Project Lead - Graham Kennedy FSMAE

It is hardly surprising that aeromodelling and in particular scale competition plays such a major part in Graham's life, since he first started attending events with his father, Alex, whilst still in his pram.
Graham's knowledge and experience is extensive, having been involved as an official in some capacity for almost 40 years.  He has been a prominent figure on the international circuit since 2001 and has amassed almost 50 overseas trips as a Team Manager, Judge, Official or Advisor.

He is the only individual to have been a judge at an F4 World Champs, Jet World Masters and Top Gun.
Bringing the 2026 World Scale Championships back to the UK for the first time since 1978 presents the opportunity to inspire and encourage a new generation of scale aeromodellers and is the culmination to his dedication to the scale competitive aeromodelling community.

 

Contest Director - Mark Benns FSMAE - BMFA Sporting Director 

Mark has been an avid model designer, builder national and international competitor for many years. He is best known for Free Flight and Indoor Duration exploits but shares a passion for all model aircraft disciplines since he started flying back in the early 1980’s. Since 2007 he has continually competed Internationally as well as taking various teams as Team manager giving him an experience and knowledge that should stand him in good stead to steer the 2026 World Championships.
His professional background as an Architect and lead consultant alongside his competition experience should ensure decisions will be made fairly and without fuss to ensure that his role is one in the background enabling a clear platform for all of the competitors to express themselves.
Mark is the British Model Flying Association’s Sporting Director, the Director in charge of British model flying competition so this Contest sits well with his passion for the role.
He has supported the Scale Committees bid since its inception and says “he is honoured to support what could well be the greatest World Championships Britain has ever hosted”.

 

Events Co-ordinator - Paul Hoey - BMFA Honorary Secretary

Paul Hoey has been a lifelong builder and flyer of model aircraft who enjoys several disciplines including RC scale and sport aerobatic models. However, his real interest is indoor FF scale where he enjoys competing in several classes.
He has served on several BMFA councils including the Association’s Centenary Planning Committee prior to joining the Board of Directors as Honorary Secretary. His working life revolved around education in one form or another as a teacher, youth worker and management roles in Norfolk County Council where he was Head
of the commercial education services.
The friendships and challenges of aeromodelling are important to him and therefore, he likes to be able to give something back to our great sport.

 

Judges Liaison - Chris Allen FSMAE

Chris Allen has been making models of aeroplanes since his childhood. He learned to fly RC in the 1960’s, but it was with
encouragement of late, great, Scale Guru’s like Eric Coates and Dennis Thumpston that he made his first visit to the first Scale World Championships at Cranfield in 1970. He developed the understanding that building and flying accurate scale models and the pursuit of scale realism is the ultimate challenge in aeromodelling.
Chris was invited to judge RC scale at the UK Nationals in 1977 and has been active as a scale judge ever since. He has judged at many Continental and World Championships including serving as Chief Judge on several occasions. He also judged at Topgun in Florida for 7 years.
Chris served on the BMFA Scale Technical Committee for nearly 20 years and is currently the UK representative on the CIAM Scale Sub- Committee. He was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Royal Aero Club in 2020 and honoured with a Fellowship of the SMAE in 2021.

Project Administrator - Edwin van der Maat

BMFA National Centre Manager - Manny Williamson

Manny has been a keen model flyer since age 7 when he saved his pennies to purchase a Keil Kraft Champ Control Line kit. Since then, he has continued to fly models, experiencing most disciplines and currently flying E2K pylon racing and F3K discus launch gliders, as well as sport scale and aerobatic aircraft.
He is also a keen full-size glider pilot with around 2000 hours in the cockpit and owns a 22-meter Slingsby Kestrel, which he flies cross country at every opportunity.
Manny has worked for the British Model Flying Association for over 20 years, initially as theDevelopment Officer and more recently as the project lead for the development of the National Centre, which has now been open for over 8 years.
He now manages the Centre on a day-to-day basis with responsibility for all aspects of the operation and the delivery of services and facilities for members and visitors.
Manny is also responsible for the development of the BMFA Model Aircraft and Engine auctions which have become internationally well known, and continue to expand in size and scope.

Communications Officer – Monique (Monz) Lyons

Monz has always had an affinity for anything aviation related, with a specific interest in scale aeromodelling developing at an early age. Originally from South Africa, since arriving in the UK her involvement with like minded individuals has flourished.
Initally focused on Scale Free Flight, Monz’s attention to detail and her designing and building skills have resulted in her being a multiple British National Champion. Whilst maintaining this interest she has become increasingly active in the Scale Radio Control aspect of the sport.
Monz is an accomplished static judge, was an integral part of Euro Masters 2023 and is the UK Scale Nationals Contest Director as well as a member of the BMFA Scale Technical Committee.

Transport Manager - Dawn Hawkins

Registration Officer - Brian West

Judges Liaison and Scoring System - Stephen Kessel

Stephen Kessel a retired mechanical engineer, originally trained in aeronautics and has been building and flying model aircraft for more than 60 Years.  Since the early 1990’s he has been a regular RC Scale judge in the UK and was nominated by the BMFA as an FAI F4 Judge in 2010.  He was the UK Scale Team Manager at Marmande 2014, Ploiesti 2016 and Meiringen 2018 and a flight judge at Jarlsberg 2022.  He was a member of the BMFA Scale Technical Committee for many years and is part of the team that has successfully bid for the BMFA to host the FAI F4 World Championships at Buckminster in 2026.

He hopes that return of these championships to the UK after nearly 50 years will be an opportunity to showcase Aeromodelling as an enjoyable and rewarding hobby and sport, that for him has been a lifelong passion.