Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Passion for flying models

Leisure pursuit: Vinod Madhavan at work at his house in PTP Nagar.

Thiruvananthapuram: Vinod Madhavan runs a “hangar” at his house in PTP Nagar. It is a small room where he makes scale-size replicas of aircraft from balsa wood and equally lightweight synthetic materials.

Models of World War-II era fighter planes, passenger jets and trainer aircraft litter the floor. A gleaming 1930 J-3 Piper Cub trainer aircraft model hangs from the ceiling. Gliders, remote-controlled flying models, miniature two-stroke kerosene fuelled engines that power them and aircraft drawings adorn the walls. The room smells of paint, turpentine and glue.

The 31-year-old computer science graduate is the production coordinator of an industrial design firm based in the city. He has spent the better part of the past 10 years, and also much of his earnings, pursuing his hobby. Vinod is vastly experienced in making and flying remote-controlled aircraft models.

He is currently making a model of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the American made frontline combat aircraft. Vinod has completed the fuselage. He has sourced two miniature jet engines (salvaged from an F-16 model crashed by a rich hobbyist in Sharjah) for his project.

Some of Vinod’s friends have termed his F-16 project as “Quixotic.” For instance, he would need to conduct “wind tunnel” tests on the model to assess its aerodynamic characteristics. Such technology is not locally available. Moreover, he would need to locate a vast area without tree cover to test the model. Jet aircraft models are fast and difficult to fly compared to remote controlled propeller aircraft replicas.

However, Vinod seems not to be deterred by such arguments. He says he will be able to work his way around such impediments with the help of friends and fellow enthusiasts he met on the Internet.

Vinod hopes to raise funds for his F-16 project by making and selling static models of aircraft. He has made large passenger jet models as office décor in travel agencies and airline companies.

Currently he is making static models of World War II era Spit Fire Super Marine fighter aircraft and 1930 vintage Tiger Moth bi-plane for a private collector. Vinod can be contacted at vinod_madhaav@yahoo.com or 9847551840.

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