The 4th Construction Night at the AMC Geneva

For the fourth year in a row, novice and experienced model builders gathered in the Geneva countryside at AMC Malval for a wild night. On the longest night of the year, the challenge was set: to build a flying object based on the assigned theme.

6:00 p.m., or about 1,100 minutes to build an airplane from scratch. The clubhouse is thus transformed for a long night among pilot-builders in a wild atmosphere. So far, nothing complicated: kit boxes or pre-built parts are prohibited. At dawn, a competition takes place.

After two editions centered on the theme of the race to the transmission towers and

In 2010—a year when the longest flight was awarded a prize—the theme was carrying the maximum payload. The AMC is therefore opening its doors to a limited number of pilots (due to space and infrastructure constraints!) to test their skills in rapid construction and endurance against the 19 other competitors.

The aircraft must be capable of lifting a maximum payload. This payload consists of as many 500-gram lead ingots as possible. To set a limit on power—or rather, thrust—the propeller size was not to exceed 11".

A flight is considered valid when a takeoff followed by a circuit and a landing are completed. In the end, Stefan Dey of the AMC took first place with a 4.5 kg model aboard his biplane made entirely of white foam. The design concepts were varied: different techniques and dimensions focused primarily on a high-lift airfoil, a large wing area, and a methanol-powered engine.

Once again, this unique concept showcases the pilots’ creativity and has been a huge hit with a wide range of modelers. The AMC is pleased to invite you to the 2011 edition to take on the challenge and bring the trophy home from the founding club. More photos are available now, and further information will be posted early next year at www.amc-geneve.ch.

Martin Reichert