Béda

A modernized form of a classic school glider

The basis is a model the manufacturer itself describes as an enlarged and reworked version of its original type. The wingspan has grown to 280 mm, the length is 265 mm and the finished piece weighs from five grams. The greater size is not an end in itself: it makes handling easier for children's hands and at the same time lifts the flying qualities. The original type was built for whole generations and the reworked form holds to the same logic: a simple build and a quick result.

The manufacturer recommends it to builders between eight and ten years old and considers it a suitable start for anyone who has not built anything yet. The structure will take ordinary falls and can be repaired after an accident. A useful item in the package is the building jig, that is an aid that holds the parts in the right position during gluing; without it keeping a wing straight tends to be a problem on a first model. Colored stickers are enclosed as well, so the builder can decorate the model without having to spray it. It is exactly the stickers that give children a reason to set their own piece apart from the others, which is no small thing at a club competition.

The versatility is interesting. The model can be built at several levels of difficulty, from a simple unfinished form all the way to a competition variant, and it can be launched both by hand and from a bungee launcher. That is exactly why it is used at school modeling competitions, where flight times are compared. A launcher gets the model higher, so the gliding phase is extended and there is a better chance of catching a thermal.

To finish it you need glue and a fine abrasive; they are not in the package. The bungee launcher is also separate. A flat board on which the wing is glued up comes in handy too.