got two emails on renewal this year. One with an ecard for my Google wallet and one with a printable pdf confirming membership details. I dont think you'll get a great hearing on this site making statements that aren't correct. In any case, if you have an issue with the BMFA then your best course of action is to take it up directly with them.

The postcode is shown on the flyer. It's in Brampton Bierlow not too far from Barnsley.

Its perfectly possible to be an active flyer and a BMFA member and not require either an OP ID or a valid RCC to fly legally. It's not applicable to everyone.

Peterborough models made the kits in later years but they were definitely designed and made originally by LMC.

Your original Mirage would have been a Leicester Model Centre or LMC kit. They also made a Harrier GR.3, Phantom, Hawk and the non scale Gnatty. Long out of Production.... Bill Kits make a wood and foam kit of a Mirage III which is designed for an IC engine up the chuff. https://www.billkits.com/shop/mirage-iiii/