Family first
by AJ Seaholm
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) F3D World Championship for Pylon Racing Model Aircraft was held at Olomouc Airport, near Olomouc, Czech Republic, July 6-11, 2015. For this competition, F3D models fly at more than 200 mph on a three-pylon course. The objective is to accumulate the lowest score while traversing the ¼-mile course for 10 laps.
Competitors stand inside the pylon course and fly in groups of three. Each second spent on the course is translated into one point.
Fourteen rounds are flown and the three highest scores are dropped, one after every four rounds. If a pilot flies inside the pylons, known as a cut, a 10% penalty is assessed and added to the heat time.
A 60-second heat time with one cut would result in a 66-point score. If two cuts occur during a heat, or a team is unable to finish the required laps, a score of 200 points is assessed.
Airplanes launch in one-second intervals, running 0% nitro fuel and tuned pipe engines screaming at more 30,000 rpm. The engine setup and needle setting are so critical that a lean run can literally burn a hole through the aluminum piston.
The caller sets the needle and tells the pilot when to turn at the far pylon, known as Pylon One. Do not be mistaken; this is a team event and a lapse of concentration by either team member can spell disaster for a world championship bid.
F3D is the pinnacle of RC Pylon Racing. To win, you must have three lightning-fast models, a caller/mechanic with ice water in his or her veins, and the highest skill level. The F3D racing format provides no mental reprieve because every second that you’re on the course adds to your score. The level of focus, teamwork, and mental endurance required is incredible.
Making the Team
This World Championship story was almost over before it ever began. The F3D Team Trials to select the Team USA members is held every two years. The top three finishers make the team, with the fourth-place finisher selected as the alternate.
Imagine the pressure involved with simply qualifying for one of three spots against a dozen or more of the best racers in the world. Now imagine it’s the night before the team trials and two of your three F3D Pylon Racing aircraft are stolen from a rental car. These two handcrafted, precisely trimmed models represented hundreds of hours of meticulous labor and thousands of dollars. This was the cruel wake-up call Randy Bridge received at 5 a.m. on the first day of the team trials.
Randy is a highly decorated RC Pylon Racing pilot with seven overall AMA Nats wins, five Q-500 national titles, two Q-40 national wins, and one highly coveted F3D World Championship already on his résumé.
“The pressure at the worlds for the caller is huge. Everything that goes wrong is your fault. Needling the plane and calling Pylon One is all extremely hard. Randy flies so well, it makes calling easier. I wish there was more FAI recognition for the caller/mechanic because it is so important.” — Ray Brown
He has accomplished nearly everything a pilot can in RC Pylon and has proven to be one of the best.
So how did he react that fateful morning? Like most, I believe, he reached out to his trusted friend and Pylon Racing teammate, “Rocket” Ray Brown. Ray and Randy have teamed up in F3D for nearly a decade. More than that though, they have helped one another endure many trials off the course. This has shaped a deep friendship—a brotherhood.
Ray’s words of encouragement made the difference in Randy’s decision that day. Ray said, “I care about you and believe in you. You have something special inside that when time gets tough, you get better. This needs to be one of those times.”
Randy not only competed that day, he finished as the top qualifier. Ray finished fourth overall and was selected as the alternate. Ray sacrificed a lot to help Randy make the team.
Ray, who was to be Randy’s caller, is a world-class pilot in his own right. If you met Ray in a dark alley, you would avoid eye contact and perhaps walk the other way. Beneath that tough exterior, though, is a heart of gold with a steadfast loyalty that is rare in today’s world.
While Randy and Ray took care of business at the FAI F3D US Team Trials, in Woodland, California, Randy’s then-fiancee,
Teams line up before opening ceremonies at the 2015 F3D World Championship.
Pilot Gino Del Ponte (L), pictured with caller Richard Verano, after breaking the F3D World Record in Round One.
Bridget, and his mother and father took care of the rest—rental car company calls, insurance claims, credit card cancellations, and the other time-intensive tasks required after a theft. Making the team required the support of many family members.
World Championship Bid
Following the team trials, rebuilding and preparations began for the F3D World Championship. Bruce De Chastel supplied the replacement kits and world-class builder Chuck Bridge, Randy’s father, took it from there. Chuck is not a model builder—he is a model artisan. I have purchased several Vortex Q-500s from Chuck and each is a work of art. His craftsmanship is phenomenal.
Randy and Ray spent countless hours preparing for the 2015 World Championship. There is a huge monetary and time commitment required to compete at this level. Tremendous family support is needed to make it happen. This includes hours spent in the shop, practicing and tuning at the field, and phone calls to discuss strategy.
In addition to Randy and Ray, Team USA F3D members included pilot Gino Del Ponte and his caller, Richard Verano, and pilot Gary Freeman Jr., and his caller, Matais Salar.
The F3D World Championship began in Olomouc with a thud for Randy and Ray. They logged 200-point scores in the first two rounds of competition. This left one more round to drop and a margin for error that was close to nothing. The pressure was high and changing weather conditions made it more intense.
Randy and Ray celebrate after setting a new F3D World Record of 55.32 seconds.
The contest progressed to Round Nine, when the third and final 200-point score was logged. Another 200-point score would spell certain defeat. Knowing that, should the pilots take the chance on flying a rebuilt motor that wasn’t fully broken in and had never been flown in Round 10? Well, that is exactly what Randy and Ray did, turning in a modest 59.24-second time on a rich run.
They followed that with a 56.59 in Round 11. Ray convinced Randy that this was a good move and the huge risk was about to pay off in grand fashion.
In Round 12, they flew against top competitor Tomáš Andrlík and multitime world champion, Chris Callow, from Australia. Randy took off third after Chris and quickly closed the one-second gap to pass him on lap four. He reeled in Tomáš and passed him on lap six, dropping down to pole-top level to rip off the final three laps.
During the postrace glide out, Ray leaned over to Randy and said, “Don’t be mad, but wait ’til you see where I put the needle. Oh, and you just set a new world record with a 55.32.” That time bested Gino’s world record set in Round One by a mere .08 seconds.
Screwing the needle in that far with three 200s on the board takes some incredible intestinal fortitude. More so, though,
“Being team manager is pretty much the highlight of my racing career. This was such a talented group and they all worked very hard. It is unfortunate [that] the wheels fell off for some because they were the class of the field. We were the only ones turning 55-second times.” — Tom Scott
it was the countless hours experimenting and running the engines to be confident that it was the right move.
After Round 12, the third drop occurred and they found themselves atop the leader board with a 4-second lead. They completed the final two rounds with fast, but comfortable, 58-second times to take the world title.
From broken glass in a California parking lot, to the top of the F3D podium, this 2015 World Championship story was about far more than 55-second runs. This story would have never been told without the entire Team USA F3D family.
Team USA Recognitions
I would like to congratulate Gino on being the first from Team USA to break the F3D World Record with a time of 55.40 seconds. This was Gino’s first year as a member of Team USA F3D.
Gino is an incredible pilot—one of the best. He ran into some issues and had to carry a 200-point score, putting him in 37th place. Despite the troubles, he and his caller, Richard, represented the US with excellence.
I would also like to recognize Gary. He has been on several US teams including for F3D and F5D events. His piloting skills are incredible and his competitive fire burns hotter than most. Gary encountered a number of equipment issues at the contest and finished 40th. He and his teammate, Matais, logged some ballistic times and represented our country well.
Tom Scott volunteered as the Team USA manager. Tom is one of the best men you will ever meet. He used his extensive Pylon Racing and multiple national championships experience to help guide Team USA in Olomouc. Thanks, Tom, for your poise and leadership, especially with the FAI Jury during some difficult situations.
—AJ Seaholm
aseaholm@gmail.com
SOURCES:
FAI F3D World Championship
www.f3d-2015.cz
