The Outdoor Free Flight Nats Launches

By Don DeLoach

2022 FF NATs preview

The Outdoor Free Flight Nationals (Nats) are back July 25-29 … for (can you believe it?) the 95th running.

Under the sponsorship and volunteer support of the National Free Flight Society (NFFS), we’ll fly more than 70 official and unofficial events this week, plus several informal, ad-hoc events in the. The weather forecast looks very promising for the week, with only a couple of possible rain chances and high temperatures only in the low- to mid-80s.

This year’s FF Event Director is Glenn “Doc” Schneider of Diablo, California. Glenn is the NFFS VP for the Western district and a seasoned Free Flighter with many years of experience, so this Nats should run very smoothly. He has assembled a large group of dedicated volunteers. NFFS director Lisa Pacelli will handle scorekeeping. Pat Murray and George Bredehoft will direct the Flying Aces Club (FAC) section on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Without these volunteers, there would be no Nats. It is not too late to step forward and help … find Doc or any of the NFFS crew on the field!

Now, what to expect. Free Flight is extremely diverse in its spectrum of complexity. FAI events usually feature the most technically advanced models. AMA and NFFS events are considered medium-tech. FAC and SAM events are for simple, old-fashioned balsa and tissue models. FAC features the only scale events for FF. Some are judged statically for fidelity to full-scale, but most are not.

Most events are judged on pure duration—usually a total of three flights plus flyoffs to break ties. Competitors aim for a flight duration maximum (“max”), which is based on the wind conditions and the size of the field. For most events at the Muncie Nats, the standard max is 2 minutes. When a competitor attains three maxes in a row, he or she may proceed to attempt flyoff flights, which get progressively longer and more difficult to attain.

In FAI (F1x) events, the max is usually longer (3 or more minutes) and the number of regular flights preceding the flyoffs is either five or seven. Also, FAI competition is flown in 1-hour rounds whereas all other FF events are not. The small glider events must launch from the “pen,” an approximately 50 x 50-foot square. The exciting FAC mass launch events feature 10 or more models launching together … last one down is the winner!

For the next four days, Rick Pangell will be shouldering FF NatsNews reporting/photography duties. Say “hi” to Rick on the field, pose for pictures, and make sure to relay to him any newsworthy happenings so he may include them in NatsNews. Thermals and GOOD LUCK to all competitors!

Here are the defending Nats champs and their winning scores from 2021:

 

F1A                         Parker, Jim, 1647

AB Classic Gas    Berry, Dan, 1169

D Gas                     Menanno, Guy, 1200

Electric B               Malkhasyan, Taron, 1794

Moffett                   Vanderbeek, Bill, 750

Payload                 Fedor, Mike, 334

½A Nos Gas         Erridge, Roger, 670

Beat the Vart         Sevak Malkhasyan, 50, 73, 64, 86

F1C                        Parker, Faust, 855

F1H  (Junior)        Reuter, Wes, 122

F1H  (Sr-Adult)     Fedor, Mike, 600

F1Q                        Richardson, Mike, 1260

C Gas                     Menanno, Guy, 1050

ROW Gas              Berry, Dan, 282

Mulvihill (J)            Finn, Caleb, 439

Mulvihill (S)           Mattson, Hailey, 217

Mulvihill (A)           Brown, Gerald, 840

A Nos Gas             Menanno, Neal, 1200

E-20                       Buddenbohm, Stan, 451

Jetex                      Matsuno, Chris, 240

1-Design Combo Erridge, Roger, 335

OT Rub. Cabin     Sneed, Ed, 528

Hydrostar ROW    Berry, Dan, 480

OT Catatapult       Dalecki, George, 353

F1B                         Fitch, Jeremy, 1709

F1J                         Lorbiecki, John, 881

1/2A Classic Gas Berry, Daniel, 993

E-36 (J)                  Menanno, Clay, 600

E-36 (S/A)             Malkhasyan, Taron, 3360

B Gas                     Menanno, Guy, 1350

Cargo                     Fedor, Mike, 720.9

B Nostalgia Gas   Smith, Gene, 1296

1-Design Dynamoe Vanderbeek, Bill, 676

OT ABC Cabin     Oliver, John, 193

Small Nos Rub.    Kirda, Michael, 1020

Cat. Glider (A)      Ferrario, Rocco, 635

Cat. Glider (J)       DeLoach, Skilly, 244

Cat. Glider (S)      Reuter, William, 189

FAC Jimmy Allen  Farrell, Wally, 339

FAC Dime Scale  Farrell, Wally, 352

FAC OT Stick       McBride, Duncan, 360+321

FAC Hi-Start         Niedzielski, Dave, 517

FAC Low W. Tr.    DeLoach, Don, 1st

Dawn Unlimited   Finn, Joshua, 464

F1G  (J)                 Reuter, Wes         

F1G (S/A)              Joyner, Louis, 600

F1P                         Fedor, Mike, 1040

A Gas                     Parker, Jim, 1,350

Electric A               Donnelly, Skylar (S), 1678

C Nostalgia Gas   Schneider, Glenn, 835

OT ABC Pylon      Romak, Bud, 360

Large Nos Rub.    Romak, Bud, 1,260

1/2 A E-Nostalgia Finn, Joshua, 593

1-Design 1/2A      Lapraik, Scott, 360

HLG  (A)                Malkhasyan, Taron, 535

HLG  (J)                 DeLoach, Skilly, 200

HLG  (S)                 Donnelly, Skylar, 93

FAC Embryo         DeLoach, Don, 369+210

FAC Golden Age  Farrell, Wally, 360

FAC O.T. Fuse.    Bredehoft, George...360+289

FAC Simple Sc.    Farrell, Wally, 361

FAC Greve/Thom Farrell, Wally, 1st

FAC WWII             Farrell, Wally, 1st

1/2A Gas               Menanno, Neal, 360

CD Classic Gas    Thompson, Ronnie, 600

P-30 (J)                  Finn, Caleb, 348

P-30 (S)                 Mattson, Hailey, 195

P-30 (A)                 DeLoach, Don, 510

1/4A Nos. Gas      Erridge, Roger, 349

1/2A Nos Gas       Hanford, Bob, 285

OT Rubber Stick McCall, Dan, 263

Classic Towline    Powell, Chuck, 282

ABC E-Nostalgia Jennings, Jim, 578

F1S                         Malkhasyan, Taron, 866

Pee Wee 30          Kacmarsky, Rich, 591

FAC Modern Civil Murray, Pat, 1st

FAC Rubber Sc.   Farrell, Wally, 166.25

FAC Peanut Sc.   Farrell, Wally, 151.5

FAC Jet Catapult Dalecki, George, 157

FAC Simp. Pwr.    Schenkel, Clete, 137

FAC WWI              Farrell, Wally, 1st