54 M ODEL AVIATION
WiTH MORE THAN a year of preparation and practice under
their belts, the US Junior Federation Aeronautique Internationale
(FAI) Free Flight team took off from various points in the country to
head to the Junior World Championships. The contest was held in
Sezimovo Usti, Czech Republic, August 14-19, 2000.
This team consisted of six fliers, who flew the three FAI
Free Flight (FF) events for Juniors: F1A (Glider); F1B
(Rubber); F1J (Power).
F1A contestants were Dallas Parker (Sepulveda CA), John Barron
(North Haven CT), and David Ellis (Guilford CT). F1B was
represented by Aaron Arzamendi (Denton F1B competitor Evan Davis (Albuquerque NM). Photo by Jim Parker. TX), Evan Davis
Junior FF team members
compete in Sezimovo
Usti, Czech Republic
n George Batiuk
Austin Gunder raises his first-place trophy for F1J. He was the only US competitor in this event. Photo by Joan Ellis.
Junior
World
Championships
February 2001 55
Art Ellis holds his son Dave’s F1A model. Parker photo.
Dave Ellis with George Batiuk in the F1A flyoff round. Parker photo.
F1A competitor John Barron (North Haven CT). Parker photo.
Aaron Arzamendi, John Barron, David Ellis, Evan Davis, Austin
Gunder, Dallas Parker, George Batiuk. J. Ellis photo.
Austin Gunder on testing day. Parker photo.
Photos as noted Graphic Design by Carla Kunz
56 M ODEL AVIATION
(Albuquerque NM), and David Ellis. The lone
F1J flier was Austin Gunder (Red Lion PA).
The team was accompanied by me—the
team manager—the Ellis family (Art, Joan,
and Brian); the Davis family (Jon, Steve,
and Andy); Craig Gunder; Andrew Barron;
Jim Parker; Jim and Marty O’Reilly
(Aaron’s grandparents); Bob and Connie
Piserchio; and Brian and Janna Van Nest.
This was the largest contingent to ever
go to a Junior World Championships, and
the accompanying expertise and experience
was a real asset to the competitors.
After arriving at the Prague airport, we
loaded everything into three rental vans, two
Mercedes, and a Renault—pretty fancy rigs,
but still less expensive than the two vehicles
we rented in 1998 in Romania (the site of the
last Junior World Championships).
Getting out of Prague and heading south
for the 80-kilometer trip was a real
challenge, but we did fine—we only got lost
two times (the average for Prague is four).
David Ellis was a very able navigator.
We arrived in the Czech Republic four
days before the Championships competition
started, so we had plenty of time for
practice, and to participate in a World Cup
competition held at the same field.
Several US competitors did quite well
in the World Cup; Austin earned third
place in F1J, Dallas was seventh in F1A
(of 98 contestants), and Bob was second
and in F1B.
The flying site was an old airfield—
perhaps something left over from the
communist era. The taxiway and runway
were roughly 11⁄4 miles long, separated by
Austin Gunder (Red Lion RA) with his model and his father Craig. J. Ellis photo.
F1A class champion Pawl Dorsz of Poland with his winning model. Parker photo.
US F1A competitor Dallas Parker with his Russian-type glider. Parker photo.
F1B champion Ivan Kolic of Yugoslavia.
Notice the Lost Hills (California) WC logo
on his shirt. Parker photo.
February 2001 59
a strip of grass that was approximately 100
yards wide.
A great deal of farmland on each side made
for an overall area of roughly two miles square
on which to fly, with only a few trees scattered
throughout (and we found most of them).
Although the weather was pleasant for
the most part, with partly cloudy to sunny
skies and light winds, we learned that the
wind can blow pretty hard; 16 mph gusts
were frequent most afternoons.
F1A was a seven-round event, and each
round was an hour long. The first round
was a 210-second max, and the rest were
180-second maxes.
The 210-second max was very difficult for
most competitors, but not for the youngest US
guy; Dallas had no problem, clocking in at
211 seconds. He had a very nice flight.
The calm conditions of the day gave all
three US fliers trouble; trying to stay out of
the other competitors’ way and keeping the
model in the air was a chore, but they still
had some very good flights.
Dallas and John will be eligible for the
next Junior program, and the experience of
this competition was invaluable to them.
This class had 43 total competitors, and
all the US guys finished in the middle of
the pack; the experience will move them
up next time.
F1B used the same format as F1A. Each US
flier had a very nice 210-second first-round
flight. However, the wind was up from the
start and all the models drifted quite far—a
challenge for the chase crews.
Everything went smooth until the third
round, when disaster struck. When Evan was
processed, we learned that his motor was
above the weight limit by 11⁄2 grams. We did
everything we could to get the motor through,
but it was not to be; he was disqualified.
What a disappointment for this young man,
who had worked so hard preparing. We checked
several of his motors, and they were all
overweight by the same amount—apparently
the result of an inaccurate scale at home.
The other guys went ahead and flew, and
they did quite well.
Aaron was forced to fly a backup model
after a first-round crash, but he made the
rest of his flights in good order and finished
in the middle of the pack.
David had some close flights, but he
kept maxing and ended up in the flyoff
after seven rounds.
It was quite a task to get all the flights in;
the conditions that day were difficult enough
to bring many Senior fliers to their knees.
Maxing out was a tremendous effort, but
four contestants did it.
The organizers held off the flyoff until 6
p.m., because of the wind.
The trend of this day was to hold off
flying until the Americans went (do we
know something they don’t?), and this
round was no different. The other three were
in the air as soon as David flew.
Times were very close when the flyoff was
completed, and David finished in third place.
F1J: Austin got a great deal of our attention,
since he was the only US flier in this event. He
also got a lot of attention from the rest of the
competitors; he was the best flier on the field.
Austin was on the 1998 team, and he
started a program to build the best F1Js in
the world when he got back from Romania.
He was able to do that with a little help from
his dad Craig and Mik Acterberg.
The contestants made five flights for this
competition; the first was a 210-second
max, and the rest were 120-second maxes—
all with seven-second engine runs.
Rounds One and Two were easy, with
light lift and not much drift.
By the third round, it was evident that we
were in for a very windy day; models were
being carried more than a mile in two minutes!
Although Austin never had a flight that was
close, he was fortunate to have a chase crew
that brought his model back each time.
The five rounds were finished by 1 p.m.
and the flyoff was delayed until 6 p.m. because
of the wind; six of the 13 competitors were in
the finals. The wind had not gone down when
it was time for the flyoff to start, but the
organizers decided to proceed anyway.
With only a 10-minute window in
which to fly, Austin decided to take the
first calm spell and leave as much time as
possible, in case of an engine overrun.
The rest of the field waited for Austin to
fly, which he did approximately four
minutes into the round. He was the World
Champion five minutes later. The next
closest competitor was 112 seconds down.
Whatever coaching I was able to give
Austin was more of a pleasure for me than
it was a help to him. He is one of the most
capable and polite young men I have ever
met, and he will go a long way.
Since the awards ceremony did not start
until 4 p.m., most of the US contestants went
out to the field to fly on the last day. It’s hard
for them to get too much. I decided to get
some rest, but the report was that Austin and
Art flew F1A—very interesting.
The Americans had plenty to cheer
about at the awards, and we made the best
of it. I was particularly pleased that our
recording of the national anthem worked!
In F1A, Pawel Dorsz of Poland finished
first (1290 + 181); Jifi Chuboda of the
Czech Republic was second (1290 + 150);
and Elad Fish of Israel finished third (1290
+ 132). Israel had the winning team.
Ivan Kolic of Yugoslavia was the
winner in F1B (1290 + 239); Marian
Szafranski of Poland was second (1290 +
228); and David Ellis finished third (1290
+ 217). Poland earned the team victory.
Austin Gunder won F1J (690 + 300); Ilia
Doutov of Russia was second (690 + 188);
and Ivan Kolic of Yugoslavia was third (690
+ 184). Yugoslavia had the winning team.
Thanks to David Ellis and Evan Davis for
participating in our Junior program. Both
of these guys will be moving into the ranks
of the Seniors.
This was Evan’s first time in the program
and David’s third; he has become so much of
a regular, I do not know what we will do
without him. I wish them the best.
This JuniorWorld Championships would
not have been possible without the organizers’
hard work and dedication. The US contingent
would like to thank Vladimir Kubes and his
crew for doing a very nice job. MA
(Junior fliers who are interested in
entering the next program cycle should
contact me at [805] 546-8231.)
George Batiuk
1759 Southwood Dr.
San Luis Obispo CA 93401
