By Brett Lewis (Senior Team Manager)
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| Full Group of Pilots (Credit : Izabela Krawczyk) |
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| Official Banner |
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| MIG and Statue at the Jakabszállás Airfield |
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| Jakabszállás Old Train Station |
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| Peak hour traffic in Jakabszallas |
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| F3K models in the air |
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| F3K model on the ground |
We launch these gliders into the air using a rotating motion very similar to an athletics discus throw, hence the other name for these gliders, DLG’s or discus launch gliders. A very good launch height is 75m or more. The average launch height for casual F3K pilots would be around the 45 metre mark. And competitive pilots in the 60-plus metre range.
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| Aldo Vos (junior) launching to 80 metres |
The tasks - We fly a variety of tasks, all happening in a (7 minute or most commonly a) 10 minute ‘working time’. The target flight times range from 30 seconds up to the full 10 minute working time. We fly thermal tasks, where the flight duration is important. We also fly ‘turn-around’ tasks where the model is ideally caught and relaunched in one movement, with the intention of minimising the time on the ground and maximising the time in the air, during the working time. The strategies adopted in the different tasks vary, influenced by the prevailing weather and lift conditions and risk appetite of the pilot. We fly inside a ‘box’ - we have to launch and land inside this box for a flight to count. A good F3K pilot has a mix of a good launch height, great piloting skills, good plane handling skills (for turn around tasks), a very good ‘feel’ of the energy - the height and speed - of his or her model, good air reading skills and the ability to think strategically, decisively and flexibly. In the majority of tasks we fly as a team of pilot and helper - the helper calling the pilot to good air, being the eyes in the back of the pilot’s head and keeping an eye on the stopwatch - calling is an art of its own.
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| Craig Goodrum in 'helper' mode |
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| Michelle Goodrum (left) flying and Craig calling for her. |
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| Brett Lewis (left) and Theo Wolthers (second from left) calling for him |
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| Alan Smith (left) and Aldo Vos (middle) coming offthe field after a flight. Theo looking on. |
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| Left to right - Theo Wolthers (Junior TM and Senior reserve, Mike Vos, Alan Smith, Oliver Booysen (Junior), James Steel (Junior), Aldo Vos (Junior), Craig Goodrum and Brett Lewis (Senior TM) |
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| Father and Son - Mike Vos (Left) and Also Vos |
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| The hotel rooms were compact and models took preference |
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| The flight line with the red organiser tents in the foreground |
The airport was open to full-size traffic before 8am and after 18:00 everyday which cramped our style a bit. The F3K crowd are very enthusiastic and love to fly at every opportunity. The flying time restrictions also meant that we were not able to make up any lost competition time in the evenings, with sunset only at 20:45.
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| We had wind and it needed to be checked - 8m/s is our cut-off. |
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| A storrn brewing |
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| Rain! |
World Championship Results
Senior Individual Scores
Senior Team Standings (32 countries participated)
1st - Germany - 32,243 points
2nd - Croatia - 32,128 points
3rd - France - 32,128 points
10th - South Africa - 30,919 points
Junior Individual Scores
Junior Team Standings (10 countries participated)
1st - Israel - 30,999 points
2nd - USA - 30,852 points
3rd - Ukraine - 28,935 points
6th - South Africa - 27,027 points
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2019 F3K World Championship from a Junior Team Manager’s view
By Theo Wolthers
I’ve hijacked Theo’s narrative and interspersed my perspective, as the senior team manager (in blue).
During 2018 team selection competitions and a team trial competition was held to select both senior and junior teams for the 2019 F3K worlds.
We were blessed to have 4 candidates fighting it out for the 3 places on the junior team.
The seniors team trials saw 10 pilots fighting it out for the three slots. Alan Smith, Craig Goodrum and Mike Vos were victorious, with Theo Wolthers the first reserve. Alan and Craig have competed in previous F3K world champs - this was Mike’s first as a pilot.
After the selection was finalized, Aldo Vos, James (Jimmy) Steel and Oliver (Dave) Booysen was selected to represent South Africa.
Aldo is an “old” hand at competition flying and placed second in the 2018 F3J worlds.
Both James and Oliver had been flying for less than a year and had not yet competed in a national championship.
A lot of credit for their performance must go to Craig and Michelle Goodrum, both of whom spent many hours and The Coves practicing and training them.
The team left O.R Tambo on the 9th of July with only minor difficulties in getting Oliver’s suspicious looking field charging box and our radios through security. The charging box again raised some eyebrows at Dubai airport, but after some careful explaining by Oliver and his mom Sally-Ann we managed to get through OK.
We arrived at Jakabszállás Airport in Hungary tired, but excited on the 10th of July and models were quickly assembled and taken out for a few test flights.
On the 11th, practice started in earnest and all our models were flown and trimmed to the local conditions.
We had a few problems during practice.
First Oliver lost sight of his model in a thermal with around 30 other models and ended “flying” the wrong model. After a lengthy search, we realised that the radio could give us the signal strength from the model and using this method of triangulation, the model was found about 50m from where Oliver was standing with only a few scratches and minor dents.
Later in the day, a strong gust of wind blew some of Oliver’s and my models out of the model stands resulting in minor damage.
On the 12 the Budapest Cup started and all pilots, Brett (senior manager), Michelle and myself participated.
The competition was flown in groups of 15 pilots, making for a very congested flying field.
James and Oliver were really thrown in at the deep-end - it was a big shock to them to fly against some of the top pilots in the world.
At the end of the Budapest Cup, we all emerged relatively unscathed as far as model damage was concerned and the final placings were as follows:-
- Alan Smith 22nd (99.1%)
- Aldo Vos 38th (98.33%)
- Mike Vos 41st (98.01%)
- Craig Goodrum 78th (93.56%)
- Theo Wolthers 108th (85.88%)
- Brett Lewis 113th (84.18%)
- Michelle Goodrum 118th (81.48%)
- James Steel 130th (66.79)
- Oliver Booysen 131st (64.18%)
It should be noted that as this was an open competition, there was no team protection (team pilots had to fly against each other) and pilots had to make do with whatever caller and timer was available.
The official contest timers were still learning the ropes and for most rounds, they just watched and learned while callers were timing for their own pilots.
On Sunday the official model processing was done, and the opening ceremony held.
Michelle, Nicole, Matthew, Sally-Ann, Oliver and James took a once in a lifetime opportunity to go and watch the Red Bull air race in Budapest while the rest of the team did some more testing and the processing.
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| All in a days work - someone organise food & someone shoot some photos and video |
This is my second time as the team manager. And my third model gliding world champs. I attended the 2018 F3J world champ as a towman last year. What has struck me is the casualness and lack of formality of the competitions. Only the officials may wear jackets and ties at the formal parts of the competitions. But don’t be fooled - the competition is tough. Your opponent may be competing bare-foot, but he’s giving it his all.
After the formalities of the opening function we were treated to a model flying display by the local club.
The world championship proper started on Monday the 15th.
I won’t give a round by round report as the scores are available for anyone to see.
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| Our flying window was curtailed due to the airport needing to accommodate full size planes before and after our flying |
Here are some highlights:-
Aldo flew like the future champion that he is, throughout, and got into the fly-offs.
He flew well in the fly-offs, but just as with the seniors, small mistakes in decision cost him a podium by 68 points. Well done Aldo!
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| Aldo Vos (third from right) in the Junior Flyoffs |
Oliver started like a house on fire with a 1000 points in the first round while James had a bad first round and had to use round one as his throw away score.
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| Oliver Booysen (centre) |
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| James Steel (right) and Craig Goodrum calling for him (middle) |
I did the calling for Oliver and sometimes I wondered if he would not have been better off with a more experienced caller.
Regardless, Oliver flew to the best of his and my abilities and a lot of his dropped scores was due to pushing the limits in order to try and gain positions. He ended in 24th place with 69.13% of the maximum score
On the Wednesday, the wind and rain hit us, and conditions were VERY tough. All 3 juniors flew brilliantly in the conditions and limited the damage to their scores.
It must be noted that Aldo is one of the highest launchers around (both senior and junior) and regularly throws higher than 70m. James and Oliver were out launched by most of the other competitors, making life a lot tougher when one is also flying against pilots with more experience.
What really impressed me with Oliver and James is the growth in the flying skills and as people that I witnessed during the 2 weeks that we spent together. Both arrived as timid boys and left Hungary as battle hardened young men with a great future ahead of them. I was particularly impressed with how our juniors interacted with the other competitors and particularly their partners in crime the Israeli team.
The senior pilots flew their hearts out. Having been at a world champs before, Craig and Alan knew what was being asked of them. They gulped down their anti-inflammatories and got on with the job at hand with no complaints.
This was Mike’s first world champs, and having made it into the F5J team too, he had his work cut out for him. In the Budapest Cup he out scored Craig, coming in closely behind Alan. He flew bravely in the world champs and his result of very respectable considering his level of experience at this level of competition. Mooi, Mike.
Alan was in great flying form coming into the world champs. His new Concept CX-5 models were working well for him and he had an impressive launch. He ended up in 13th place, just missing the fly offs by the smallest margin. I know he was very disappointed to have missed the flyoffs, and if we’d had a little more luck (or flown a few more rounds), he’d have been there. Well done, Al.
Craig had recently changed brand of radio gear, and he had some teething problems. On two of his flights he launched with flaps out, severely curtailing his launch. This didn’t deter him and he gave 100%. He kept climbing slowly and ended in 19th place. Good job, Craig.
Alan and Craig are highly experienced international competitors. Regardless of their final results, they bring an enormous contribution to South Africa’s ability to compete at international level. Considering that many of the other countries have much bigger pilot communities and compete much more regularly in international competitions, It is largely due to Alan’s and Craig’s efforts that we are able to represent South Africa at competitions like this. Their knowledge and experience is an amazing asset. And their willingness to help less experienced pilots highly commendable.
The very colourful opening ceremony where we were treated to the most amazing f3k model aerobatic flying display.
Watching the highly scientific process used every morning at breakfast to determine which croissants had chocolate in.
Using the sauna in the Israeli team room to cure the epoxy on repaired models. Using the same sauna to dry a mattress that got wet during a rainstorm while the room windows were left open.
Joining the Hungarian, Slovak and British team for an impromptu “braai” and local “mampoer” tasting. BTW Hungarian “boerewors” is nice, but not as nice as ours.
The 10-pin bowling competition between our juniors and the Israeli juniors using a watermelon and empty water bottles in the hotel corridor when the 10-pin bowling alley was closed. The Israeli team won this by a small margin.
The light-hearted banter and leg pulling that no one escaped, but everyone endured with a smile on their faces.
Waiting for food for 3 hours in a restaurant because they had never had so many people to serve in one night. We suspect they had to go and get more food as they ran out.
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| The restaurant is full you say? No problem, we can sit in the car park. Now bring food! ... please. |
Having to get a crane to come and get my model out of a 30m high tree after I let Klaus fly it.
Team Michelle - With a very kind donation from John Staples, we had 30-plus Team Michelle t-shirts made. I spread the word of this initiative with the organisers and they helped us get other teams involved. We all wore our shirts on the second day of the Budapest cup, to celebrate one of the most positive members of the South African model gliding community - Michelle Goodrum. Michelle has been fighting cancer - she missed the 2017 world champs due to treatment. But this time we were blessed to have her with us. It was so nice to see all of the different pilots proudly sporting their Team Michelle shirts.
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| Michelle Goodrum |
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| (Left to right) Michelle, Alan and Brett - sporting our Team Michelle T-shirts |
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One of the blessings of attending an international competition is the opportunity to visit somewhere different. On the Saturday, which was in theory a ‘spare day’, we took the short journey to Budapest and took a walk around this beautiful city on the banks of the Danube river. We drank some beer, and tasted some of the local cuisine. It was a fun day out. Most of the senior team members hobbled on tired legs. Afterwards they pointed out the almost 20,000 steps we’d made in the day. If I’d known they were suffering, I may have been less eager to show them around.
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| Craig explaining where the lift was - the learning never stops |
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| Michelle (left) and her two wonderful kids - Nicky (middle) and Mathew |
I would like to thank all the other team members for the help. This was my first world championship as well and without your help and support, I would not have coped. Thanks especially to Brett that did a wonderful job putting everything into place and sharing a room with me, and Michelle and Sally-Ann for keeping us fed and hydrated all the time.
I would like to extend a very warm thanks to everyone involved in making our 2019 F3K world champs campaign possible...
Thanks to the families of all of the team members for the tolerance, sacrifices and support.
Thanks to our anonymous donors - our juniors were sponsored a model each and part of the cost of our clothing was covered - thanks for the generosity.
Thanks to all of the MGASA members who bought clothing - a small portion of each purchase went towards reducing the cost of our team clothing.
Many thanks to our clothing sponsors - CameraStuff, Metermate, Kusanii Composites and LST Models - your contributions also reduced the cost of our team clothing.
Many thanks to Dave Sheer Guns for the discounted carry cases.
Many thanks to the manufacturers of our models for the preferential pricing - Stream Team Models - Concept, Vortex, Vladimir's Models - Snipe.
Many thanks to Bruce Booysen and the team at The Coves for the donation.
Many thanks to SAMAA for the team funding.
Many thanks to Michelle Goodrum and Sally-Ann Booysen - our super-moms in the team. Your carrying of part of the load was very noticeable and much appreciated.
Many thanks to Theo Wolthers for the assistance as junior team manager.
To the people I have forgotten, thanks to you too.
And a huge thank you to the pilots - Alan, Craig, Mike, Aldo, James and Oliver.
Thanks for your dedication and effort. Each and everyone of you can be very proud of how you competed with guts and fortitude. This journey wasn’t always easy or effortless. It came with pain and frustration - both mental and physical. I hope this experience has been as good for you as it was for me. You are all winners!
Until next time...
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| James looking after Alan on the plane on the way home - Alan can be a handful |
Official Competition Website : www.f3kwch2019.com
