Outdoor Free Flight

Wrap-up report by Rick Pangell

Rain, rain, go away, and stay away ...

Leaving the motel in Muncie Thursday morning, the rain was coming down hard. As we got closer to the field, the clouds were high and there was no rain. It had passed over. 

By Rick Pangell

Okay, describe this day …  hot and humid with some great thermals and a lot of flying. Flight after flight by the Free Flight fliers. The FAI crew had to fly rounds.

Comments were made by some FAI pilots that they were getting frustrated by the round system as it kept them from flying other AMA and NFFS events. This wasn’t a negative comment about the FAI, but more like they wished they could take advantage of the wonderful flying weather and fly more events.

By Rick Pangell

Okay … second-guess the wind and move the NFFS trailer, but as all good Free Flighters know, the wind never shifts.  Ultimately, the trailer came back to home but different locations sprung up according to the best places to fly an event.  The weather was hot, but absolutely gorgeous for Free Flight.

By Rick Pangell

Mulvihill … Mulvihill flew all three age groups of Adult, Senior, and Junior for a wonderful showing.  Junior Caleb Finn flew for 439 for first with Skilly DeLoach, Beckham Reuter, and Wes Reuter following suit.  Senior Hailey Mattson topped William Reuter for first.

By Rick Pangell

Being the first Outdoor Free Flight Nats in two years, there was a wonderful anticipation in the air.  Being there on Saturday, July 24, bode ominous for the prospect.  Saturday was our practice day but we could not have any open flying until 1 p.m., and eventually 2 p.m.  Plus, it was windy.

Attending the planning meeting on that Saturday, our CD, Ed Carroll, went down the open item list and all the blanks were filled. We were ready to go.

AMA looks forward to hosting a fun and safe Nats this year at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC)! Today, we have new developments to announce for Nats 2020. 

The following message is from Dave Lindley, president of the National Free Flight Society (NFFS):

It is with great regret, that AMA and NFFS today announce that the current COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of the Outdoor Free Flight Nats scheduled for July 27-31, 2020, in Muncie, Indiana. We do not anticipate that there will be a rescheduling of this event in 2020. Anyone that had already registered WILL be refunded 100% by AMA automatically.