And They Said It Would Never Fly
by ANN Associate Editor James Aronovsky
What's that saying, that the only difference between men and
boys is the size of their toys? A British artist, tinkerer, and
would-be pilot, seems to illustrate this statement perfectly. He
has constructed what may be world's largest rubber-band powered
model plane. He began flight test operations last Sunday.
Mark Klews was inspired by the balsa wood planes he built as a
boy, so using the most rudimentary knowledge of physics, he scaled
up a popular 18 inch model to one with a wingspan of 20 feet. Since
his boyhood plane could fly as far as 160 feet, Klews was
expecting, by the process of advanced arithmetic, to be able to
reach 2,700 feet in the full-sized version.
However, because traditional balsa wood isn't available in such
large sizes, Klews decided to construct the giant model out of
pine.
In keeping true to the authentic design of the original, the
plane appears to have no moving control surfaces, no
instrumentation, nor any way to actually guide the aircraft once in
flight.
Thankfully, when the 200 foot bungee cord power plant started
spinning the five foot propeller -- besides shaking a lot, the
plane only managed to move six feet --backwards.
In truth, Klews probably wasn't expecting too much. It is likely
that as an artist, he was more interested in the act of artistic
creation leading up to the test flight. The British Register says
the aircraft will now retire to an exhibition at Clews' former alma
mater -- the University of Westminster. Gallery curator Michael
Maziere explained the failed experiment was still valuable. "These
works reveal the importance of failure as an essential process of
development. [Such] futile gestures take the raw desires of our
childhood fantasies to their logical conclusion."
Which is what I always say after a really botched flying
maneuver.
Believe it or not, there is actually a serious aeronautical
attempt to create a real rubber band-powered manned flying machine
called, what else? the "Rubber Bandit", although its current
status is unclear.
Still to wind up this story (sorry) -- Klews was undaunted at
his failure to launch. He told the London Telegraph, "It was
spectacular, everything I hoped it would be, apart from actually
flying. We are taking a step in the right direction just by moving.
I mean, technically it is a step in the wrong direction I suppose,
but at least it's a step."
We can only conclude that's one small step for a man, one giant
leap into absurdity.