The completed Mayfly was a small pusher configuration equal span biplane. Ash was used for the wing spars and the skids, spruce for the ribs and interplane struts, bamboo for the booms carrying the elevator and tail surfaces and the engine mounting was American Elm."The Bland Mayfly"Flight, 17 December 1910 The wings were covered in unbleached calico, which was laced to the wing structure, allowing it to be tightened when it stretched. Dope was not developed until 1911 It was powered by a air-cooled horizontally-opposed two-cylinder engine made by Avro, who also supplied the propeller and various metal fittings used."The Bland Mayfly" Flight, 17 December 1910 The forward- mounted elevator was divided into two halves and carried on three pairs of converging booms: behind the wings two paired booms carried a small rectangular fixed tailplane with an elevator either side, and a small fin and rudder. The undercarriage consisted of a pair of long skids bearing a pair of unsprung wheels upon which the aircraft rested: in front of these was a large nosewheel.
