Keith Numbers Designer Scale Royal Aircraft FE-8.
By Gerry Garing
The RC Scale Nats is scheduled for Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, July 13 this year. Team selections for the 2026 FAI control line and radio control teams will be determined this summer as well. Static judging for these classes will be held Thursday morning beginning at 8:00AM, with static judging available for AMA classes beginning around noon. If you have never attended a contest, this is a good opportunity to see some finely crafted models and observe how these models are judged.
You may be wondering about the terminology for the FAI models. F4B is stand-off scale for control line and 4FH is stand-off scale for radio control. Stand-off models are judged much like those in AMA classes. They are judged from a distance and subject to a time limit. F4B CL models can weigh up 13-¼ pounds, and F4H RC models can weigh up to 33 pounds. F4C RC models can weigh no more than 13-¼ pounds, require much more detailed documentation, are not subject to a time limit, and are judged from 0 feet.
While the FAI team trials are incorporated into this year’s Nationals, Thursday through Sunday are devoted to competition within the AMA RC Scale classes. There are many to choose from. There are Pro-Am classes that need only one picture to prove the plane is a scale model. It need not even be the same plane as the model and there is no static judging involved. Pro-Am classes are all about scale flying. Traditionally constructed models and foamy ARF’s are all acceptable for Pro-Am classes.
Other classes require traditional static judging according to AMA rules. The flight requirements are the same for all AMA classes. Further information regarding rules can be found in the 2024-2025 rule book for Radio Control Fixed Wing Scale available for free download from the AMA website. If you are attending the NATS, don’t be shy about approaching pilots or contest personnel with your questions.
Contest Flying begins on Friday at 2:00 PM and concludes once all models have flown once. Flying Saturday is scheduled from approximately 9:00 AM through approximately 4:00 PM. One round is flown on Sunday morning which will conclude the competition. Scores will be tallied and awards given out by early afternoon. All of the above is subject to change depending on the weather and number of participants.
I hope to see you at the Nats!
