Staffordshire Aero Club's
MW page
Staffordshire Aero Club has developed a close relationship with the MW Club. Mike Whittaker is MW. He has designed rugged, easily-to-build aircraft.
- The MW1 never saw completion.
- The MW2 (Excalibur) is a twin-boomed, ducted fan. A 34 inch Dowty fan provides the thrust. First flown in 1986, it's now in a museum.
- The MW3 never saw completion.
- The MW4 was designed to to make an aircraft of conventional configuration within the
microlight category. It is a single-seat, 3-axis microlight with fully articulated tailplane
(copied from the 1910 Santos Dumont Demoiselle) and no undercarriage suspension.
Only one of its kind has been built. It was the last aircraft to be built at British Aerospace,
Filton!
- The MW5 developed from this. It has been simplified to make it easy to build and,
although still with a fully flying tailplane, the full articulation was dispensed with
because the CAA didn't like the idea. It too is a single-seat microlight. It went into
production as the MW5(K) Sorceror.
- The tandem, two-seat MW6 followed and then a two-seat, side-by-side; the MW6(S).
- Some light aircraft enthusiasts saw the MW5 as a cheap alternative to maintaining their
hours. Unfortunately aircraft in the microlight category cannot be used for this so a
'light aircraft' version of the MW5, the MW7, was conceived. It has shorter wings, a
different wing chord and is a tail-dragger.
- The 'slippy' MW8 broke the mould. This was produced for competitions. It has a fully
enclosed cockpit, a four-stroke engine and a much longer flight endurance than its
predecessors.
In its
early days when the Club had annual fly-ins at Weston Park, Eddie Clapham (MW test
pilot) used to fly members in the prototype MW6.
Some of the Club's founder members took a
particular interest in MW developments and several members now own MW
aircraft.
The very first MW microlight to fly, the MW4, is based at our airfield
together with the MW6 prototype.
Staffordshire Aero Club hosts its MW weekend on 27th / 28th May 2000. This weekend opens the MW season. It is an excellent opportunity to see examples of MW aircraft and discuss projects with builders and MW Club committee members. For further details click here.
If you wish to find out more about the MW Club
then e-mail Mary Squire:
msquire@plym.ac.uk
or
visit the MW Club web site at:
http://www.laminar.co.uk/mwclub
E-Mail the Secretary
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Last revised: 12 April 2000