Gerry Garing Reporting

Introduction

The RC Scale NATS was scheduled for Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July 13, this year. Team selections for the 2026 FAI control line and radio control teams will be determined this summer as well. Static judging for these classes will be held Thursday morning, beginning at 8:00 AM, with static judging available for AMA classes beginning around noon. If you have never attended a contest, this is a good opportunity to see some finely crafted models and observe how these models are judged.

You may be wondering about the terminology for the FAI models. F4B is stand-off scale for control line and 4FH is stand-off scale for radio control. Stand-off models are judged much like those in AMA classes. They are judged from a distance and subject to a time limit. F4B CL models can weigh up 13 ¼ lbs., and F4H RC models can weigh up to 33 pounds. F4C RC models can weigh no more than 13 ¼ lbs., require much more detailed documentation, are not subject to a time limit, and are judged from 0 feet.

While the FAI team trials are incorporated into this year’s Nationals, Thursday through Sunday are devoted to competition within the AMA RC Scale classes. There are many to choose from. There are Pro-Am classes that need only one picture to prove the plane is a scale model. It need not even be the same plane as the model, and there is no static judging involved. Pro-Am classes are all about scale flying. Traditionally constructed models and foamy ARFs are all acceptable for Pro-Am classes. Other classes require traditional static judging according to AMA rules. The flight requirements are the same for all AMA classes. Further information regarding rules can be found in the 2024-2025 rule book for Radio Control Fixed Wing Scale, available for free download from the AMA website. If you are attending the NATS, don’t be shy about approaching pilots or contest personnel with your questions.

Contest Flying began on Friday at 2:00 PM and concluded once all models had flown once. Flying Saturday was scheduled from approximately 9:00 AM through approximately 4:00 PM. One round was flown on Sunday morning, which will conclude the competition. Scores will be tallied and awards given out by early afternoon. All the above is subject to change depending on the weather and the number of participants.

Thursday

It’s Thursday morning at site 4, and the 2025 RC Scale Nationals are getting underway. It’s a beautiful morning with bright skies and very little wind. Many pilots are already here. The camper hook-ups are nearly full. Pilots continue to arrive, register, and set up. Static judging has begun for FAI entries in both radio control and control line. In the meantime, pilots are free to put in a few practice flights. It’s also a time to catch up with friends and make new ones. Contest Director John Boyko called a pilot meeting at 10:00 AM, followed by a judge’s meeting. Both briefings are held to ensure everyone understands the expectations and to ensure a fair contest for all.

I would also like to mention N.A.S.A. (National Association of Scale Aeromodelers. N.A.S.A. is AMA’s special interest group for Scale, both radio control and control line. As such, NASA is responsible for organizing and conducting the Scale Nationals each year. This is NASA’s 50^th anniversary. To recognize that milestone, NASA commissioned a commemorative Yeti mug. Each registered pilot will receive a mug, which is also available for purchase. NASA signed up 5 new members this morning! NASA is also promoting its FAI raffle for a 100cc UMS radial engine with CH ignition. Proceeds from this raffle help support the FAI teams competing in Great Britain in 2026.

As of 1:00 PM, there are 31 registered entries across seven classes. AMA rules provide classes based on aircraft, pilot experience, and type of airplane. There are classes for experienced pilots and novice pilots. Classes for modelers who have built their models and classes for AFR foamies. Or any combination thereof. Pilots have the option of flying several airplanes; however, they must be entered in different classes.

A highlight of attending the NATS, whether as a spectator or competitor, is the ability to walk through the tents and pavilions to get an up-close look at the models. Modelers are proud of their creations and usually welcome questions, comments, and discussion. Use a little common sense. If the pilot is preparing for a round, it is not a proper time. Another highlight of a Scale contest is the variety of aircraft, all of which can be competitive. Walking the field today, it doesn’t take long to find World War I airplanes, World War II airplanes, turbine aircraft, and general aviation aircraft. One particularly unique airplane is a Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro from the 1930s. It is electric-powered and extremely graceful as it performed a series of lazy-8s.

Static judging will wrap up Thursday morning, and the first round of flying will begin around noon. Two more rounds will be flown on Saturday and one on Sunday morning. All subject to change due to weather. There could be more than four rounds or fewer than four. As this is being written, Saturday evening holds the threat of bad weather.

Included are some pics from today. I hope you enjoy them!

Ben Andrus is assembling his ¼ scale Fairchild 24.

A sample of Ben’s craftsmanship on Fairchild’s tail.

Brian Peterson’s Nieuport

Kaleb Spencer on the landing approach with their giant P-47. This is a superb airplane, and we will feature it more in the next report.

Bill Spencer(spotter) and his son Kaleb (pilot) are participating in their first AMA Nationals.

NASA Commemorative Mug and UMS 100 cc engine.

This very special WACO cabin biplane was one of several built by Charlie Nelson in the 80s and 90s. Charlie’s planes (including this one) won several prestigious contests and graced the pages of many magazines. This plane is a gift from Charlie to Tim Dickey, who became good friends and flying buddies in Arizona.

John Boyko, contest director, holds Thursday morning’s pilot meeting.

Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro built and flown by Keith Numbers.

Airplanes lined up for FAI judging.

Friday

Friday morning, day 2 at the Scale NATIONALS. I arrived at the field this morning around 7:30 to see a 1/3 scale Stearman doing touch and goes and some gentle scale maneuvers. It doesn’t get any better than this. Static judges had several planes to judge, and that phase of the contest is finished. Meanwhile, pilots continued to put in a few practice flights before the 11:00 AM target time to start round 1. John Boyko held this morning’s pilot briefing.

We have four flight lines in place this year. Assigning pilots to a flight line is a task that is never easy. Some of the pilots have entered several airplanes. When assigning the flight order, the per CD must ensure that a pilot is not assigned to fly in two different places at the same time. Once a preliminary order is established, it is scrutinized for conflicts, and adjustments are made. The final order averages about 12 flights per line each round. By 11:30, round 1 was underway. By noon, a somewhat stiff crosswind began to pick up. Not enough to cause any serious problems, but enough to make things interesting, especially the lightly loaded models. Round 1 finished up at 2:00 PM.

Let’s take a closer look at a few models. First up is the KY Models P-47D. This 64-pound, 112” wingspan model is powered by a UMS 260cc radial engine. The sound and power of this engine is nothing less than spectacular. 16-year-old Kaleb Spencer expertly flies the P-47 with smoothness and scale like speed. Not to be outdone, the roles are reversed as Bill flies a smaller P-47. Two airplanes that defied logic flying in the wind were the Curtiss Pusher, built and flown by Larry Barr, and Keith Number’s Pitcairn Autogiro. Both are relatively small and light by today’s standards, but took off, maneuvered, and landed without incident. There were several nose overs and wing tip encounters because of the crosswind. Nothing major, and the pilots shall remain nameless.

The second round of flying was wrapped up at 6:00 PM. Tonight includes a Pizza party donated by Mike Barbee for pilots and guests. Once the pizza is gone, a general membership will be held at the field. Tomorrow’s weather is predicted to be clear, but with wind forecasts that are stronger than today. Let’s hope they are wrong!

John Boyko and scorekeeper Jan Marenberg are arranging into four flight lines.

Charlie Nelson’s Waco takes to the air in competition once again. This time in Team Scale, flown by Tim Dickey.

Keith Numbers Pro-Am Sport D2 Pitcairn Autogiro handling some difficult crosswind.

Moraine-Saulnier was flown by Tony Stillman in Pro-Am sport.

Tony Hallo’s 1/3 scale Balsa USA Super Cub.

Southern Martlet biplane built and flown by Peter Fynn in Designer Scale. Peter also happens to be the editor of NASA’s newsletter, The Replica.

Jeff Thomas’ ME 262 EDF flown in Open Scale. Jeff has 2 EDF jets entered in this year’s Nationals.

One of the three 1/3 Scale Stearman biplanes entered this year.

Turbine-powered BAE Hawk jet flown by Steve Petrotto in Pro-AM Pro D2.

50% Super Starduster, powered by a DLE 170, designed, built, and flown by Tom Lowrie.

Saturday 

We knew the weather could be problematic; however, we were hoping for the best. Arriving at the field around 7:30 AM, the skies were clear with a breeze. By the 8:00 AM pilot meeting, the wind picked up to a stiff direct crosswind and was forecast to become even stronger. By pilot vote, the decision was made to fly round 3, after which conditions would be assessed. Another vote among pilots would decide whether to continue or cancel flying for the day. Since the forecast for Sunday is clear skies and light winds, round 4 could be flown on Sunday, which would be 4 complete rounds of flying.

Flying got underway around 8:30. A few pilots elected not to fly that round. Those who did were certainly challenged but handled it well. The wind was stronger at altitude, and the effects could be seen on maneuvers such as the figure 8, with the wind pushing the planes off course. However, take-offs and landings are the riskiest part of crosswind conditions. Coordination of the aileron and rudder is what keeps the plane on track and not blown over. The wing into the wind needs up aileron to keep the wing low and not allow the wind to get under it. At the same time, the opposite rudder is applied to keep the plane aligned with the runway. Pilots who do not typically use the rudder struggle in these conditions. The pilots here are very good.

Unfortunately, several beautiful models were lost today. Right up front, neither was wind-related. One suffered a structural failure in which the vertical fin seemed to flutter and eventually detach from the fuselage, resulting in total loss of control. The second was another loss of control situation; this one was either a lost or errant radio signal. In theory, any plane can be rebuilt, but it is unlikely either of these will be as the damage was excessive. No other major incidents to report.

The vote was taken, and the decision was made to cancel flying for the day. It turned out to be the right call as the winds became quite variable in speed and direction. By early afternoon, a brief but heavy rain was moving in. Rain, including a thunderstorm, continued throughout the remainder of the afternoon. Power was out for a brief time at the campsite. The bad weather should be through by early evening, and the forecast is quite favorable for tomorrow, the final day of competition.

Pilots are comparing scores and notes from round 2.

Close-up of detail on Jeremy Arvin’s Britten-Norman Defender.

Machine gun detail on Tony Stillman’s Moraine Saulnier.

Steve Petrotto’s Turbine Powered BAE Hawk is about to touch down.

Messerschmidt 109 by Jeff Foley starting up for round 3.

Curtis Switzer and his 1/3 scale Stearman.

Round 3 scores.

More round 3 scores.

Sunday

This morning is the final day of the 2025 RC Scale Nationals. Yesterday, of course, it was cut short around noon by excessive winds, occasional heavy downpours, and a thunderstorm or two. There was even a brief power outage around 3:00. It wasn’t just RC Scale; all events were cancelled. Some folks hung around under the pavilions, while others retreated to campers and off-site accommodations. It was a good time to take in the AMA Museum (which did not lose power). I highly recommend it if you have never been through it. The nostalgia found in the displays can’t help but bring back memories. The displays are works of art.

Sunday morning brought early fog that quickly cleared. Conditions were much improved with sunny skies and very little wind. Round four got underway about 9:30. As mentioned yesterday, there was some attrition of planes. None of which was attributable to pilot error. Most everyone else elected to fly the fourth round today. There was some great flying demonstrated over the four-day event. My only observation was that there are pilots who haven’t seemed to incorporate the rudder as much as they should. This is particularly noticeable in turns and crosswind take-offs and landings.

The round ended by noon. Final scores were calculated, and the awards were handed out. First place winners include: Rory Hartman- Carbon Cub (sport sportsman), Ron Pound-Stuka (expert sportsman), Tom Lowrie-Super Starduster (Designer Scale), Tim Dickey- Waco Cabin (Team Scale), Jeremy Arvin-Defender (open Scale), Tony Stillman-Moraine Saulnier (Pro-Am Sport), Curtis Switzer (Pro-Am Pro(D2). You can see the complete lists of final scores in the photos.

For more than a few, this was their first Nationals and perhaps their first contest. Some did very well, beating out contest veterans. Hopefully, they will return next year and we’ll bring back a few absentees and have an even larger NATS in 2026!

Steve Petrotto’s FX-Cub touch and goes as the early morning fog burns off.

A glimpse of Rory Hartman’s 1st place Carbon Cub.

Jeff Thomas’s F-86 and ME 262 EDF’s.

Kaleb Spencer P-47 on final approach.

Ron Pound’s 1^st place Stuka beginning a take-off roll.

Final scores

Final Thoughts

The 2025 AMA RC Scale Nationals is in the books. We’ll look back at a few of the highlights. The were 34 registered pilots. 13 pilots flew in more than one class. In total, there were 47 potential flights scheduled for each round. The Pro-Am classes continue to be the most popular, with 29 entries. 8 of these were pilots who entered another plane in a static judged class. Open Scale is popular since it is a static judged class; however, the Builder of the Model Rule does not apply. Pilots can purchase a completed airplane and have it statically judged.

The weather is always a major concern at a contest, and Saturday was a problem. Some pilots elected not to fly in the strong crosswinds Saturday morning. The wind was forecast to pick up even stronger during the afternoon. However, rain and a thunderstorm moved in, resulting in the cancellation of all events for the afternoon. Pilots retreated to their campers, hotels, and the AMA museum to make the best of the situation. The annual banquet was held that evening, during which the rain had moved out. Conditions were much improved on Sunday morning, and round four was completed. The award ceremony wrapped up by 1:30 PM and pilots started packing up to head home.

Thursday’s NATS News included a photo of Charlie Nelson’s cabin Waco biplane. Charlie was known as a serious competitor, an all-around good guy, and committed to building a series of cabin Waco biplanes, with each one better than the previous one. Charlie also holds the distinction of winning the US Scalemasters Championship, the AMA Nationals, and Top Gun all in a row. I believe he is the only person to have done so. Upon relocating to Arizona during the winter, he became a mentor to Tim Dickey. Tim acquired one of Charlie’s planes and entered the plane in this year’s NATS in Team Scale with Charlie as the builder. Word came in Saturday morning that Charlie passed away in his hometown in Massachusetts. How fitting that after all these years, his Waco went on to win one more contest at this year’s NATS!

The Builder of the Model rule (BOM) is a declaration that a modeler has constructed much of their airplane. Defining what that means has been debated since the advent of fiberglass and foam kits over four decades ago. Certainly, an ARF out of the box does not meet the BOM rule. However, the AMA Scale rules now recognize that an ARF qualifies it has been stripped and refinished.

There is no finer example of this than Rory Hartman’s Red Bull Carbon Cub. I walked past it for two days, assuming it was another ARF. Then, I noticed the rib stitching, the aileron control cable covers, the fairings, the wingtip nav lights, antennae, filler caps, and a myriad of other details. Rory described how he stripped the covering, changed several key outlines, and began adding details. Then came the intricate Red Bull paint scheme. Rory followed the full-scale example by covering the airframe with Stits fabric. He then applied a vinyl wrap in the color scheme of the Red Bull Cub Crafters. Rory entered his plane in Sport Sportsman class and earned a 95.50 static score, just 0.5 pts behind the top static score in that class. He went on to take first place in Sport Sportsman.

How about entering next year’s Nationals? Now is the time to start preparing. Whether you build a plane, fly an ARF, modify an ARF, or buy a completed airplane, there’s a class for you!

Details of Rory Hartman’s modified Carbon Cub.

Group photo of this year’s award winners.

Charlie Nelson’s Waco is in flight on its way to winning one more contest.

A little more about the competition. All AMA scale classes are offered. AMA rules are followed. This year a new class was offered, EDF Jets. Many club members entered this class and the youngest competitor was 10 years old. That class will be offered again next year. The weather this year was excellent, a slight rain shower Saturday morning but after it cleared it was a Chamber of Commerce type day. Sunday’s description was a perfect day.

Now a little about the winners. Jim Mc Divitt the builder and Mike Wolvin the pilot flew the beautiful Corsair race plane, to first place in the Team Class. Come out with a pilot or builder next year and give them a run for their money. The Pro-Am Division 2 had several entries. Mike Hague won the class with his Stuka. His closest competition was his son Cody flying a Corsair from Legend Hobby. The margin of victory was only .08 in the class. I squeaked by with a victory in the Pro-Am Division 1 class with my Stearman. Pro Am Sportsman another highly contested class emerging to victory with his Extra 260 was club member John Landra. One of the larger classes was the EDF Jet class. The winner was fellow snowbird and club member Dave Agee. Dave flew the new Redhawk T 7 A jet.

That’s a wrap on the competition. Come down next year and experience a great NASA contest.

Leave your long pants at home. See you next year.

Mike Barbee
NASA President

Photos from the event

The 2024 Control Line Scale Nationals Competition is now in the books. The weather conditions at the AMA flying site in Muncie were as good as could be hoped. The winds were light every day (Frank Beatty said that the light winds were because he was not flying this year). Thanks to the great planning of the Co-Contest directors Allen Goff and Pete Bauer, and the sportsmanship of all the the pilots, the entire event ran smoothly. 

We completed Round 1  of 3 on Friday, July 12 to fly. The remaining flights were flown on Saturday, July 13, allowing the Control Line (CL) Scale portion to wrap up on Saturday afternoon of the 2024 Control Line Scale Nationals Competition.

Let’s look at the 2024 NATS by the numbers.

Thirteen – the number of airplanes entered and flown.
Seven – the number of individuals registered.
   Two in 509 Sport Scale
   One in 521 Profile Scale
   Three in 526 Fun Scale
   Two in 527 Team Scale
   One in 528 Authentic Scale
   Four in 529 1/2A Scale (Including one Junior)

Start now to prepare for the 2025 F4B CL Team Trials and the AMA CL Scale Nationals!

Mike McHenry – 1^st Place 509 Sport Scale with his beautiful L-4 Piper Cub.

Fred Cronenwett – 1^st Place 521 Profile Scale with an awesome B-29 model.

Pete Mazur – 1^st Place 526 Fun Scale with a beautiful Bearcat model.

Allen Goff / Mike McHenry – 1^st Place 527 Team Scale with this colorful Extra 300 model.

Ed Mason – 1^st Place 528 Authentic Scale with a beautiful Connie airliner model.

Mike McHenry assisting Christopher D. with his 1/2A Scale Wildcat model.

You can learn more by clicking the link below:
https://nats.modelaircraft.org/nats-news/2024-cl-scale-introduction

You can also visit the AMA Flickr page at the following link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft/albums/

You can learn more about the competition by visiting our competition page:
https://nasascale.org/competition-documentation-and-forms/

The 2024 AMA Scale RC Nationals is now in the books. The conditions were as good as could be hoped for. The winds were light every day and any rain came when the contest was done for the day. The 2 new pavilions provide ample shade and protection from the sun and rain. The runway improves yearly, and the grass was mowed to 3/4”. Thanks to the planning of Contest Director, John Boyko, and the sportsmanship of the pilots, the entire event ran smoothly.

Let’s look at the 2024 NATS by the numbers.

40 – the number of airplanes entered and flown.
27 – the number of individuals registered.
08 – number of pilots flying more than one plane.
21- Static Judged Planes.
13 – Static Judged Planes: Builder of the Model required (Sp. Sport, Exp. Sp., Designer)
08 – Static Judged planes Builder of the Model not required (Open).
19 – Pro-Am entries – builder of the model not required.
14 – ARF’S

Does this reflect a trend away from building? About one-third of the entries were built and flown by the same person. About one-third were ARFS. The remaining third were built-up airplanes, likely purchased. These numbers seem reasonable based on observation of other contests.

A bright spot in all this is the ease of getting involved in RC scale competition. The hobby will become much more rewarding when flying with a purpose, practicing, and showcasing your skills in front of judges. It doesn’t take a mega investment to become involved in RC Scale. Need help getting started? The National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA) and RCScalebuilder are 2 excellent resources.

Start now to prepare for the 2025 AMA RC Scale Nationals!

Contest Director, John Boyko, hard at work.

Thank you, Jan Marenberg. Registration and Scorekeeping.

Dae Merenberg’s Fokker D.VII on the static table.

Juan Cruz, standing, attended the AMA/NASA judging seminar in May. Now some real-world experience and advice from Jim Martin and Jeff Grant.

Luckily the rains came after hours.

SE5A of Tim Schurick flown in Team Scale by Steve Eagle.

First-time, and youngest competitor, Jack Satterfield earned 2^nd place in Pro-Am Sportsman class.

Jerry Nugent’s Pitts S2A

Helmut Schmitter from Canada, and his spotter, Dan Landis.

Final scores Page 1

Final scores page 2

NASA Scale Classic is coming in September. Check our calendar for details.

A great time was had by all at the banquet held at The Clubhouse Muncie last evening. There was plenty of catching up and war stories shared among both radio control and control line NATS participants. Plenty of great food was served buffet style and plenty of time was provided to enjoy it! The program for the Saturday evening banquet traditionally includes the formal announcement of the latest inductees to the AMA Hall of Fame. Looking over the names of those already in the Hall of Fame you soon realize what an honor it is to be inducted. This year’s inductees include Jerry Bates, Pete Bauer, and George Rose. You can read more about their lifelong accomplishments and contributions to the hobby on the AMA website. Finally, is the drawing for the UMS 160cc Radial engine and ignition. Proceeds from the raffle are used to support the FAI Team representing the USA in the control line and radio control scale. The lucky winner is Mickey Breunig from Versailles, KY. Congratulations! Another NASA raffle is used to support regional and championship contests throughout the year. Those winners will be drawn during the 2024 Scale Classic in September. Visit nasascale.org to purchase tickets or learn more.

Another nice morning, however, the breeze is picking up by 9:00 just in time for the start of Round 4. The plan this morning is to complete round 4 in the morning followed by the awards ceremony. Round 4 began at 9:00 AM and finished by 11:30. The breeze was stiffer this morning than the slower and lighter aircraft. At this point of the contest, pilots are more interested in the scores of others trying to calculate what they need to fly to beat out the others—always wondered about that because only fly as well as needed. Does this mean you’ll only fly as well as needed? Or, if I can’t place better, no sense me flying?

Pilots were waiting in nervous anticipation as the scores were held secret until time for awards. The 2024 NATS Summary final score sheets will appear in the summary report later this week.

High Static Scores
Sports Scale Expert: Dale Arvin – Fokker D.VII
Sports Scale Sportsman: Brian Peterson- Kraft Super Fly
Designer: Keith Numbers-RA FE-8
Team: Brian Taylor- Spacewalker
Open: Dave Marenberg- Fokker D.VII

Contest Results:

523 Open Scale
1. Will Bernenger- T34C
2. Jeffrey Pike- Savage Cruiser
3. Jeff Thomas- F 86

520 Pro Am Sportsman
1. Helmut Schmitter – RV 4
2. Jack Satterfield- MXS
3. John Pasquale- PT-19

520 Pro Am Pro D1
1. Steve Petrotto- FX-3 Cub
2. Mike Barbee- Stearman
3. Art Shelton- Sopwith Pup

520 Pro Am Pro Div 2
1. Dan Landis- L39
2. Mike Wolvin- F9F Cougar
3. Steve Petrotto – MB 339

511 Sport Sportsman
1. Randy Adams-Nieuport 17
2. Brian Taylor – Nieuport 28
3. Brian Peterson- Kraft Super Fli

512 Expert Sportsman
1. Dale Arvin- Fokker D.VII
2. Ron Pound – Stuka
3. Jack Buckley- Mini Max

515 Designer Scale
1. Keith Numbers- RA FE-8

522 Team Scale
1. Berringer/Barbee-T34B
2. Wolvin McDevitt-FG1 Corsair
3. Schurick/Eagle – SE5A

Group pic of High Static winners. L to R. Tom (accepting Brian Peterson, missing is Brian Taylor.

T-34 of Will Berenger retracting gear on climb out.

Mike Wolvin’s F9F Cougar on takeoff roll.

Brian Taylor’s Spacewalker landing.

Helmut Schmitter RV-4 touching down.

Steve Pettroto FX-3 Cub on fly-by.

Corsair pit crew planning strategy for today’s first flight.

John Boyko presenting the Bob Lirette award to Cole Bryant. This award recognizes effort above and beyond. Cole did an excellent job as line boss all weekend.
In addition, he was there to help anytime a job needed to be done.

2024 Scale NATS award winners!

Today starts off with a serious feel to it. What does that mean? Thursday was a registration, practice, and if applicable, static judging. Yesterday morning was more registration, practice, and static judging, if applicable. John Boyko held another brief meeting and pilots were off to fuel up, get in line, and be ready to start round 2 flying at 9:00 AM sharp.

The sky was bright, and any wind was very light and right down the runway. The beauty of watching scale competitions is the variety of airplanes and flight routines. Unlike some other events where each pilot flies the same set of maneuvers, the scale pilot chooses a routine consistent with the airplane. A WWI airplane could be flying chandelles, and wingovers, an aerobatic airplane an airshow display, or a warbird flying military maneuvers. This year’s NATS is no exception with 1900’s Curtis Pusher and Royal aircraft F.E.-8 at one end of aviation history to turbine-powered L39 and Grumman Cougar.

Seems like the current trend at the local flying field is one plane in the air at a time. Newcomers to larger contests are often surprised to learn that there are multiple aircraft in the air at the same time. This contest has 4 flight lines running simultaneously, for example. While a midair collision is rare, it can happen, as was the case this morning. A lightweight model ultralight collided with a giant-scale Corsair. Fortunately, it was a glancing collision and both aircraft landed with relatively minor damage.

Some pilots approach the scorekeeper almost as soon as the plane is landed and stops. It is standard procedure that scores for the round are not posted until the round is completed and the scores tabulated. The results are then displayed, and pilots get a chance to see how they did. Imagine a feeding frenzy at a seaside dock and! Competition is brisk as evidenced by the shuffling of positions between rounds 1, 2, and 3. Refer to the score sheets in the photos.

Saturday night is the traditional contest banquet held this year at the Club House in downtown Muncie. Aside from the comradery, awards are given to the high static scores in each class. This year, the highlight of the evening may well be the drawing for the UMS 160 cc radial engine. Check back with tomorrow’s report to learn the winners.

Tomorrow is the last day of the contest and the competition remains stiff!!

District 2 VP Randy Adams and his caller Ron Mienheartt discuss strategy for round 1.

Pitts S2B was flown by Jerry Nugent.

1/3 scale Sopwith Pup flown by Art Shelton. This is from a German kit imported by Vogelsang Aeroscale.

Carbon Cub flown by Rory Hartman entered in Pro-Am Sportsman.  A great example of an ARF that is perfect for getting started into R/C Scale.

A large airplane, the Hangar 9 FX-3 Carbon Cub is DLE 170 powered. Flown by Steve Petrotto. The plane is recovered in the Red Bull scheme in Monokote.

CARF models Spitfire co-owned by Mike Wolvin and Jim McDevitt. A 3-cylinder inline ROTO 130 CC engine supplies the power.

Scores from Saturday

Once again, we were greeted to a great morning at the field albeit the grass was still quite wet from yesterday’s storm, however, nothing delayed John Boyko’s 8:30 pilot meeting. The registration area was kept busy with those yet to register. In the meantime, static judging was under way handling the remaining half of the planes from yesterday. We had about an hour before round 1 was set to begin at 1:30.

This year’s NATS is using 4 flight lines. There are considerations which complicate what appears to be an easy task. For example, it is important that all pilots in one class are judged by the same sets of judges for consistency. The second consideration is some pilots are flying in two different classes. Therefore, their flights must be staggered to prevent flying at the same time. Only a few minutes were required to sort out the bugs.

Seems like a never-ending conversation is a need to attract new scale fliers, particularly young ones. 16-year-old Jack Satterfield, and his mother Linda, showed up this morning to compete in his first scale contest. Jack has been flying aerobatics and 3D maneuvers with his Extreme Flight 64” WS MXS.

He spent yesterday visiting the aeromodelling center to see the various events. At the end of the day, it was the RC Scale event that captured his interest. He went home to learn more through YouTube videos and returned today to register. John Boyko spent time explaining the appropriate class for him and what he would need to do during a flight. Others were eager to lend him advice after which he immediately flew a practice flight to put words into action.

When asked what attracted him to scale, I was surprised to hear him say the challenge. He said flying scale is not easy because it requires precision and discipline. His goal for this winter is to build a Kawasaki K-61 Tony kit for next year. How refreshing to see the interest in building!!

Before round 1, the 8 flight judges assembled to critique and discuss a demonstration flight by Will Berninger and his T-34. The goal is to bring agreement and consistency among judges. Round 1 began about 15 minutes later and wrapped up at 4:30 PM. Once all the scores were in and tabulated, pilots were given their static and 1st round flight scores. See the photos for the scores.

Just like yesterday, brief but heavy rain moved in at the end of the day not long after round 1 was concluded. Mike Barbee once again treated guests to a Friday evening pizza party. While the idea is to kick back and socialize, things get very quiet once the food arrives! It’s off for some much-needed rest until we are back at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Contest Director John Boyko’s 8:30 AM Pilot meeting.

Tim Dickey, assisted by Jack Buckley, assembled the Romania-bound FAI F4C Waco, Cabin.

Larry Folk’s 1/3 Scale Cub lined up on final approach.

Royal Aircraft F.E.8 was designed, built, and flown by Keith Numbers breaking ground.

Which is rarer? Full-scale Curtis Pusher or a model Curtis Pusher? This model built by Larry Barr flies as good as it looks.

Jeff Pike’s B-24 was built from a Jack Stafford kit. Engine problems kept this good-looking model grounded for round 1. Let’s hope it gets sorted out for round 2.

Scores from Friday

The RC Scale NATS kicked off on a beautiful Thursday morning. Some pilots arrived the day before and were already set up while others began arriving this morning. Light winds, clear blue sky, and temps in the mid-70s were perfect for practice flying. A welcome change from Wednesday’s rain and 25 mph winds all courtesy of hurricane Beryl! The afternoon brought some warmer temps and higher humidity levels, but after all, it is mid-July.

Today was a set-up and practice day. The beauty of scale modeling is the variety of aircraft at a contest. This one is no different with subjects ranging from a pre-World War I pusher to several turbine-powered jet fighters. An outstanding Piper Cub, a designer scale Kraft Super-Fli, a Fly-Baby, and an Ercoupe are a few of the more unique airplanes entered this year. Registration remains open till noon tomorrow (Friday), so I’m anxious to see what’s yet to arrive.

Following nearly 2 years of preparation, the FAI team of Jack Buckley, Mike Barbee, Tim Dickey, and Team Manager Steve Eagle are on hand preparing for the World Championships next month in Romania. They are all flying practice airplanes at the NATS this year to avoid any mishaps that could jeopardize the team’s chances. Don’t be misled by the term “practice” airplane. These are competitive airplanes by any measure!

Static Judging began shortly after Noon. Airplanes entered in Sportsman Scale (both sport and expert), Designer Scale, Team Scale, and Open Scale require static judging. The Static Score is worth a maximum of 100 points. Each round of Flight is worth a maximum of 100 points. The pilot’s best 2 rounds of flying are averaged together for the final flight score which is then is added to the Static Score.

The official AMA rules are revised every 2 years. This is the first year that Fun Scale has been renamed Pro-AM. Pro-Am does not include static judging. The only requirement is that the model represents a full-scale aircraft. A picture is presented to the judges as proof after which the airplane is awarded 5 points. Additionally, the model does not need to be constructed by the pilot. Pro-Am is divided into a Sport category for novice pilots and a Pro category for those with experience flying scale contests. To level the competition, Pro-Am pro is further divided based on the aircraft’s performance. Jets and aerobatic vs. general aviation types for example.

Today’s activities were cut short at about 4:00 PM by an unexpected 30-minute heavy rainstorm. The rain let up after which some packed up for the day and headed out to dinner. Others remained on site and took advantage of the beautiful evening for additional flight time. Tomorrow’s weather outlook calls for partly sunny and light winds. However, the risk of a shower or thunderstorm can’t be ruled out.

Scheduled for tomorrow is an 8:30 AM pilot’s meeting. Registration and static judging will wrap up in the morning and Round 1 of flying will begin at Noon.

Larry Folk, assisted by his grandson, Nicholas Kelty assembling the 1/3 Scale Fly Baby.

A team effort is required to assemble Mike Wolvin’s (C) F9F Cougar.

Beautiful Kraft Super Fly, designed and built by Brian Peterson from Plattsmouth, NE. Dave made his molds for the cowl and wheel pants.

Steve Shurick’s Royal Aircraft SE5A is assembled and ready to go.

Scorekeeper Jan Merenberg’s job this weekend is just beginning as she adds registered pilot data into the scoring program.

Colorful Stearman of Tim Dickey on the table for static judging.

Larry Barr’s not often modeled Curtis Pusher.

Close-up the Pusher’s pilot and “cockpit”.

District 3 Vice President, Randy Adams with his 1/3 Scale Nieuport 17.

Close-up of the strut detail on Randy’s Nieuport.

Static Judges, Jim Martin (near) and Jeff Grant compare reviewing a model’s documentation. Looking on Juan Cruz who participated in the judging seminar recently held in Muncie.

Contest Director, John Boyko, pondering his options as heavy rain continues.

R/C Scale Photos
Photos courtesy of Stan Alexander and Gerry Garling

C/L Scale Photos Coming Soon