F3A World Championship 2014/05

The pinnacle of Precision Aerobatics competition is the F3A World Championship, which took place August 2013 in Gautang, South Africa. I had the pleasure of being the team manager accompanying Team USA on its quest to repeat as team World Champions.
The journey to the F3A championship officially began at the 2012 AMA Nats which served as the official Precision Aerobatics world team selection tournament. Andrew Jesky, Jason Shulman, and Brett Wickizer bested the competition, earning their places on the team. Chip Hyde would serve as team alternate, and Joseph Szczur, the highest placing competitor under 18 years old, became the first US Junior competitor.
Planning for the competition occurs on many platforms. Individual competitors are responsible for having multiple aircraft prepared for the event, including all of the required support equipment and packing crates for transportation.
As the team manager, planning for the trip itself had its own share of challenges. Early estimates put our required budget near $60,000—a significant fundraising challenge. Trip logistics included obtaining airfare for 10 team members from nine locations across the US to Johannesburg; securing 15 days of lodging; arranging ground transportation for all 10 people and eight 2-meter aircraft; securing practice facilities in South Africa; and shipping our equipment.
We received an amazing amount of help—financial and logistical—from modelers across the country. That, along with numerous corporate sponsors and generous support from the AMA, helped us pull it all together. (Sponsors are listed on our team website.)
The journey began with everyone meeting in Atlanta or Washington, D.C. and taking a 16-hour flight to Johannesburg. If you’ve never experienced a 16-hour flight, sit in the smallest chair you can find, watch four full-length movies start to finish, and then realize that you’re only halfway there.
We did have some trials along the way, mostly involving the Transportation Security Administration and trying to check large crates filled with aircraft in baggage, along with RF transmitters as carry-on luggage, but we fared well. Our most daunting travel challenge was the hour-long nighttime drive from Johannesburg to our destination in Meyerton. Maneuvering our five-vehicle caravan with only one GPS, driving manual transmission vans from the right side of the vehicle, shifting with our left hands, on the left side of the road was an experience not to be forgotten.
We arrived in South Africa four days before the start of the contest. Anticipating potential problems with the travel and packing, we wanted to make sure there was plenty of time to address any issues or repair any damaged equipment.
The team needed to practice under local conditions. It this case, the 5,000-foot altitude was the biggest concern. Thin air has a significant effect on control-throw sensitivity, power, engine tuning, and downline speeds. We were fortunate to have contacted a local RC club long before our arrival and were graciously given complete and exclusive access to the group’s flying field for the duration of our stay.
The Snoopy’s Squadron RC Flying Club and its field were typical of any flying site and club you would find in the US—a generous and welcoming membership, beautiful flyover space, and a nice grass runway.
The field was approximately a 90-kilometer drive (approximately 55 miles) from our lodging, so each day we made an all-day pilgrimage. Members of the local club met us each morning and provided generators for us to recharge flight batteries. The nearby hobby shop provided Brett, our only glow fuel pilot, with several cases of 30% nitro fuel to use while we were there.
Part of the club’s hospitality included throwing us a “braai” for lunch several of the days we were there. A braai is the South American version of a cookout, complete with steaks and a local sausage called Boerewors. It was excellent food, and only one example of the generosity we experienced.
Geoff Dale, the Snoopy club president and my primary contact before our arrival, was gracious enough to drive me around town in search of some necessary hobby parts and tools that we were unable to bring with us. Part of that adventure took me to Aerial Concepts, Johannesburg’s premier hobby shop.
It’s important to note that the postal system in South America is plagued with challenges compared to ours in the US; therefore, ordering products online is rarely done. As a result, the hobby shops—and this one in particular—dwarf anything you’ve ever seen in the US. Pictures can’t do it justice.
This store had millions in inventory, with airplanes and products never seen in stock in the US, including dozens of turbine jets, 40% aircraft, and plenty of accessories. We were so amazed that the entire team made multiple trips to shop for fun.
Our days at the practice field went well. The team critiqued every flight, trying to perfect each nuance. Every day was windy and that proved to be excellent conditioning for what was to come.
I have yet to mention the cold. It was the end of the South African winter, and although it was always sunny and midday temperatures were often comfortably in the 60s, the morning temperatures were usually slightly above freezing. These morning temperatures, combined with a bitter wind, made for some uncomfortably cold hands on the transmitters.

Let the Games Begin
Any event of this size comes with much formal processing, weighing, measuring, and inspecting the aircraft from every team. With 30 countries participating we all had designated times for aircraft processing along with a one-time slot for each pilot to put up one practice flight at the official flying site. Our turn came and went uneventfully. The team members were well prepared with their equipment in order.
The opening ceremonies were run by the event coordinators in conjunction with FAI and the South African Model Aircraft Association (SAMAA). The marvelous stage was surrounded by 30 flag poles flying the flags of each participating country.
As team manager, I had the honor of returning the perpetual World Championship team trophy won by the US in 2011. In similar fashion, Christophe Paysant-le Roux of France returned the individual perpetual trophy—something he’s had to do six times! Every country and team was introduced as well as the judges and event directors.
For those who don’t closely follow F3A or RC Aerobatics in the US, the format for the World Championship is as follows:
Each country may send three pilots to compete, as well as a junior pilot under the age of 18. Every pilot flies four rounds of the preliminary or P sequence, which is moderately difficult. The best three of four P flights are kept and combined into a single normalized score. The top 30% of the pilots then move on to fly in the semifinals.
The semifinal consists of two rounds of the final or F sequence. This schedule is significantly more challenging and is intended to provide more separation among the top pilots. The best two of three scores—the original combined preliminary score, along with the two semifinal scores—are used to determine the finalists. The top 10 go on to fly a completely new contest.
The final round consists of four flights—two flights of the Known F sequence, and one round each of two Unknown sequences, chosen at random, from a catalog of maneuvers. Both Unknown scores are kept, along with the better of the two F scores, to determine the individual world champion. The team champion is chosen based on the combined placing of all three team pilots for each country at the end of the contest.
The first four days of the competition consisted of flying the P sequences. Because of the large number of pilots, we were divided into four groups, each flying in front of a different set of judges. We received raw scores after each flight, but we couldn’t compare scores until each pilot had flown in front of each of the four judging panels.
All members of our team were flying well. Andrew consistently put up the best raw scores, with Jason and Brett close behind. Joseph also flew well, but the competition on this stage is intense and his scores were putting him in the middle of the pack. At only 13 years old, he will become a force to be reckoned with in the future.
At the end of the preliminaries, Andrew was sitting comfortably in eighth place, with Jason and Brett in 13th and 15th respectively. All comfortably made the semifinals, but Jason and Brett would have work to do if they hoped to be in the finals. Joseph ended his world championship with a solid final flight performance, and finished 54th overall. He was out of the running for the semifinals, but had a respectable showing in his first World Championship.
With a day off between the preliminaries and the semifinals, we were off to Snoopy’s for another long day of practicing the F pattern. Neither Jason or Brett were going to go down without a fight, each flying more than 10 flights until the sun was setting on these short winter days.
The temperature got colder and the winds picked up for the semifinals which seemed to work in our favor. All three members of the US team flew spectacular flights. When the flights were complete, Andrew had moved up to third place, and Jason moved up three places to squeak into 10th place, making the finals. Brett also moved up to finish 12th. He was disappointed to not be in the big show, but his strong placing was critical to our eventual team championship.
It’s hard to describe the finals. Ten of the best pilots in the world flying in 20 mph winds blowing straight out, through some of the most difficult sequences possible, and making it all look easy.
Andrew and Jason owned the wind. Their ability to position their aircraft in such a strong crosswind was amazing. They, along with Christophe Paysant-le Roux and Tetsuo Onda from Japan distanced themselves from the rest of the pack.
The finals were not without incident. Gerhard Mayr, an innovative young pilot from Austria, had difficulty initializing his ESC and was forced to skip his flight when his time ran out. Sebastiano Silvestri (of SebArt models fame) had a catastrophic occurrence when the high winds and high drag of his contra-powered biplane used too much battery causing him to run out of power as he finished his flight. He was unable to make it back to the runway and the bottom of his airplane was badly damaged. In the end, Christophe Paysant-Le Roux would not be denied his seventh individual world championship.
After 15 days of dawn-until-dusk intensity and all things model airplanes, we were ready to pack it in, but we were in Africa! None of us were willing to travel 10,000 miles each way and not see an elephant. A few went home immediately, but most of the team stayed an additional day to go on a one-day safari. It was simply incredible and it belongs on everyone’s to-do list.
A full picture diary of our entire trip along with my daily blog can be found at the link listed in the “Sources” section. Until the next World Championship, in Dübendorf, Switzerland in 2015!
—Mark Atwood
[email protected]

The pinnacle of Precision Aerobatics competition is the F3A World Championship, which took place August 2013 in Gautang, South Africa. I had the pleasure of being the team manager accompanying Team USA on its quest to repeat as team World Champions.
The journey to the F3A championship officially began at the 2012 AMA Nats which served as the official Precision Aerobatics world team selection tournament. Andrew Jesky, Jason Shulman, and Brett Wickizer bested the competition, earning their places on the team. Chip Hyde would serve as team alternate, and Joseph Szczur, the highest placing competitor under 18 years old, became the first US Junior competitor.
Planning for the competition occurs on many platforms. Individual competitors are responsible for having multiple aircraft prepared for the event, including all of the required support equipment and packing crates for transportation.
As the team manager, planning for the trip itself had its own share of challenges. Early estimates put our required budget near $60,000—a significant fundraising challenge. Trip logistics included obtaining airfare for 10 team members from nine locations across the US to Johannesburg; securing 15 days of lodging; arranging ground transportation for all 10 people and eight 2-meter aircraft; securing practice facilities in South Africa; and shipping our equipment.
We received an amazing amount of help—financial and logistical—from modelers across the country. That, along with numerous corporate sponsors and generous support from the AMA, helped us pull it all together. (Sponsors are listed on our team website.)
The journey began with everyone meeting in Atlanta or Washington, D.C. and taking a 16-hour flight to Johannesburg. If you’ve never experienced a 16-hour flight, sit in the smallest chair you can find, watch four full-length movies start to finish, and then realize that you’re only halfway there.
We did have some trials along the way, mostly involving the Transportation Security Administration and trying to check large crates filled with aircraft in baggage, along with RF transmitters as carry-on luggage, but we fared well. Our most daunting travel challenge was the hour-long nighttime drive from Johannesburg to our destination in Meyerton. Maneuvering our five-vehicle caravan with only one GPS, driving manual transmission vans from the right side of the vehicle, shifting with our left hands, on the left side of the road was an experience not to be forgotten.
We arrived in South Africa four days before the start of the contest. Anticipating potential problems with the travel and packing, we wanted to make sure there was plenty of time to address any issues or repair any damaged equipment.
The team needed to practice under local conditions. It this case, the 5,000-foot altitude was the biggest concern. Thin air has a significant effect on control-throw sensitivity, power, engine tuning, and downline speeds. We were fortunate to have contacted a local RC club long before our arrival and were graciously given complete and exclusive access to the group’s flying field for the duration of our stay.
The Snoopy’s Squadron RC Flying Club and its field were typical of any flying site and club you would find in the US—a generous and welcoming membership, beautiful flyover space, and a nice grass runway.
The field was approximately a 90-kilometer drive (approximately 55 miles) from our lodging, so each day we made an all-day pilgrimage. Members of the local club met us each morning and provided generators for us to recharge flight batteries. The nearby hobby shop provided Brett, our only glow fuel pilot, with several cases of 30% nitro fuel to use while we were there.
Part of the club’s hospitality included throwing us a “braai” for lunch several of the days we were there. A braai is the South American version of a cookout, complete with steaks and a local sausage called Boerewors. It was excellent food, and only one example of the generosity we experienced.
Geoff Dale, the Snoopy club president and my primary contact before our arrival, was gracious enough to drive me around town in search of some necessary hobby parts and tools that we were unable to bring with us. Part of that adventure took me to Aerial Concepts, Johannesburg’s premier hobby shop.
It’s important to note that the postal system in South America is plagued with challenges compared to ours in the US; therefore, ordering products online is rarely done. As a result, the hobby shops—and this one in particular—dwarf anything you’ve ever seen in the US. Pictures can’t do it justice.
This store had millions in inventory, with airplanes and products never seen in stock in the US, including dozens of turbine jets, 40% aircraft, and plenty of accessories. We were so amazed that the entire team made multiple trips to shop for fun.
Our days at the practice field went well. The team critiqued every flight, trying to perfect each nuance. Every day was windy and that proved to be excellent conditioning for what was to come.
I have yet to mention the cold. It was the end of the South African winter, and although it was always sunny and midday temperatures were often comfortably in the 60s, the morning temperatures were usually slightly above freezing. These morning temperatures, combined with a bitter wind, made for some uncomfortably cold hands on the transmitters.

Let the Games Begin
Any event of this size comes with much formal processing, weighing, measuring, and inspecting the aircraft from every team. With 30 countries participating we all had designated times for aircraft processing along with a one-time slot for each pilot to put up one practice flight at the official flying site. Our turn came and went uneventfully. The team members were well prepared with their equipment in order.
The opening ceremonies were run by the event coordinators in conjunction with FAI and the South African Model Aircraft Association (SAMAA). The marvelous stage was surrounded by 30 flag poles flying the flags of each participating country.
As team manager, I had the honor of returning the perpetual World Championship team trophy won by the US in 2011. In similar fashion, Christophe Paysant-le Roux of France returned the individual perpetual trophy—something he’s had to do six times! Every country and team was introduced as well as the judges and event directors.
For those who don’t closely follow F3A or RC Aerobatics in the US, the format for the World Championship is as follows:
Each country may send three pilots to compete, as well as a junior pilot under the age of 18. Every pilot flies four rounds of the preliminary or P sequence, which is moderately difficult. The best three of four P flights are kept and combined into a single normalized score. The top 30% of the pilots then move on to fly in the semifinals.
The semifinal consists of two rounds of the final or F sequence. This schedule is significantly more challenging and is intended to provide more separation among the top pilots. The best two of three scores—the original combined preliminary score, along with the two semifinal scores—are used to determine the finalists. The top 10 go on to fly a completely new contest.
The final round consists of four flights—two flights of the Known F sequence, and one round each of two Unknown sequences, chosen at random, from a catalog of maneuvers. Both Unknown scores are kept, along with the better of the two F scores, to determine the individual world champion. The team champion is chosen based on the combined placing of all three team pilots for each country at the end of the contest.
The first four days of the competition consisted of flying the P sequences. Because of the large number of pilots, we were divided into four groups, each flying in front of a different set of judges. We received raw scores after each flight, but we couldn’t compare scores until each pilot had flown in front of each of the four judging panels.
All members of our team were flying well. Andrew consistently put up the best raw scores, with Jason and Brett close behind. Joseph also flew well, but the competition on this stage is intense and his scores were putting him in the middle of the pack. At only 13 years old, he will become a force to be reckoned with in the future.
At the end of the preliminaries, Andrew was sitting comfortably in eighth place, with Jason and Brett in 13th and 15th respectively. All comfortably made the semifinals, but Jason and Brett would have work to do if they hoped to be in the finals. Joseph ended his world championship with a solid final flight performance, and finished 54th overall. He was out of the running for the semifinals, but had a respectable showing in his first World Championship.
With a day off between the preliminaries and the semifinals, we were off to Snoopy’s for another long day of practicing the F pattern. Neither Jason or Brett were going to go down without a fight, each flying more than 10 flights until the sun was setting on these short winter days.
The temperature got colder and the winds picked up for the semifinals which seemed to work in our favor. All three members of the US team flew spectacular flights. When the flights were complete, Andrew had moved up to third place, and Jason moved up three places to squeak into 10th place, making the finals. Brett also moved up to finish 12th. He was disappointed to not be in the big show, but his strong placing was critical to our eventual team championship.
It’s hard to describe the finals. Ten of the best pilots in the world flying in 20 mph winds blowing straight out, through some of the most difficult sequences possible, and making it all look easy.
Andrew and Jason owned the wind. Their ability to position their aircraft in such a strong crosswind was amazing. They, along with Christophe Paysant-le Roux and Tetsuo Onda from Japan distanced themselves from the rest of the pack.
The finals were not without incident. Gerhard Mayr, an innovative young pilot from Austria, had difficulty initializing his ESC and was forced to skip his flight when his time ran out. Sebastiano Silvestri (of SebArt models fame) had a catastrophic occurrence when the high winds and high drag of his contra-powered biplane used too much battery causing him to run out of power as he finished his flight. He was unable to make it back to the runway and the bottom of his airplane was badly damaged. In the end, Christophe Paysant-Le Roux would not be denied his seventh individual world championship.
After 15 days of dawn-until-dusk intensity and all things model airplanes, we were ready to pack it in, but we were in Africa! None of us were willing to travel 10,000 miles each way and not see an elephant. A few went home immediately, but most of the team stayed an additional day to go on a one-day safari. It was simply incredible and it belongs on everyone’s to-do list.
A full picture diary of our entire trip along with my daily blog can be found at the link listed in the “Sources” section. Until the next World Championship, in Dübendorf, Switzerland in 2015!
—Mark Atwood
[email protected]