A special thank-you to members of AMA’s

Flight Support Team. Our community

partners recognize that AMA onsite events

bring thousands of visitors during the flying

season who spend dollars in our community.

Their generous donations help AMA continue

to host the many competition events held

annually, and in turn, AMA promotes and

encourages our members to look for and

support members of the Flight Support Team.

MondayElectricFree Flight begins

Tuesday-WednesdayElectricFree Flight

Thursday-FridayFree Flight

Academy of Model AeronauticsInternational Aeromodeling Center, MuncieIN; Web site: www.modelaircraft.org; e-mail: nats@modelaircraft.org; Copyright Academy of Model Aeronautics2010Editors: Liz Helms, Ashley Rauen, andJennifer OrebaughStaff Contributors: Michael Ramsey andJay Smith

Inside: NatsNews

August 2,2010

NatsNewsDaily coverage of the 2010 National Aeromodeling Championships

One-hundred ninety-six contestants have preregistered for the84th Outdoor Free Flight Nationals, to be held August 2-6 atAMA’s International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.The fliers will battle it out in 67 individual events ranging indiversity from half-ounce Peanut Scale ships up to huge SuperD Gas models with wings spanning more than 8 feet. Fromrubber-power to glow engines to gliders, Free Flight has it all.

As always, most of the events are judged solely on flightduration. This results in careful “air-picking” by contestantsprior to launching. The goal is to avoid sinking air in favor ofrising thermal air. It’s an inexact science that’s never totallypredictable, but this uncertainly is part of the allure of FreeFlight.

This year’s Free Flight event director is Charlie Jones ofAvon Lake, Ohio. He wrote, “Welcome to the 2010 Free FlightNationals. My goal this week is to manage the competition in away that provides you the enjoyment of flying in our country’sNational Championships. I want to thank all the volunteers—more than 30 people—who are providing their time and effortin helping me achieve this goal. The weather forecast lookspromising for the entire week.”

When asked about his modeling background Charlieresponded, “I have been flying since I was 8 years old, startingwith gliders and small rubber ships. I won my first trophy atthe age of 9 at the Michigan State Meet on the old Ford TestTrack.

“As a kid, I few mostly 1/2 A gas, rubber, and glider,eventually moving up to C Gas. Later on I built and flew (F1B)Wakefields for a number of years. As my two sons got older,my attention turned to them and their flying interests. Startingoff like me with small rubber (P-30) and gliders my oldest son

soon moved to Wakefield which restarted my interest in theevent.

“Starting in 2001 I worked with both of my boys as theypursed spots on the Junior Team. Ryan was on the 2002 teamto Slovakia and Kyle was on both the 2006 team to Germanyand the 2008 team to the Ukraine. These were greatexperiences for our family, as it allowed my wife, Geralyn, andmy two boys to be introduced to a new world of internationalcompetition and making friends all over the world.”

Professionally Charlie has worked for IBM for 22 years,currently in the role of Project Executive.

Most FF events specify hand-launching, but there are a fewnotable exceptions. The Old Time Gas and Rubber eventsrequire a tabletop rise-off-ground (ROG) takeoff, as does AMAMoffett Rubber. There will again be rise-off-water (ROW)events this year, on Tuesday August 3. This is not as easy as itsounds; many launches end in failure.

The biggest news this year is probably the addition of a largeslate of Flying Aces Club (FAC)) events on Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday. FAC events are among the most popularand vibrant in all of Free Flight, attracting modelers who yearnfor the simpler era of 1930s-style stick-and-tissue construction.

This year’s FF portion of NatsNews will again be acollaborative effort, between me and David Mills of Atlanta,Georgia. David reported for the very first online FF NatsNewsseries back in 2005. Since then he and I have collaborated anumber of times. I know you’ll all enjoy his unique perspectiveand writing style.

Welcome to the Free Flight Nats … let the fun begin!—Don DeLoach

Some last-minuteinformation forcompetitors, from theEvent Director CharlieJones:

1) Early 1/2 A Nostalgiawill not be part of thecalculation to determinethe Nostalgia GasChampion. 2) There will not be anyEmergency MedicalTechnicians on site at theflying field. In case of anemergency, call 911. Wewill also have drivingdirections to the nearestmedical facilities.

Monday, August 2

Text and photos by Don DeLoach.

Free FlightFree Flight

Gerald Brown of Henderson, Texas, was 2009 NatsChampion in AMA D Gas.

In 2009 the following individual Free Flight National Champions were crowned:

Defending 2009 Free Flight National ChampionsEvent Age Competitor Hometown Score (seconds)Hand-Launch Glider (J) Sevak Malkhasyan Los Angeles 430

(S) Miles Johnson New Haven, CT 375 (O) Jim Lewis Macon, GA 675

Catapult Glider (J) Hannah Ringlien Charlotte, NC 225(S) Oliver Cai Orange, CT 165 (O) Stan Buddenbohm Boulevard, CA 415

P-30 (J) Larson Ringlien Charlotte, NC 475(S) Timothy Barron New Haven, CT 307(O) David Sechrist Bristol, IN 689

Mulvihill (J) Larson Ringlien Charlotte, NC 356(S) John Shailor Royal Oak, MI 1599 (O) Grant Carson Gainesville, TX 1170

Payload (JSO) Walter Bowers Columbus, OH 318 Cargo (JSO) Vic Nippert Lake Katrine, NY 2165 Moffett (JSO) James Ferwerda Kenosha, WI 1440 Dawn Unlimited Rubber (JSO) Bud Romak Lincoln, CA 458 E-36 Electric (JSO) Rex Hinson Inverness, FL 3321/2A Classic Gas (J) Daniel Vucovich Lititz, PA 266

(O) Brad Bane Lyndonville, NY 986A/B Classic Gas (JSO) Bob Mattes St. Charles, MO 682C/D Classic Gas (JSO) Bob Mattes St. Charles, MO 9001/2A Gas (J) Daniel Vucovich Lititz, PA 348

(O) Faust Parker Houston, TX 1167 A Gas (O) Guy Scott Albany, IN 750B Gas (O) Greg Hinrichs Monona, WI 750C Gas (O) Greg Hinrichs Monona, WI 1050D Gas (O) Gerald Brown Henderson, TX 896Electric A (JSO) Scott Lapraik Portland, TN 1320Electric B (JSO) Richard Ivers Arlington, MA 1020Super D Gas (O) Joe Clawson Palm Bay, FL 750NFFS Classic Towline (JSO) Bob Sifleet Glen Rock, PA 856 Jetex (JSO) Jackie Sheffer Little Rock, AR 3371/2A Spacer (JSO) Bill Reuter Olmstead, OH 587 ROW Gas (JSO) Gary Baughman Marietta, GA 325 Dakota Bipe (JSO) Larry Davidson Moneta, VAJimmie Allen (JSO) Grant Carson Gainesville, TX 356 Early 1/2A Nostalgia (JSO) Jack Marsh South Bend, IN 446 1/2A Nostalgia Gas (JSO) Larry Davidson Moneta, VA 840 A Nostalgia Gas (JSO) Bob Sowder Troutville, VA 1080B Nostalgia Gas (JSO) Larry Davidson Moneta, VA 840 C Nostalgia Gas (JSO) Bobby Hanford Broken Arrow, OK 1080Ignition Nostalgia Gas (JSO) Woody Bartelt Galesburg, MI 180Nostalgia Rubber (JSO) Bud Romak Lincoln, CA 1260 Old Time Catapult Glider (JSO) Bill Schlarb South Bend, IN 290Old Time H.L. Glider (JSO) Jim Lewis Macon, GA 400Old Time Rubber Stick (JSO) Bud Romak Lincoln, CA 1020

Old Time Rubber Cabin (JSO) Herb Kothe Boulder, CO 747 Old Time .020 Replica (JSO) Bill Schlarb South Bend, IN 645 Old Time ABC Cabin Gas (JSO) Bill Vanderbeek Palo Alto, CA 720 Old Time ABC Pylon Gas (JSO) Bill Vanderbeek Palo Alto, CA 720CO2 Unlimited (JSO) Vic Nippert Lake Katrine, NY 720F1A Nordic Glider (J) Logan Tetrick Bishop, CA 1180

(SO) Andrew Barron New Haven, CT 1230F1B Wakefield Rubber (JSO) Aram Schlosberg Bayside, NY 1539F1C Power (JSO) John Lorbiecki, Jr. Hubertus, WI 1970 F1G Coupe d’Hiver (J) Larson Ringlien Charlotte, NC 421

(SO) Ryan Jones Avon Lake, OH 999F1H A-1 Towline (J) Logan Tetrick Bishop, CA 392

(SO) Mike McKeever Dave Edmonson 579F1J 1/2A Power (J) Brian Pacelli Wallingford, CT 958

(O) Austin Gunder Simi Valley, CA 2465F1K CO2 Power (JSO) Vic Nippert Lake Katrine, NY 120 F1P Power (J) Ryan Seymour Radnor, OH 672

(SO) Dave Rounsaville Milford, NJ 1410 F1Q Electric (JSO) Scott Lapraik Portland, TN 953E-36 Electric (JSO) Rex Hinson Inverness, FL 332

3

2010 NATs FF Event Director

Charlie Jones lofts his F1B

model at the 2009 Nats.

Mark Hoffman,

McKinney, Texas,

enjoys HLG at the

2009 Nats. Mark’s

primarily a rubber

flier concentrating on

F1G and F1B.

Left: Gene Smith, FF

Sport columnist for

Model Aviation, cuts

loose his 1/2A Gas

Maverick at 2009

Nats.

Right: Paul Andrade,

Highlands Ranch,

Colorado, is a top

contender in many of

the AMA and NFFS

Rubber events.

Left: Scott Zastoupil launching.

Below: Scott stretching the mostout of a flight.

Day 2 of Hand Launch got underway at8:30 a.m. with Round 6, Group A, takingthe field. The weather promised to be alittle kinder, but lift was still scarce undera high overcast sky. As the sun came outthermals did develop, but the lift cycleswere not consistent and often one groupwould have air that was all up while thefollowing group would struggle to findany pilot achieve a two-minute flight.

There were many pilots who failed toget back to the field boundary, whichresults in a zero score for that flight,although he is free to throw again andcontinue flying to obtain a score for theheat. Many more pilots were able to justsneak back inside the field by a couple offeet, sometimes just inches.

Six rounds were flown for a total ofeleven rounds, with no throwouts and noflyoff. Trophies are awarded throughseventh place, and it is normal practice thefirst man outside the “wood” is recognizedduring the awards; in this case it was RyanGonsoulin.

Ryan is new to Hand Launch and flewvery well with a model that he collectedon Friday evening before the contest. He’llbe someone to watch in the future. GavinTrussell was seventh, and Chris Lee sixth.

Tom Siler was fifth after a very solidday of flying, posting four 1000-pointrounds and a couple of high 900 scores.But for a 700 score in round 7, RetoFiolka might have been a little higher thanhis fourth-place finish. Bruce Davidsonfinished third, always a strong competitorand someone to watch, having been aprevious Nats Hand Launch winner.

Jeff Pfeifer posted five 1000-pointrounds with some great flying to securesecond place. Keep an eye on Jeff infuture events for some strong results.

First place went to overnight leaderCraig Greening. Craig had some trouble inthe final round with an outlanding but wasable to retrieve the model and make agood enough flight for a 960 score andretain the lead.

Many thanks to Don Cleveland forrunning the contest, and Marna Jeffery forher work in the scoring trailer. Technicallythere was no transmitter impound as thiswas a no-impound test event but she stillhad to assemble the groups and issuescorecards.

See you next year!—Craig Greening

Corrections: Text and captions forSaturday’s and Sunday’s Hand Launchreports were by Craig Greening, notGordon Buckland. The winner of LeeRenaud Award for High Combined Scorewas Craig Greening, not Josh Glaab.

Jeff Walter launching.

5

Below: Reto Fiolka with hisSteigeisen.

soaringSoaringCraig Greening photos.

Jeff Walter and John Ferguson return from a heat.

Below: Under the canopyof a Blaster 2.

DonCleveland

and MarnaJeffery.

Trophy winners.

6

Jeff Walter, High Senior.

GavinTrussell,seventhplace.

Chris Lee,sixth place. Tom Siler,

fifth place.

Reto Fiolka,fourthplace.

BruceDavidson,

third place.

Craig Greening,who also covered

HLG forNatsNews, took

first place.

Jeff Pfeifer,secondplace.

Skip Miller placed first inCross Country Soaringwith a record-setting69.9 miles. RickLederman photos thispage.

8

Scores and Standings

Lede

rman

pho

tos

this

page

.

9

Welcome to Altitude Limited Electric Soaring.This is the first year for this event and the firsttime at the Nats. The idea is that each plane has adevice that will shut off the motor at a “set”altitude—200 meters this year—or 30 seconds,whichever comes first. The idea is that all will startthe flight at the same altitude.

There were 19 pilots for this first event, dividedinto three groups who flew man on man. Aircraftranged from Park Zone Radians to three-meterAVAs, and all makes and types in between.

Six rounds were flown. The early morningrounds had very spotty lift and only a very few 10-minute maxes were achieved. From a low-startaltitude, each pilot chose his part of the sky and ifcorrect, was rewarded with a good flight. Choosewrong, and you don’t get a second chance.

As the day progressed, the lift improved andmaxes were the norm. Later in the day, lift seemedto go away and maxes got much harder to comeby.

Dave Register, who has promoted the event,outlasted everyone and came in first with a scoreof 6031. Bob Burson had five very good flights fora second place with 5942. Bob lost a wingtip onone landing getting a zero for the landing. Thirdplace, flying a Radian, was John Lueke. His scorewas 5888.

Good start with a good turnout.Tomorrow, 1/2 A sailplane.

—Ric Vaughn

ElectricElectric

10

Ric Vaugh photos.

11

Coming to the Nats ... coolTaking first place at the Nats in two events ... way coolerUsing your Ferrari as a Cross Country Soaring chase car ... PRICELESS!

Michael Ramsey photos.