The 86th National Aeromodeling Championships
by NatsNews Reporters
The Nats is the world's largest model airplane gathering, comprising more than 1,000 competitors and a largely volunteer workforce of several hundred.
The Indoor Free Flight Nats was held May 23–27 in its longtime venue at East Tennessee State University's Mini-Dome in Johnson City, Tennessee. Roughly 50 competitors and a contingent of Flying Aces Club (FAC) members and 20 youth members battled it out in AMA, FAI, FAC, and National Free Flight Society events.
During the summer, the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana, hosts the outdoor portion of the National Aeromodeling Championships, which typically draws more than 1,000 pilots and lasts roughly six weeks.
The 2012 Outdoor Nats took place July 9 through August 15 and offered a wide range of weather conditions. Weather seemed to be the number-one topic among competitors. Severe drought conditions left the site scorched and dead-looking. Several weeks of 90° to 100° heat switched abruptly to temperatures in the low 70s.
This year's highlights included the first female competitor in International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) competition, Dub Jett's 50th Nats, and longtime Nats Manager Ron Morgan and his wife, Jane, announcing their retirement from the event. The newly appointed Nats manager, Dave Guerin, received some on-the-job training and oversaw the final weeks of the Nats competitions.
It would be impossible to bring you all of the details of this year's events within the confines of MA, so we focus on some of the best pictures turned in by reporters for NatsNews, the daily newsletter that covers the activities. Read an overview of each day's events in the NatsNews and enjoy a wealth of additional photos posted online. Please see the "Sources" listing for extra Nats coverage.
— Jay Smith [email protected]
Sources
- NatsNews: www.modelaircraft.org/events/nats/natsnews.aspx
- Nats scores: www.modelaircraft.org/events/nats/scores.aspx
- Additional photos: www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft/collections
NatsNews authors and contributors
As in the past, many dedicated authors provided coverage of the 2012 Nats. We thank those who took photos and provided daily reports. Others contributed to the publication of NatsNews; we extend our thanks to them as well.
Reporters and photographers
- Stan Alexander
- Allen Brickhaus
- Phil Cartier
- Scott Causey
- Curtis Cozier
- Ed Franz
- Tim Gess
- Warren Gregory
- Don Grissom
- John Kagan
- Ted Kraver
- David Mills
- Santiago Panzardi
- Jim Quinn
- Kim Franz
- Caleb Gess
- Rachelle Haughn
- Liz Helms
- Mike Kirda
- Wolfgang Ludwig
NatsNews production contributors
- Arlene Mears
- Bob Mears
- Jenni Orebaugh
- Ashley Rauen
- Brendan Robinson
- Jay Smith
- Ryan Woebkenberg
Digital extras
MA Digital Extras! Read a bonus article about the history of the Nats in our tablet edition or go online for scores and daily NatsNews coverage.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
