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- Category: Archive 2015
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- USA Team Fund Raiser
- SWR Results and Report
- Roy's Request
- Dino dept
- Team Finals
U.S.A. team fundraiser at Fab Feb
Jim Lueken and Bill Booth are sponsoring a U.S. team fundraiser that begins at Fab Feb. It will be in the form of a raffle. The prizes? Three plaques, each one will have a one-of-a-kind original metal litho plate from one of Frank Zaic's books. An engraved plate will read "2015 U.S. Free Flight Team Supporter." One will have the three-view drawing of Hacklinger's second-place world champs F1A, the second will have 2 three views, F1B models by Herb Kothe and Joe Bilgri, the third will be another two-for-one with drawings of F1C models by Bob Cherny and Doug Galbreath. Each is the actual plate used by Frank to print his books. Don't know who Frank was? Check out Jim Lueken's website www.plansandthings.com for a short biography. Come take a look at the distinctive plaques at the Ike/Kiwi contest on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. They can be purchased at the Fab Feb contests and the America’s Cup banquet, or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. up until noon Saturday, Feb. 14. You can send payment via PayPal to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Winners will be chosen at the Americas Cup banquet Saturday night in Wasco. First winner gets his choice of the three pieces, second winner gets second choice. You don't have to be present to win, but you do need to be present to choose. So reach down deep into those pockets and buy some tickets for a chance at a piece of history while also supporting the U.S. team.
Thanks in advance,
Tiffaney O’Dell
Assistant Team Manager
2015 USFFT
2015 FAI Southwest Regional Model Airplane Championships
We had a great 65th SWR on Jan.17 and 18 which was flown from the new Webster West field. Saturday the temperature started out just under 40°, but as the sun came up it warmed up nicely to 72° with clear blue skies. In the morning the wind was out of the ESE at 7mph. At around 10 am the wind slowed considerably and the direction was variable. In the later afternoon the wind came out of WNW at up to 5mph. On Sunday it was warmer at the start of the first round with 44° but with the wind coming from the ESE at 6mph. It calmed before noon and warmed up to 76° in the shade. In the afternoon the wind again was out of the WNW at up to 5mph.
We had a total of 32 sportsmen flying in the 8 FAI classes. The contestants were from AZ, CA, CO, CT, MI, NV, OH, OR and UT. We had Peter Allnutt here flying for Canada. Enes and Jasminka Pecenkovic were flying for their homeland Bosnia-Herzegovina. We had 3 ladies flying FAI events, Jasminka Pecenkovic (F1A), Geralyn Jones (F1G) and Tiffaney O’Dell (F1G) – and also 2 FAI Juniors, Jace Pivonka (F1B,F1G), and Austin Van Nest (F1A, F1H).
On Saturday F1Q was won by Matt Gewain with Mike Pykelny coming in 2nd and Jack Murphy in 3rd.The F1A field had 2 flyers clean after 7 rounds. The F1A fly-off was won by Shlomi Rosenzweig who made the 5 min max while Jim Parker missed it by 10 seconds and came in 2nd. Brian Van Nest was 3nd while his grandson Austin was 4th overall and the 1st Junior in F1A. In F1B four contestants had maxed all 7 rounds. Two F1B sportsmen did 3 flyoff flights where Walt Ghio came in first while Jack Emery came in 2nd crashing in the last fly-off flight. Jace Pivonka came in 3rd overall and also received a certificate for being the 1st Junior in F1B. There were no entries in F1C or F1P.
On Sunday we flew F1G, F1H and F1J. Glenn Schneider won the F1J Bear followed by Rick Pangell in 2nd place and Ray Boyd in 3rd place. F1H required a 4-man fly-off which was cleanly won by Jim Parker with Brian Van Nest in 2nd and Shlomi Rosenzweig in 3rd place. F1G or Coupe d’Hiver had 6 flyers clean after 5 rounds. The F1G Bear was won by Alan Petersen with Walt Ghio in 2nd place in the 2nd fly-off. After this fly-off Tiffaney O’Dell and Peter Brocks were tied for 3rd and they flew again in a tie-breaker which Tiffany won by 4 seconds for 3rd place putting Peter in 4th.
A big thank you to all participants and to Elmer Nelson, Hermann Andresen, Tom Gaylor and my wife Brigitte who all made this FAI SWR again a great contest to be remembered.
RESULTS 2015 FAI SOUTHWEST REGIONALS Peter Brocks, CD
F1A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 F/O Total
1 Shlomi Rosenzweig 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 300 1560
2 Jim Parker 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 290 1550
3 Brian Van Nest 180 180 180 160 180 180 180 1240
4 Austin Van Nest 180 169 180 180 180 180 169 1238
5 Enes Pecenkovic B 180 180 128 180 180 180 180 1208
6 Peter Barron 180 180 180 180 180 180 123 1203
7 Don Zink 180 180 180 180 127 180 174 1201
8 Pierre Brun 180 180 80 118 180 180 180 1098
9 Peter Allnut 180 180 180 180 180 100 62 1062
10 Jasminka Pecenk.BI 145 125 96 168 180 180 128 1022
11 Peter Brocks 180 180 106 180 96 140 79 961
F1B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Walt Ghio 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 300 420 167 2147
2 Jack Emery 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 300 420 3 1983
3 Jace Pivonka 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 228 1488
4 Paul Crowley 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 177 1437
5 Blake Jensen 180 180 168 180 180 180 180 1248
6 Bill Booth 180 180 180 161 180 180 180 1241
7 Charlie Jones 180 180 180 180 160 180 180 1240
8 Mike Richardson 180 138 180 131 180 180 132 1121
9 Allen Ulm 153 176 127 180 180 180 76 1072
10 Dick Wood 180DNF DNF DNFDNF DNF DNF 180
F1C/P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total
1 No Entries 840
F1Q 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total
1 Matt Gewain 180 175 127 180 180 180 180 1202
2 Mike Pykelny 180 140 180 135 180 180 180 1175
3 Jack Murphy 162 180 180 180 92 180 180 1154
F1G 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O T/B Total
1 Alan Petersen 120 120 120 120 120 180 240 1020
2 Walt Ghio 120 120 120 120 120 180 213 993
3 Tiffaney O'Dell 120 120 120 120 120 180 204 218 984
4 Peter Brocks 120 120 120 120 120 180 204 214 984
5 Mike Richardson 120 120 120 120 120 137 737
6 Mike Pykelny 120 120 120 120 120 DNF 600
7 Geralyn Jones 120 120 120 108 120 588
8 Charlie Jones 102 100 111 120 120 553
9 Mike Jester 118 105 120 60 120 523
10 Jace Pivonka J 120 61 55 0 324
F1H 1 2 3 4 5 F/O Total
1 Jim Parker 120 120 120 120 120 240 840
2 Brian Van Nest 120 120 120 120 120 222 822
3 Shlomi Rosenzweig 120 120 120 120 120 163 763
4 Blake Jensen 120 120 120 120 120 101 701
5 Peter Allnut 120 120 66 51 120 439
6 Austin Van Nest 120 120 107 0 0 347
F1J 1 2 3 4 5 Total
1 Glenn Schneider 23 120 120 120 120 503
2 Rick Pangell 90 75 73 90 76 404
3 Ray Boyd 70 62 90 76 38 336
Roy's Request
There has been quite some interest in a meeting or meetings to discuss the latest rules proposals. People have offered to chair sessions. Some work is going on to find a suitable location. Lost Hills has it merits as a flying site but there is not great choice in locations for a meeting. At this time of the year it has to be off the field.
Dino dept
Hey Fellow Dinosaurs.
Roy has a good idea. The meeting should be interesting.. Nice to hear a consensus of people who actually fly these events.. Like I ask before will someone give us a framework of what we are trying to fix. In reality none of the F1 events are for small fields. I've been doing this since I was 7 yrs old. The fields were to small way back then and haven't gotten bigger. Gardner field was too small. About 2,sq miles of it. Taft too small, Lost Hills too small. On and on they have always been too small. Well, at least in a thermal with a little breeze. It is was it is and hasnt really changed in 50 + yrs. I believe the simple solution to most issues can be fixed by limiting the allowable wind speed to 6 m/ sec. Now, that means canceling rounds some days. But maybe a better idea is to poll the flyers and let them choose to fly or not in that scenario..
But before any major changes takes place lets at least take time to consider the ramifications of said changes.. With so few left the wrong move could be the final move.. Be well friends.
Thermals, Michael Achterberg
Team Finals..
Wanted to suggest that we ask the Europeans at Lost Hills if they would be interested in opening up the Euro Champs to Americans and or all countries. On the plus side it would create a great deal of interest and activity in other countries. It would generate more income for the host country. It would prolong the last of the dinosaurs a few more years. It will make the Euro Champs a contest on par with the World Champs. All pluses..
Also, it would create off year enthusiasm for our sport around the world.
But it would absolutely create interest for us and our once every two years Finals. We could have one Finals every year.
Now, I know there is negative sentiment for this. But there was the same sentiment for the British Open also and many other events and sports. Maybe the time has come for a change in sentiment. I believe many more flyers are for this than against it.. We are a dying breed. Lets enjoy our sport with all that have this dream of fellowship and open it up. Thanks to all who encourage this for the benefit of our sport. Thank you.
Thermal,
Michael Achterberg
Editor's comments - No matter, still only 3 people get on the team to represent the USA. If a Dino wanted to have an enjoyable flying experience there are plenty of great World Cup events around the World - For example the new flying site in Australia or the exciting last World Cup of the year in Israel, or Nordics on ice in the winter or the Nordic in the sun in the summer, the traditional European classics at Poitou or Zulpich and what can be better than flying with the druids at Stonehenge or trying to beat Roland on his home turf ? etc Take on battles you can win.
.........................
Roger Morrell