Around Linden he is known as `Movements’, the name of the sound system for which he is one of the most beloved DJs in town, but one would be mistaken to assume that music is his only passion.
Troy Roberts has a passion for building and flying model planes. Unlike most other local and Caribbean flyers he builds his own planes and holds the Caribbean record for constructing the largest model plane. On Sunday, flying enthusiasts from around Guyana, from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados converged at the Industrial Area Dyke in Mackenzie to witness the flying of an 18ft, 4ft wing span model plane.
Sunday’s activity was described as a semi-launch and is the first in the history of Linden. Roberts’s ‘Supa’ all-Styrofoam electric engines made of batteries and a motor, shone from among a group of models powered by gas engines and helicopters powered by nitro, methanol and castor oil and flown by remote control. Though it was no match for the gas planes and helicopter, in terms of speed and manoeuvrability, spectators were left awe-struck at the sight of the 18ft-long plane gracefully taking off. Roberts also débuted a plane that drops parachutes.
“I am very proud of this Lindener whose passion for toy planes has led him to single-handedly construct and fly this magnificent piece of large, graceful toy,” a flyer from Barbados said. Unfortunately the plane suffered a crash landing and broke into pieces.
“I would say that I am a bit inexperience in flying… I know about building which all the others don’t take part in and that is what they recommend me highly for,” Roberts said. Accord-ing to Roberts he has less than three years flying experience and has had two successful flying sessions with the ‘Supa’ plane which have been filmed. Since the show he has already started to reassemble the broken pieces of the plane. He also hopes to win the support of corporate Guyana to maintain the Caribbean record for the construction of model planes.
For his first venture the Office of the Prime Minister lent its support which paved the way for the project to be registered under the Board of Industrial Training. “It cost in excess of $800,000 to construct something that brings me only pleasure and no income, but because I love it I did, I had to be importing Styrofoam which I found to be very expensive but I did it,” Roberts said.
Chasing a
dream
As a child, Roberts said he admired and loved helicopters more than planes. His dream was to become a pilot but he was forced to divert it because of tough economic circumstances. On a trip to Georgetown two years ago at Giftland Office Max, Roberts spotted a helicopter. “I said watch I got an opportunity, I got a small cash let me buy this helicopter,” he recalled. After flying the toy a few times and causing it to crash Roberts’s passion was reignited and he surfed the internet to find ways to explore his lifelong dream. He soon logged on to the website www. bananahobbie.com where he purchased his first real aerobatic helicopter and an F-117 stealth bomber.
“This was a black war plane the mode of the original. That plane didn’t last me five seconds,” he said, adding that “I took off with that plane and in five seconds I crash it into a building.” Roberts also noted that he “didn’t know it was so fast, I had no experience in flying and it was later that the fellas told me that I started it too rash, I should have started with something with more of a trainee purpose that would balance itself and don’t have to do so much manoeuvring.”
Determined to continue his hobby, he repaired his purchase several times before finally deciding that he had what it takes to construct his own planes and helicopters. “It cost me something like $120,000 to get that plane down here so I repaired it until I had my money’s worth,” he said.
Since then Roberts has constructed more than 45 planes before he got the first one to fly. “I had to be on the internet to learn about centre gravity, aerofoil, dihedral and all those technical things that are necessary for flying,” he said. Many Sunday afternoons persons around Mackenzie enjoyed the sight of the planes in the sky from their verandahs, windows or yards. Children and adults alike would flock the Mackenzie Sports Club to catch a glimpse of the take off, flying and landing of the miniature planes.
Today, Roberts builds planes without worrying whether or not they would fly. He plans to build a 40-foot plane that will weigh as much as an adult. “I don’t want to go into too much details but that’s my projections for the future this 40ft real scale plane and from there I think I would go strictly into building gadgets,” he shared.
For Roberts it’s a very expensive hobby and he listens to the advice of his peers as, “If I don’t watch mah self this could run me insolvent.” Most of the parts used in the constructions are imported from China and while it remains a hobby, Roberts said he would relish the opportunity to advance in aeronautics on a much dreamed about scholarship.
He also said he’d love to share his knowledge and experience with others and host training sessions for interested persons in and around his hometown, Linden.
