Outdoor FF

The closing day of the 100th FF Nats was basically a carbon copy weather-wise of Thursday: We had northeast winds under 5 mph, scattered clouds, and very comfortable temperatures only topping out around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was the day we’d been waiting for all week. Temperatures were in the 60s-70s, wind was light and variable, and there were copious thermals. Heaven is Muncie, Indiana for the FF Nats.

Wednesday at the Nats brought significant weather changes. The wind started out of the north, and stayed that way all day. Temperatures were also much cooler (60s until after 1pm—then it only reached the 70s). It was a wonderful surprise for the dog days of July. Skies were cloudy most of the day, which made thermal picking tough, but there will still many maxes posted by careful flyers.

The forecast for Tuesday was grim when I awakened. Rain chances were 80% starting at 8 a.m. and lasting until 2 p.m. I donned my Gore-Tex boots and rain shell and emerged from my tent expecting the worst from the jump.

The 2026 Free Flight Nats got underway Monday, July 20 amid warm temperatures, light and variable winds, and hazy skies which affected visibility on flight timing.

The Free Flight Nationals are back July 20-24 at the IAC.

The 2025 Outdoor Free Flight Nationals can only be described as a true success. From start to finish, the event ran with impressive efficiency. Every contest was organized, on schedule, and executed without a hitch.

The final day of the Nats was a whirlwind. The morning greeted us with no breeze, only humid warmth. Contestants were easing into flights, hesitant, wondering if the air was full of thermals…or downers. The sky became a dark cloud in the afternoon, leading up to what was one of the worst rain storms the field in Muncie had seen.

Muncie experienced a cool south-west breeze today, as we passed the halfway mark of the Outdoor Free Flight NATS. The first event of the day began at the crack of dawn, before the official contest.

South winds came breezing through Muncie today, marking the halfway point of the Outdoor Free Flight Nats. From as early as ten o'clock in the morning, the sun beamed down, brewing what would later be some of the strongest thermals we’ve seen this week.