The Mayfly 3

Manpowered Aircraft .   Constructed by Mr. Bill Watley.

 

The Mayfly 3 has a wingspan of 50 ft, length of 26 ft and height of 10ft. (approx).

It is Bill Watley's third attempt at constructing a man powered aircraft.

 

It is also the third full size aircraft Bill has constructed since 1945.

The first, HM 290 (The Flying Flea) recorded 2 flights at 100 ft, each flight

about 2 miles in length.   The second aircraft, a Jodel D9, took four and a half years

to build (2140 hours) and flew from Gatton, Queensland for 15 years (about 1000 hours).

 

The Mayfly 3 is a very large Biplane: each wing is 50 ft in span. A man powered

aircraft needs 100 ft of wing. The variable pitch propeller is made of blue foam

and is 12 ft in diameter, turning at 100 RPM.

 

Bill Watley constructed the aircraft over a period of three years full time,

working a lmost every day. It has taken at least 6000 hours.

Fortunately Bill is retired.

The structure is normal commercial pine and white polystyrene covered

with 1ž2 thou. Mylar. The cockpit frame for the pilot is commercial aluminium.

 

All parts of the aircraft were carefully drawn and the dimensions carefully adhered to.

A water level was used at alt times to ensure the diagonals were all correct

 

Flight

 

The Mayfly 3 did achieve flight in Kooralbyn after a number of structural amendments,

including a redesign of the undercarriag and wheel diameter.

More photographs of this remarkable aircraft will appear shortly