US Free Flight Championships
The 1999 US Free Flight Championships, held at Lost Hills, California, featured 58 events over three days. Despite challenging weather with high winds, participants showcased resilience and skill. The event was praised for its organization and attracted competitors with diverse models and categories. Notable winners included Carl Redlin in OT C Rubber Stick and Larry Norvall in F1B Wakefield. The meet highlighted a trend toward simpler events amid concerns over the complexity of newer categories.
Society of Antique Modelers Championships 1993
For its 27th annual National Championships, the Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) management chose Condor Field at Taft, California as the venue - a site long ago dubbed "Mecca" by free flighters, because of its ample size and legendary thermal production. Nearby Taft offers amenities that increase the attraction of these events (restaurants, motels, shopping, auto parts and repair, a community recreation center large enough for awards banquets, etc.) but which are lacking at the only other major free flight site on the west coast (Lost Hills).
24th US Free Flight
Labor Day weekend in California's Great Central Valley was quite dry, calm, toasty warm, and loaded with airplane-hugging thermals, much to the delight of nearly 200 free flight enthusiasts who gathered at the Lost Hills site to contest the 24th running of the United States Free Flight Championships. Up for grabs were hardware and bragging rights to no less than 41 regular AMA, SAM, and NFFS rule book events, plus 15 "special" categories in Dawn to Midnight format (Sunrise Shootout Power, Dawn Mulvihill Rubber, and Night flying-dark until done-as examples) for the energetic insomniacs among the group.
1994 Nats Sampler
1994 Nats Sampler Photographs
'92 U.S. Free Flight Championships
HUGE! Not big, but huge! There are the big free flight contests, and then there are the huge free flight contests. To describe the 22nd running of the U.S. Free Flight Championships (USFFC), held September 5-7, 1992, at Lost Hills, California, only "huge" will do. For the first time, the traditional Memorial Day schedule was moved to Labor Day-a wise but not totally popular decision-to take advantage of the more favorable weather Lost Hills usually enjoys at that time of year. As hoped, the flying conditions were ideal: bright skies, less-than-torrid temperatures, zero-to-moderate drift, very low humidity-and columns of monster boomers marching through to provide generous lift for all.
