Standing at 2.9 metres in length with a wingspan of 2.6 metres, the Airbus A400M model is truly an exquisite work of art. It is an almost-to-scale model of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (TUDM) four-engine Airbus A400M aircraft.

FMT recently caught up with Nazrul and Syed Fadley Syed Yusof, the aircraft model’s owner, who is also named in the certificate by MBR, to understand what inspired them on this journey.

“I was interested in this model, so I approached Nazrul to build it,” the 40-year-old Syed told FMT.

Nazrul was initially hesitant to take on the project, since it was rather complicated in nature. However, he eventually agreed, and the rest is history. Syed funded the project and would be the aircraft model’s pilot upon completion.

Although Nazrul has been building radio-controlled models since 2013, the 46-year-old admitted that the process of building the Airbus A400 model was a challenge because it was his first time attempting to build a model of this size.

Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns made it difficult for him to obtain the materials he required such as lightweight expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, aluminium plates, and battery-powered electric motors.

“We planned to finish building in two months, but it eventually took four months,” Nazrul explained. According to the duo, it was completed in August last year.

However, Nazrul credited Syed for his determination to complete the project no matter what the challenges were.

“Syed is also a patient person, and he was willing to wait. This was something important to me. He did not push me because it could end up distracting me.

“When I was finally finished and it was in the air, I was very relieved,” he revealed, adding that he was also grateful for Syed’s capability in piloting the model with precision.

The total cost of the model came up to approximately RM6,000 and it successfully went airborne in September.

The flight

For Syed, this model, which has a take-off weight of approximately 10 to 11 kilogrammes, was the heaviest he has ever flown.

He also revealed an interesting fact about the success of a model when it is in the air. “There is a 40:60 ratio with 40% depending on the skill of the pilot and 60% on luck.”

“We can check to ensure everything is in order and we can control [the aircraft in flight] to the best of our ability. But whatever happens after that is beyond our control because we are exposed to risk factors such as signal loss,” he explained.

According to Syed, the model has a flight time of four to eight minutes.

“During that first flight, I remember feeling both excited and nervous. But once it was in the air and I saw how calm Syed was, I felt better,” Nazrul added.

The partnership

The duo got to know each other through Facebook at the end of 2020. “I was told that if you wanted a good quality aircraft model, Nazrul was the right man. So, I got in touch with him and that’s how our relationship started.”

On what makes their partnership work, Syed shared: “In building an aircraft model, I believe that input from both the builder and pilot is very important. Throughout the whole process, Nazrul ensured to keep me constantly updated and this made our relationship closer.”

“Maybe it could also be due to the fact that we are both from Kedah – Nazrul is from Baling, and I am from Sungai Petani,” said Syed warmly.

So, how do they feel after making it into the Malaysia Book of Records?

“I am grateful because I never expected to reach this level. It feels good to know that all the hard work is appreciated,” Nazrul said.

As for Syed, he said, “I feel proud on behalf of Nazrul because this is a Malaysian made product.”

The next generation

In the process of building the model, Nazrul also had assistance from his son, Muhamad Nazmi Nazrul Hisham, 18. This is something special as Nazrul himself is a second-generation aircraft builder who followed in his father’s footsteps.

“We have a lot of young Malaysians who are very creative and in fact, there are quite a number of them who have begun building their own aircrafts (models). A lot of them learn about this from social media, YouTube, and TikTok,” Syed said.

To that end, Nazrul also hopes that someday he can train the younger generation in this business to ensure his continuity.