Reported by Gerry Garing
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 2nd 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.