Modeling Spoken Here
Bob Hunt Aeromodeling Editor
Let's look upon the coverage of the Nats as a progress report ...
This is the issue we dedicate almost entirely to the AMA National Aeromodeling Championships, or, as it has become known, simply "the Nats." For those of us who are longtime competitors, just hearing the words "the Nats" is enough to elevate our heart rates. Many of us have structured our lives and schedules around preparation for, and attendance of, this once-a-year gathering.
For those who are not competitively inclined, there are no words that I have yet thought of to convey the depth of meaning that the Nats holds for a true competitor. I hope that I someday can find those words so that they can come to appreciate how profoundly this contest affects those of us who live to compete.
Some might question why we spend so much "ink" on a contest in which such a small percentage of our members actually participate. Others might question if competition modeling is a thing that has outlived its usefulness and validity.
If you look back to where we came from and how we got here, you will see that competition in every discipline has improved the breed. Almost every product that we can now buy and use in modeling has been optimized through competition development. We have surely come a long way, and some will say that we no longer need to develop new items for day-to-day sport flying because what we already have is so refined and reliable that nothing extra is required.
I'm of the mind that we haven't even scratched the surface of what is possible in model-aircraft design and performance. Each time I think that I'm getting close to the ultimate solution to a particular aspect of performance, someone develops something entirely unexpected that yields an entirely new direction in which to search. And I've seen this often enough to believe that it will always be so.
Let's look upon the coverage of the Nats as a progress report on what will be possible tomorrow. Let's revere the pioneers of new development in the same manner as we revere the pioneers who flew the first model airplanes. They deserve that kind of recognition.
If you were to go to any of the event venues at the Nats and spend a few hours just observing the different types of models and the various flying styles of the competitors, and then get a bit closer and ask the models' owners to explain why they do things in competition the way they do, you might be surprised to find how many different philosophies there are.
The more competitive types will always be looking for an edge, and their approach to finding that edge can be an enlightening lesson in logical engineering. You might find that someone has spent hundreds of hours solving a seemingly infinite small problem that, even if optimized, will yield only a tiny percentage of performance gain. Such is the path of the competitor. No problem is so small as to not be of consequence when winning is the goal.
You may not understand this lifestyle, but you most certainly have to admire and respect the dedication and resolve it takes to lead it.
Competition flying, like sport flying, is a choice. Being a competitor does not in any way mean that you are a better modeler — only that you have chosen a path that requires you to engage with others in a contest to establish who is superior at a given type of flying on a given day.
If you win an event at the Nats, you will hold the mantle of National Champion for the next year in that discipline. This can be a double-edged sword; it is rewarding and pleasurable to be looked upon as the Champion, but you also get to wear a target. For the next year you are the one who everyone tries hard to beat in local and regional meets. This naturally elevates the competition another notch, and when the next Nats rolls around, everyone is just a little bit better in every respect. To repeat as Champion is a difficult thing indeed.
The fact is, although only one can be crowned Champion in each competition discipline each year, we all come out the winners. Each competitor gains new insight as to what is needed to reach the next rung of the competition ladder, and each type of modeling has its technological horizons extended. The traditions of the first modeling pioneers are acknowledged, and new traditions are established. And the world of model airplanes is a better place because of it.
Enjoy the accounts of this year's Nats, and please try to attend next year's championships to see firsthand why competition aeromodeling is something we must preserve for future modeling generations and for the continued health of the sport in general.
I can be reached via telephone at <REDACTED>, via E-mail at <REDACTED>, or via snail mail at <REDACTED>. JAH
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
