F1Q Status

Electric free flight (F1Q and E-36) are the only free flight events that are rapidly growing. F1Q, or Q for short, has been recognized by CIAM, the governing body of FAI, as a temporary event. Q is unique among FAI free flight events by being defined in terms of energy per gram - with no area or loading requirements. Being an “open” event, different size models can attain the same altitude if they use their allocated energy with the same efficiency.  Consequently, fliers have used different climb strategies, from models that cruise up leisurely in 20 seconds to models that climb ballistically with 5-6 second motor runs.

Holding a Q world championship in four years (2017) is an attainable goal. It will bring in many fence sitters and prod manufactures to start producing suitable models.  But this can be achieved only if we (1) view Q and F1C, or C for short, as complementary events and (2) ease some of the rule tightening proposals for a world championship, being proposed by the UK to the upcoming CIAM meeting later this month. Specifically, dropping a proposed 4 year moratorium on new world championship events that, with a year delay, would push back a world championship 6 years to 2019; and retaining the current qualification requirement of two year flying, instead of the UK proposed three.

There is a consensus among Q fliers that the current energy base rules are robust. Two different method have been developed – one that measure the energy supplied by the battery in real time by a device called an energy limiter (EL), and the other for models without ELs, whose wattage is measured statically - to verify their motor runs. The currently proposed rules are secondary and technical by nature and will naturally be refined over time.

Although people have suggested that Q will replace C, each is a distinct event!  C models are powered by 1.25 horse power engines, running for 5 seconds on models that climb ballistically. The most powerful Q models use an input have about half the output power of a C model and are about 200 grams lighter and run 5-6 second motor runs. However, their high speed is costly in terms of energy and they are at a distinct disadvantage relative to lighter less powerful Q models with longer motor runs.

Therefore, I think Q should be recognized as being a complementary event to C; that the two events be flown concurrently from their own flight lines.  We know that attendance in F1A (tow line gliders) and F1B (rubber powered models) dominate world championship entries, with C being a definite third. So combining it with Q will not over burden the organizers.

The UK had made three proposals to the upcoming CIAM meeting dealing with a new event qualifying for a world championship.  A 4 year moratorium, justified by “so that the rationalization of Championships may progress without impediment” is puzzling even to a native English speaker like me.It's too blunt and damaging.

Don’t have an issue of changing the qualification criteria to five world cup contests, each attended by at least three countries, of which two world cups are flown outside Europe. We have enough Q fliers and are sufficiently well organized to match these requirements.  However the UK has also raised the threshold from the current two years to three years. My concern is that a three year requirement can prove to be very onerous and I strongly feel that the current two year requirement should be retained.

Aram Schlosberg, NYC