48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 48,49,50,51,52,54,55
48 MODEL AVIATION
BY MICHAEL RAMSEY
US pilot Randy Bridge
raises his frontline Evo
model. Teammate
Travis Flynn stands
alongside.
Right: Team Australia members accept
their first-place FAI trophies at the
closing banquet. L-R: Ranjit Phelan,
Vernon Gibson, Barry Murphy, David
Axon, Chris Graham, Christopher
Callow.
Below: F3D Pylon Racing models lined up
in the waiting area during an official
practice day.
ATTENDING A CONTEST is like reading a best-selling novel,
except the story is live and there’s no way to peek at the last page to
see how it all ends. The book of the 2007 F3D World Championships
was written at the best place on earth to fly a model airplane: the
International Aeromodeling Center at Muncie, Indiana.
Some have compared RC Pylon Racing to Formula 1 auto racing.
When I prepared to attend the F3D World Championships, my first
World Championships modeling event, it seemed reasonable to think
that F3D had commonalities with the state-of-the-art open-wheel
racing fanatics that national television shows.
Formula 1 and F3D fans are speed freaks with exacting tastes for
the tiniest speed advantage. They exhibit a level of friendly
professionalism and set the standard for sportsmanship that is a cut
above, and sometimes even heroic.
After spending the better part of a week in the field with them, June
20-28, it was my privilege to witness the Pylon community’s pride and
passion for the sport. The pursuit pushes the envelope of speed and
performance, and the pilots deserve our respect; they’ve earned mine.
Every country of the 16 that applied to compete was allowed three
pilot/caller entries and as much pit crew, family, and management as
AMA’s International
A e r o m o d e l i n g
Center welcomed
Pylon heroes from
around the world
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:05 AM Page 48
October 2007 49
Randy Bridge’s Evo and Travis Flynn’s Grim Reaper flew with
Spektrum systems.
Czech Republic pilot Tomas Andrlik prepares his Danca model
with caller Marcela Andrlikova.
Chris Callow pilots his Evo 2007 model as
his father, Kevin, calls for him.
Team Guatemala’s Julio Quevedo Jr.
never flies his Evolution without his
Spiderman good-luck charm.
Hasse Andersson of Sweden readies his
Dago Innovation while his caller, David
Tornqvist, holds the model.
Dean Gibbs of Great Britain starts his
Vanquish as his caller, Maurice Barker,
assists.
Photos by the author
Opening ceremonies included raising all 16 participating countries’ flags and playing
their national anthems.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:10 AM Page 49
50 MODEL AVIATION
German pilot Hans-Joachim Schaller inscribes a mark on his MB
.40 engine noting that it has passed inspection.
Canadian Richard Moldenhauer assisted with model-aircraft
processing, which included size-limit inspection.
Australian Barry Murphy routinely inspects his Minute Master
between flights. Note the large glow-plug collection.
AMA’s Take: Many Thanks!
Organizing
and conducting
an FAI-level
contest
requires
teamwork.
Many talented
and
professional
people gave of
their time to
make the F3D
World
Championships a success and something
countries around the world will try to emulate.
As a tribute to their efforts, the scores,
many more photos, video, official bulletins, and
a copy of the official program with biographical
information about the world teams are
available online. Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3dwc.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
State-of-the-art timing system, made possible by the Scott McAfee foundation with
Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Stan Douglas, Paul Herman, Hank Kauffmann, Tom Scott,
and Lee VonDerHey.
Ben Jones of Great Britain approaches
Pylon One with his retract-equipped
Dago Red—a Christian Wolf design.
Travis Flynn launches Randy Bridge’s Evo for a practice run.
Randy and Travis called for each other.
50 10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 11:17 AM Page 50
October 2007 51
The Dutch-built MB .40 was the most popular engine used. It turned a 7-inch carbon
propeller as fast as 34,000 rpm.
The T-tail of South African Russell Van Der Westhuizen’s Evo is removable for easier
transport. Retractable landing gear cleaned up the
F3D models but didn’t seem to offer an
appreciable speed advantage.
F3D World
Championships
Participating Countries
Australia
Canada
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Guatemala
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
USA MA
Australian Chris Graham holds his Evo’s
landing gear on with acrylic circuit-board
screws.
Ranjit Phelan of Australia seals the
clearance area on his Phelan RPM
model’s elevator with a carbon plate.
Colored stickers were used for the first
time in FAI to help identify the airplanes
while they were racing.
Australian pilot Chris Graham and returning World Champion Chris Callow flew Evos.
Pilots were allowed to register two complete back-up aircraft.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 10:15 AM Page 51
52 MODEL AVIATION
Masato Kusama of
Japan flew the unique
Stiletto 8 designed by
Hiroshi Nakamura.
The Danca was
designed by Jiri Klein
and manufactured by
Tomas Andrlik of
the Czech Republic.
Travis Flynn flew the
Grim Reaper, which Lyle
Larson designed for
California Speed Pros.
Swedish pilot Borje
Ragnarsson flew the
Conquest by B/R.
The winning 2007 F3D World Championships teams: Australia, first; Italy, second; and
Czech Republic, third. CD Wayne Yeager congratulates the teams.
Kevin Callow stands with his son Chris at
the center of the flag circle during
opening ceremonies.
F3D World Championships Medal Winners
Individual:
1. Randy Bridge (USA)
2. Travis Flynn (USA)
3. Ranjit Phelan (AUS)
Team:
1. Australia: Ranjit Phelan, Chris Graham, Barry Murphy
2. Italy: Paolo Mucedola, Antonio Tosi, Giorgio Gianassi
3. Czech Republic: Milos Malina, Frantisek Hovorka, Tomas Andrlik
In addition to winning medals in honor of their accomplishments, all
individuals in the top three places were presented with FAI diplomas.
For a complete listing of the pilots’ final scores and team standings visit
www.modelaircraft.org/events/f3dwc/F3DScores.aspx. MA
—Michael Ramsey
Japan’s Kozo Oi
flew this Big Bruce
Racing Evo II.
10sig2.QXD 8/23/07 12:51 PM Page 52
they could afford to bring. Pilots raced to
acquire the fewest points possible, and points
equal seconds in lap time. Rather than try to
cross the finish line first, the 43 pilots raced
primarily against the clock during the 15
rounds of flying.
Each round included approximately 16
heats in which three aircraft were launched in
a staggered fashion. (Spacing them out was a
safety precaution.) As a race progressed the
aircraft typically bunched together for a few
laps, which made the pilots and the audience
anxious with intense anticipation. At those
times the separation between the aircraft as
they rounded the pylons was barely half a
wing length.
It doesn’t take an expert to appreciate
Pylon Racing’s entertainment value. And this
being a world-class event meant that everyone
was awed by the exhilarating man-andmachine
relationship RC Pylon racing offers
its participants.
Each 10-lap race equaled a distance of
close to 2.5 miles. It typically took these
models 59-66 seconds to complete a race. The
fastest official time on record is
approximately 56.8 seconds, but the thick
Muncie air wasn’t going to allow that number
to even come close to being beaten.
Days before the official program began,
Event Director Wayne Yeager and his AMA
staff catered to the teams as they arrived.
“It’s like the park entrance to a five-star
country club,” said Russell Van Der
Westhuizen of Team South Africa.
His opinion of the facility was quite a
compliment since he has attended all but one
Pylon World Championships. Russell thought
AMA’s facility was world class when he
attended the same event in Muncie 12 years
ago, and it surprised him that it had been
improved even further. No other nation’s
aeromodeling association compares to what
AMA and its members have built.
“They should all be very proud,” he said.
The aircraft flown in F3D have to meet
certain specifications and use engines of an
exact displacement. The most popular models
by far were the Evo and family of variants
from Big Bruce Racing and the Dago by
Christian Wolf. There were many other
unique and elegant airplanes from the
Netherlands and the Czech Republic, which
are often regarded as cutting edge in Pylon
Racing.
Since the start of RC Pylon Racing more
than 20 years ago, there have been many
changes.
“The aircraft being flown today are twice
as fast as they were back then,” said Team
USA Manager Lyle Larson.
Since competing at the world and local
level, Lyle has applied his skill and
experience to model-aircraft manufacturing.
Because of his wealth of talent, two US team
members flew Larson-built airplanes: the
Grim Reaper and the Javelin.
The F3D aircraft were relatively simple in
nature to meet the 3.5-pound minimum
weight, but some pilots employed retractable
landing gear to offer the least amount of drag
to the slipstream. Those aircraft didn’t stand
out as being faster around the course than the
fixed-gear monoplanes, but they definitely
pegged the “cool” meter.
The models were elegant despite strict
conformity to the aircraft-dimension
parameters, with outlines reminiscent of the
Unlimited-class full-scale racers flown in
Reno, Nevada. To be as light as possible they
departed from exact scale by featuring
fuselages that were as narrow as they could
be. Their wings often differed radically in
shape from full scale and appeared long and
graceful.
Probably the most sophisticated features
of the F3D aircraft were the airfoil design and
state-of-the-art molded composite
construction. After a brief inspection the
wings appeared to have an average thickness
of roughly 7% of the Mean Aerodynamic
Chord. That’s pretty thin!
All the aircraft were molded composite
with the paint job applied in the layup process
at the same time. That weight-saving
technique also prevented the “bumpy” paint
lines that can cause extra drag.
Every effort to reduce drag on the airframe
is explored. At this level, even if the speed
advantage equals only a half mile an hour or a
tenth of a second on the lap time, it’s all good
because the effort repeated several times adds
up.
As in Formula 1 auto racing, everything
that is cutting edge at this level will be
common for the consumer down the road.
Competitors are owed a debt of gratitude
because they make this hobby more enjoyable
for the average flier.
A benefit modelers currently see is in the
RTFs that are made wholly or partially from
composite materials. Fiberglass fuselages are
now popular, as are composite accessories
such as carbon-fiber spinners.
The most popular power plant is the
Dutch-built MB .40 engine. Its rear-exhaust
design accommodates a tuned pipe that
promotes the highest possible output. The
engines turn 7-inch propellers at 28,000-
34,000 rpm with fuel that has no
nitromethane.
Despite the MB’s favorable reputation, the
power system is finicky. Setting these engines
takes the finesse of a concert musician. A
needle setting that is just a click or two rich
can add as much as 10 seconds to the course
time or, worse, a setting that is too lean can
cause the engine to flame out, earning the
pilot a 200-point penalty—a big blow!
RC Pylon Racing is very much a team
operation, in which a pilot and a caller work
together. The pilot guides the aircraft and the
caller coaches the pilot on when to turn
around the pylon and avoid other racers.
The pilot’s goal is to follow the racecourse
by making the fewest control inputs possible.
Every control input the pilot makes equals
drag, so the goal is to steer the course at a
constant altitude and make heading
adjustments only when absolutely necessary.
I can’t give you blow-by-blow detail of how
the race went from beginning to end. I quickly
learned that all competing teams arrived at the
World Championships already winners.
Personal commitments and sacrifices were
made before the team members ever set foot
on AMA grounds. They came to have fun and
represent the their countries’ honor.
Despite some language barriers I had a
great time getting to know many people from
around the world. Modeling seems to have a
universal language.
Even though I’m not a world-class pilot
by any means, no one I talked to was
unapproachable. David Axon, the colorful
Australian team manager, was as proud of his
team as he was of the sport of aeromodeling.
“The atmosphere is electric!” he
commented when asked about his favorite
aspect of competition.
David went on to mention that despite the
competitive instinct, people from all countries
are willing to help one another succeed. For
instance, Lyle Larson helped the British team
rebuild engines.
Of the 43 pilots who flew, 42 of them
shared the same goal: to unseat three-time
World Champion Chris Callow of Australia.
At age 28, he’s a young gun who shows how
it’s done with a gentleman’s flair.
If consistency is the main ingredient to
winning, Chris must have it bottled. To see
him drive his Evo II racer around the pylons is
like watching a slot-car speed around the track
at Mach 7.
Team USA arrived at the contest with both
barrels loaded. None of the three pilots—
Randy Bridge, Travis Flynn, or Fred
Burgdorf—had ever competed in an F3D
World Championships.
What’s more interesting is that F3D Pylon
Racing isn’t even practiced in the US, nor are
there any contests except for the Team Trials.
User-friendly and slower-flying Quarter 40
and Quickie 500 are the events these guys
participated in to hone their skills.
These pilots met up regularly at Pylon
events across the country, and flying together
so often gave them an advantage. They got to
know each other so well that they not only
traded first-place standings from contest to
contest, but they also began calling for each
other. A friendship developed, which created
a positive attitude among the group.
Whereas other countries had pilot/caller
sets, Team USA members pulled multiple
duties as pilot, caller, and pit crew. They
worked harder, but they developed familylike
values that became the asset other teams were
missing.
The success of the US team’s effort was
realized on the first day, when all three
members showed up at the top of the
scoresheet. Christopher Callow was right up
there with them, and it looked like the
defending World Champion was in strong
contention for a fourth Gold Medal.
The other Team Australia members were
nipping at Christopher’s heels. The
Australians looked the winning part, and their
proactive and positive attitudes seemed to be
encouraged by the abundant group of people
and family cheering them on during every
minute of the contest.
The pilot who accurately and consistently
steered the racecourse had the clear
advantage. Chris Callow was one of those
who dared to fly low.
“The air is much cleaner down there,” he
said.
He positioned his airplane just a wing
length above the pylons and didn’t budge it
until the checkered flag dropped.
Randy Bridge and Travis Flynn proved to
be formidable. They traded places as pilot and
caller from one heat to the next; the two flew
together impeccably.
Travis applied his experience as an F5D
(RC Electric Pylon Racing) team member,
and on Day Two he crept away from the pack
ending the day with a four-second lead in total
lap time. That was a comfortable place to be
in this competition.
On the morning of the third, and final, day
of the contest, a missed pylon changed
Travis’s fortune and that soft four-second
pillow went uncomfortably flat. This upset put
the first-place position well within the reach
of seven major players. That’s what the
slightest mistake can mean.
With just three rounds to go, Travis dug in
and tightened his grip. He clawed his way
back up into the top three, but Randy wasn’t
going to step out of the way. Remaining true
sportsmen, however, neither teammate pulled
any sucker punches. This was one of the finest
examples of sportsmanship I’ve ever
witnessed.
Randy Bridge earned the top podium spot,
but Travis was just a half second behind him.
Their dual roles as pilot and caller earned
them the honor to stand in the Gold and Silver
medal spots. Just one second behind them was
Australian Ranjit Phelan, followed by
unseated World Champion Christopher
Callow.
Equipment trouble plagued Fred Burgdorf
on the second day and kept the US team from
winning a podium seat. In keeping with its
attitude and spirit, the Australian team earned
the team Gold Medal.
The Italian team followed in second place,
with Team Czech Republic in the third spot.
Both demonstrated an equal degree of
stupendous sportsmanship.
My experience at this World Championships
was unique. I’m sure many other stories are
being shared in the other 15 countries whose
teams participated.
As I stated, every participant who
competed in this contest came as a winner and
hopefully felt as though he or she returned
home even more so. Having witnessed the
drama of this FAI World Championships, my
pride in the modeling community is all that
much stronger. MA
Michael Ramsey
[email protected]