AMA MEMBERS
AND COMPETITION
Safety/Technical Director’s Corner
By Tony Stillman, Safety/Technical Director | tonys@modelaircraft.org
Hi again! As I wrote this, we were just completing the 2022 AMA Nats. RC Helicopter events, under the direction of the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association, have been busy with official events in Aerobatics, RC Scale Helicopter, and F3C and F3N FAI events.
This year’s FAI events included a USA Team Trials that will determine the US team that will compete next year at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana, for the FAI F3CN World Championships for Model Helicopters! This will be a fantastic event with teams coming from countries around the world! If you are interested in RC helicopters, you should put this on your 2023 event list! The dates should be announced by the end of October 2022, so look for that and more information on the AMA website.
All of the Nats events went well this year. We had expected a large turnout because we were finally coming out of the pandemic; however, as gasoline prices spiked across the country in the spring and summer, we realized that many canceled their Nats adventures. We had fewer numbers than we had hoped for, but that didn’t mean that we had a subpar Nats! Lots of great, competitive flying took place in the sky above the IAC. Generally, good weather provided opportunities for great flying and lots of camaraderie among the competitors.
If you made the trip and competed at the Nats, AMA Headquarters staff thanks you. We enjoyed meeting and speaking with many of you during the events on site in Muncie. Meeting members is a highlight, and serving you is what we are here for. We hope you had a great time, and we look forward to seeing you in 2023. We also hope that you will reach out to your modeling friends and invite them to attend next year.
You will find more information about this year’s Nats as well as new information that will be forthcoming for the 2023 Nats at https://nats.modelaircraft.org.
Rule Book Updates
The 2023 Competition Regulations had a tweak in the RC Helicopter section this summer as we finally completed the new rule book that includes the proper maneuver drawings. It took a bit to get this right, but it is now updated and on the AMA website at www.modelaircraft.org/events/competition-resources/competition-regulations.
National Records
I am also pleased to report that we have had quite a few new national records set, many of them at this year’s Nats. A great group of AMA Junior and Senior Youth members battled it out in Indoor Free Flight and several set new records! It’s great to see the National Free Flight Society (NFFS) Indoor modelers doing such a great job of introducing youth into the hobby of Free Flight and competition!
A shoutout to the parents who encourage their kids to fly models and compete. What they learn about flying model airplanes will no doubt be valuable to them as they grow up and become vital parts of their communities and in their future occupations. Thanks for your work, NFFS!
Another AMA SIG that encourages youth to compete is RC Pylon Racing. New modelers are coming into the sport and, as they continue to become better pilots with every flight, they will be the new fast kids on the block! The National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (NMPRA) is working hard to make RC Pylon Racing grow. Its work is paying off and its numbers continue to increase. Great work, NMPRA!
If you are not involved in competition within AMA, you should consider it. There are nationwide events and great pilots who are eager to assist you. It is a lot of fun and the lifelong friends you will make can change your life! The many friends I have made while flying RC Aerobatics continue to give me joy each time I see or speak with them. The memories are unforgettable!
As the season winds down here in the Midwest, I’m looking forward to spending some time in my workshop on some models that I want to have ready for next spring! I hope you have a great fall and enjoy the cooler weather at the flying field!
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact me!
