Latest News
20th July 2008: Cody Flyer popular with visitors
The public saw the Cody Flyer replica for the first time on 19th and 20th July at this year's Farnborough International air show. The photo show the full-sized replica and some of the many visitors too.
14th July 2008: FAST Press Release
NEW CODY FLYER REPLICA CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF BRITISH AVIATION
A major highlight at this year’s Farnborough International air show (July 14-20) is the first public appearance of a new full-size replica of Samuel Franklin Cody’s British Army Aeroplane No1A, built at Farnborough over the last 18 months by volunteers from Farnborough Air Sciences Trust. The highly accurate non-flying replica was constructed to commemorate the centenary of the first aeroplane to make a powered, controlled and sustained flight in Great Britain, which took place at Farnborough on 16 October, 1908. It is on display in the Pioneers of Flight Pavilion just beyond the FIVE building. PRESS PACKS AVAILABLE THERE.
This is the first time in 100 years that anyone has been able to see what this extremely large (53ft wingspan) aeroplane looked like, for after its history-making first flight the original was badly damaged and subsequently rebuilt into a different form before being lost altogether.
The FAST Cody Flyer Project, under project manager David Wilson, assembled an all-volunteer team, of up to 40 people who built the replica close to the FAST Museum at Farnborough, and just a short distance from where the actual first flight took place. Before construction could start an intensive period of research and planning was necessary, with initial plans and early detailed photographs largely provided by local Cody experts John and Jean Roberts, being examined and later turned into a CAD computer model. This proved to be invaluable in designing the metal, wood and bamboo components of the replica and commissioning the supply of scores of special castings used throughout the aeroplane. The decision was also taken to use materials and construction methods as close as possible to those used by Cody himself. This included using piano wire for the considerable amount of bracing, and with this the specially-learned skill of tying “Cody knots” in the piano wire- of which there were hundreds.
Special skills were also developed by a small team of lady seamstresses who prepared the fabric wing coverings, with hundreds of sewn pockets for the wooden wing ribs, and this followed closely how the job was done in Cody’s day. The huge FAST archive of original glass negatives provided detailed evidence of how BAA No 1A was actually constructed, as Cody was meticulous in recording progress with his flying machines.
Funding for the project was initiated by a small allocation by the FAST trustees and this was soon followed by a generous donation from an individual FAST member. Subsequent donations from individuals and support from a number of companies and organisations, including Rushmoor Borough Council, gradually built up, though the only aerospace company to provide sponsorship was the US giant, Lockheed Martin. This was appropriate as Cody was born in America and Lockheed Martin UK has a facility at Farnborough, so the replica also reflects a century of US-UK partnership in aerospace and defence.
Full details of the FAST Cody Flyer Project can be found on the website:
www.codyflyerproject.com Show contacts:
David Wilson on 07702742594 or Richard Gardner on 0788 7572820.
A selection of images are available on disc.
Museum will be closed on 19th and 20th July
The air show is held this year and, as before, the Police apply traffic and crowd control measures around the airfield and air show site. Again, this means that visitors will not be able to reach the Museum either by car or on foot.
We regret that we have to close the Museum for the weekend.
7th December 2007: Kite Competition for Schools
The Farnborough Air Sciences Trust to invite your school to participate in our ‘Cody’ Competition.
On 16 October 2008 it will be exactly 100 years since Sam Cody made the first flight in a powered aeroplane in Britain. To celebrate this and to mark Sam Cody’s achievements, we are holding a Competition for schools.
It is proposed that each school should hold its own preliminary competitions in several categories and that the winners should then come to the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust for the Finals.
The finals will be held during the 2008 Farnborough Air Show and all finalists will receive a ‘FAST’ Badge made especially for the competition. We expect that the event will attract significant press coverage.
How to enter, what to make and more...
We
will add all this in the next few days
3rd December 2007: Ian Whittle Visits Museum
Ian Whittle visited the FAST museum to see the unique exhibits that mark Sir Frank Whittle's key contributions to the development of jet aircraft engines.
left: Ian Whittle stands beside W2/700 jet engine
right: Ian Whittle examines a section of the wing of the Cody Flyer replica which is under construction at FAST
16th October 2007: Event marking two flying anniversaries at Farnborough - Invitation
16th OCTOBER 2007, 11.00am AT THE FAST MUSEUM, FARNBOROUGH. IN
CELEBRATION OF THE 99TH ANNIVERSARY OF POWERED AEROPLANE FLIGHT IN
GREAT BRITAIN
October 5th 2007 is the 100th Anniversary of the flight of the Nulli Secundus airship from Farnborough to London. October 16th is the 99th Anniversary of the first sustained, powered, aeroplane flight in Great Britain, conducted by S F Cody in his locally constructed flying machine, British Army Aeroplane No 1A. You are cordially invited to join the FAST Trustees and Association volunteers for a celebration of these historic events, and to hear of the exciting FAST plans for the future, including a programme for next year’s Cody First Flight Centenary.
The Trust, a registered charity dedicated to safeguarding Farnborough’s unique aviation and air science heritage, moved into the (Listed Grade II) Trenchard House, the former Royal Engineers Balloon School and HQ of The Royal Flying Corps five years ago. With the support of Rushmoor Borough Council and site owners, SEGRO, FAST volunteers have been able to develop the museum considerably since then, making previously inaccessible archives and exhibits available to researchers and historians and opening the museum to the general public- all on an entirely self-funded basis.
At the celebration event guests will be able to see the latest additions to the FAST aircraft collection and an enlarged and revised museum exhibition. In addition, it is intended to give a presentation on progress with the construction of the Trust’s full-size Cody Flyer replica aeroplane. This is being built for static display based on meticulously researched Cody design features and will represent the original machine in the condition in which it made its famous first, and only, powered flight on 16 October 1908. It is intended to make this a focal point in next year’s 100th Anniversary celebrations with a public preview at Farnborough International air show next July.
If you wish to attend the 99th Anniversary event (theme: one
year to go and counting) on 16 October, 2007, please contact the
Museum- telephone: 01252 375050 or e-mail to:
manager@farnboroughairsciences.org.uk
14th October 2007: Battle of Britain book signing event
On Sunday October 14th, in the G1 Trenchard Room, we will be joined by 8 Fighter Pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain, 10th July to 31st october 1940
| Air Commodore Peter Brothers | Hurricanes | 32 and 257 Squadrons |
| Group Captain Byron Duckenfield | Spitfires and Hurricanes | 74 and 501 Squadrons |
| Wing Commander John Freeborn | Spitfires | 74 Squadron |
| Wing Commander Billy Drake | Hurricanes | 1 and 213 Squadrons |
| Wing Commander Tom Neil | Hurricanes | 249 Squadron |
| Flight Lieutenant Ray Sellers | Hurricanes | 111 and 46 Squadrons |
| Flight Lieutenant Mike Croskell | Hurricanes | 213 Squadron |
| Flight Lieutenant Richard Jones | Spitfires | 19 and 64 Squadrons |
The veterans will by happy to sign books and prints on the day at a cost of £20 per item - of which £5 will be donated to the "Cody Flyer Project"
Here are some pictures of the event
23rd July 2007: Harrier trainer on display
Just arrived, a two seat variant of the Harrier is now on display at the museum. See the "Museum" section for more.
14th June 2007: Jindivik - new on display
An interesting unmanned aircraft has been added to the display at the Museum. The Jindivik was built in Australia and used by the RAE as a target drone for testing guided weapons. See the "Museum" section for more.June 2007: WW2 Air Raid Shelter re-discovered
A forgotten second World War air raid shelter has been re-discovered in the grounds of Trenchard House. It lies just to the South of the main building in a sloping bank on the edge of the Museum grounds.
FAST will be restoring the shelter over the coming months and hopes to allow visitors to see it later in the year. Our pictures show the mysterious entrance and the first step in the restoration - making an accurate survey. Trustees Laurence Peskett and Graham Rood are seen with tape, notebook and torch measuring up.
1st April 2007: FAST launches a new company
The Trustees of FAST have launched a new company - "Farnborough Air Sciences Heritage Limited". The new company's main activity will be responsibility for the running of the Museum building and overall site, and the development of fund-raising activities on behalf of the Trust..
The Trustees have plans to reactivate a historic wind tunnel in the refurbished R52 structure as part of an ambitious educational project and the new company is expected to play a role in providing the building and handling commercial aspects of the project.
Farnborough Air Sciences Heritage Limited (FASHL) is taking over the lease for the FAST Museum building, Trenchard House, and its site. Farnborough Air Sciences Limited (FASL), which is now independent of FAST, previously had obligations to maintain the museum building and site. From April 1st it has no role or presence at the FAST Museum in Farnborough.
For further information:
FAST Media contact: Richard Gardner Tel 01252 515562, or
Graham Rood, Secretary of the Trustees
15th January 2007: FAST LAUNCHES CODY FLYER PROJECT
Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST), the local
conservation and heritage group dedicated to safeguarding
Farnborough’s aviation history, has launched a project to
build a full-size replica of British Army Aeroplane No1A, the aircraft
in which Samuel Franklin Cody made the first successful powered flight
in Great Britain, at Farnborough on 16th October 1908.
The project is aimed at becoming the focus for centenary celebrations
of this important historical event in 2008, and will also include a
unique educational aspect bringing together organisations which will be
offered the opportunity to participate. The project has already
received enthusiastic support from Rushmoor Borough Council and local
MP, Gerald Howarth, and a major partnering and fund-raising effort will
be launched.
The non-flying replica will be built full size, and with a 52ft
wingspan will be impressively large. Designed to look as authentic as
possible in appearance, using representative materials, including some
original Cody bamboo, it will be unique as after the first flight, the
actual aircraft crashed and its design was subsequently modified. The
design chosen by FAST will be based on detailed plans researched by
local historian and Cody expert, Jean Roberts, and drawn by John
Roberts, depicting the configuration as flown on 16th October 1908. It
is intended to allow the public to see progress on the replica in the
FAST Museum, on Farnborough Road, when the components begin to take
shape. It is hoped that a public preview might be possible in time for
the 2008 Farnborough International Airshow.
The project team is led by FAST member David Wilson, who before
retirement was responsible in MOD for Eurofighter. He is one of many
team members who are also members of the Farnborough Branch of the
Royal Aeronautical Society. Members of the project team have extensive
aeronautical knowledge and skills, many being ex-RAE specialists, and
some are employed at QinetiQ and other aerospace organisations. Work
has already started on the preparation of lists of materials and
components needed, and detailed drawings and patterns. All work is on
an unpaid voluntary basis though some components are expected to be
bought in or donated by partner companies.
Over the coming months, FAST will be appealing to companies and
organisations willing to join the project as a successful outcome will
require sponsorship and assistance, both financial and practical. There
will be an opportunity for schools and colleges to participate and for
anyone willing to offer specialist skills and some time. Aeroplane
Magazine is to help publicise the project, and FAST is confident that
the programme will achieve its aim of creating a worthy centrepiece for
the centenary celebrations.
FAST’s Chairman, Richard Gardner, said, “ This will
become a high-profile national project, and will generate not only
increased knowledge of Cody’s success, and
Farnborough’s place in aviation history, but should attract
active involvement by young people and we hope that this will continue
well beyond 2008.”
FAST Media contact: Richard Gardner Tel 01252 515562
http://www.airsciences.org.uk
Information on Cody: Jean Roberts Tel 01252 543740
http://www.sfcody.org.uk
11th August 2006: The FAST Completes Feasibility Study for R52
FAST have completed a wide ranging study of the possibilities for the use of building R52. This building has a Grade II* listing and forms part of the "Historic Quarter" in the Farnborough Business Park. The building, dating from 1917, is the oldest surviving building in the UK designed specifically to house windtunnels and it still contains a high quality low speed windtunnel. Helped by grants from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) and Rushmoor B.C. as well as donations from private individuals, FAST have produced a detailed report on how the building could be brought back into use. Education and heritage are important themes of what may be possible; the report is being considered by the committee of the AHF with the possibility of further funding and will be available more widely soon.
July 17 2006: Farnborough International comes close to FAST!
For those who do not know how close the FAST headquarters is to a major runway here is picture to show you. The Airbus A380 flew into TAG's Farnborough airfield for SBAC's Farnborough International air show in July and in this photo you can see Trenchard House framed by the wing and tail of the A380 (the white building just breaking the horizon). Trenchard House is FAST's headquarters and Museum building.
10th Mar 2006: The FAST Association has a new website
FASTA has a new website. The Museum Director, Brian Luff, is pleased to see the launch of "version 1" and expects to add more descriptions and photos of the FAST collection on display at the Museum. The website will help potential visitors from far afield to make up their minds and plan a visit and let locals know there is much more to see than the aircraft on display outside. There will be plenty of local news too, for the large numbers of volunteers and supporters who are helping to make the Museum a success.26th Oct 2005: FAST
Association Newsletter - "FAST Forward"
The Farnborough Airsciences Trust Association has just published the Autumn 2005 edition of its newsletter "FAST Forward". In it you can read about;
- RAE site takes shape
- Blowing new life into the wind tunnels
- Goodbye Pyestock, hello
Fastport
- International event
- National Aerospace library
- New R&D model collection
- Link with Down Under
- Take cover!
- FASTA news
"FAST Forward (pdf 600kB)"
(with thanks to Red Rooster Design for making a version for the web that downloads quickly)
For further information please contact:
Richard Gardner, Editor 01252 375050
30th June 2005: FAST awarded grant for feasibility study
FAST have been awarded a
maximum grant by the Architectural Heritage
Fund to study how the Grade 2 listed building R52 and the No.3 wind
tunnel within it could be used for scientific and educational purposes.
FAST have appointed a team to carry out the study and the work is being
supported by donations from individuals and other organisations.
R52 is one of the oldest wind tunnel buildings in the world, most of
the structure dating from 1917. Not only does the building
have
architectural merit but also it contains a very low turbulence wind
tunnel, which can be re-commissioned for scientific use. The
configuration and low running costs of the tunnel make it a good basis
for educational programmes for
schools and universities.
For further information please
contact:
Laurence Peskett, Vice Chairman of the Trustees
22nd April 2005: Farnborough Site Dedicated as Historic Site by AIAA, RAeS and FAST
On 22 April this year, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) , the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) conducted a ceremony at Trenchard House, Farnborough, to designate Farnborough as an historic site in the AAIA Historic Aerospace Sites Program. This program was founded in January 2000 to promote the preservation and recognition of significant aerospace accomplishments.Master of Ceremonies was Sir Donald Spiers, RAeS Farnborough Branch President, who conducted the ceremony with honourable guest speakers Colin Balchin, Mayor of Rushmoor; Anthony Springer, AIAA Council Member and Historic Sites Program Chairman; Richard Gardner, FAST Chairman; Dr Donald Richardson, AIAA President; and Gerald Howarth, MP for Aldershot. Other special guests were Mary Fagan, Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire; Air Commodore Bill Tyack, RAeS Farnborough Branch Chairman; Rosemary Balchin, Mayoress of Rushmoor; and Emily Springer, AIAA Staff. In front of nearly 200 guests at the open-air ceremony, as well as various media reporters and a BBC television crew Don Richardson delivered a heartfelt address before unveiling the plaque to designate Farnborough as an historic site.
Other places that the AIAA have designated historic sites include the Boeing Red Barn at the Seattle Museum of Flight; Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; Annonay, France, where the first balloon launch took place; and Tranquility Base on the Moon. The AIAA welcomes more nominations for historic sites, including in the UK.
With thanks to Craig F. Eckersley, RAeS Preston Branch for his report on this event.
Craig's full report in PDF format (139 kB)
24th March 2005: Slough
Estates are ready for potential users of
wind tunnels
Today, Stephen Lord,
development manager for Farnborough Business
Park, reviewed the first issue of a 42 page report on the condition of
wind tunnels in the Historic Quarter of the Business Park.
The
report describes the condition of the three wind tunnels and makes
recommendations on the infrastructure required for bringing the tunnels
back into operation. It covers the supply of electricity,
gas,
water and communications and includes sections on the refurbishment of
the specialist equipment as well as health and safety
aspects.
The report was commissioned by
Slough Estates and the work carried
out by two independent consultants; Bill Debenham and Miles
Weston. Slough Estates and the FAST Trustees are grateful to
all
the FAST members
and ex-RAE employees that have contributed their time and expertise to
this report.
Stephen remarked that the
production of this report represents an
important milestone in the project to develop the Historic Quarter and
is a very solid basis on which to market the wind tunnels to potential
operators.
Work will begin immediately on the production of summaries of information for each of the wind tunnels that will be made available as brochures to prospective operators. Slough Estates are currently considering a genuine expression of interest from a potential user of the building Q121 and its wind tunnel and consequently are not actively marketing this tunnel for the time being. In the meantime, please see the "Wind Tunnels" (also a tab on the left) for an overview of the tunnels.
Expressions of interest should be directed in the first instance to Graham Steer, Slough Estates plc –email: graeme.steer@sloughte.com
16th March 2005: FAST trustees review fire damage
Today, the vice chairman and secretary of the Trustees, Laurence Peskett and Graham Rood, took the opportunity to examine the damage caused by last week's fire in building R133. Thanks to prompt action from the fire brigade and detailed knowledge of the building on hand from Slough Estates' staff on site, the fire was confined to insulation material in two brine storage tank silos on north side of the building. However, other parts of the building have been contaminated with soot from the burning insulation, the compressor hall being the worst affected.
Laurence and Graham were
relieved to find that, apart from within the tank silos, nothing has
been
destroyed, nevertheless, there is a huge clean up task
ahead. They are stressing the importance of giving the right
care and attention to the cleaning processes. The assessment
of
the task and evaluation of cleaning and preservation methods are
already underway, co-ordinated by the project's conservation
architects, Julian Harrap Architects.
31st Dec 2004: FAST's review of the year
Have a look in "Publications" for a review of FAST's achievements up to the end of 2004. Laurence Peskett, Vice Chairman of the Trustees, writes for the Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust.
21st September 2004: Slough
Estates Launches Start of Rebuilding
Slough Estates outlined today
its £20million plans for the
restoration and renovation of some of the most important buildings in
British aviation history: the Historic Core of its Farnborough Business
park. See "Publications"
for the full text.
25th July 2004: Farnborough Air Show
Thank you to all those Farnborough Air Show visitors who came to see us on our stand in Hall 1. This year FAST and Slough Estates teamed up to present a stand jointly: FAST highlighting its work on bringing wind tunnels back into operation and Slough Estates previewing their vision of how the historic buildings are at the heart of their plans for the Farnborough Business Park.
19th July 2004: "fast.aero" launches on-line access to research reports and photographs
This year's Farnborough Air
Show saw the launch of www.fast.aero
which for the first time will make the historic scientific work of the
Royal Aircraft Establishment available online.
The site gives access to technical research reports and photographs
covering a period of nearly 90 years: 1908 - 1977. This is an
archive that ranges from the Cody flier at the very beginning of
European aviation to Farnborough's development of carbon fibre and
beyond. Although and immense number of records are available
on
the site, more will be made available over time as they are classified
and processed. Income from this site will contribute towards
development of the current museum and the restoration of the wind
tunnel site.
Further details on www.fast.aero
or contact Will Rees of Claire Chambers on 01252 512494 or email
archive@fast.aero.
Editor's note: this service is no longer operating. April 2007
28th June 2004: FAST launches a new website
FAST has launched a new website (this one) to promote the work of the Trust. By putting information on aims, plans, press relations, planning, relations with grants bodies, local government etc. all in one place, we will do two things
- answer the frequently questions about what FAST is and what it is up to
- allow the other "FAST" website to develop its specialist subjects
There will inevitably be some overlap between the websites for a while. Please be patient - we will continue to work to rationalise and improve the sites.
21st May 2004: FAST EFFORTS RECOGNIZED
On 21 May, local Member of Parliament, Gerald Howarth, called in to the Farnborough Air Sciences Museum to congratulate the Trustees, volunteers and supporters of Farnborough Air Sciences Trust who have been awarded with the Air League’s Framed Address for their “tremendous work over the past ten years to preserve the aviation heritage of the Farnborough site, involving the opening of the museum, the establishment of an association of supporters and its continuing work to return areas of the site to a working condition.”
Last week, three of the original Trustees, Fin Gordon, Lawrence Peskett and Richard Gardner travelled to St James’s Palace, with Steven Lord and Will Jewson of Slough Estates for the presentation before 400 members and guests of the Air League. Richard Gardner received the award from HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, on behalf of FAST.
Registered Charity 1040199
http://www.farnboroughairsciences.org.uk
Version: 1.16 date: 8 October 2007