The AMA RC Scale Nats has seen a few significant improvements to Site 4 over the past few years, making for a better all-around experience for everyone. The new turf runway is in much better shape this year, and it’s scheduled to be cut at 3/4 inch for the contest. One set of new pavilions is completed and will serve as the contest headquarters.
Approximately 100 people, RC and Control Line (CL) combined, attended the Saturday night banquet. The program for the evening began with an auction of several donated items. The items included a set of plans, a Pica T-28 kit and retracts, a bottle of bourbon, and a bottle of wine. The auction netted a total of nearly $500 to be donated to NASA’s FAI team sponsorship.
Light rain quickly began to intensify shortly before the 8 a.m. pilot meeting, and it was apparent that flying was not an option, at least for the morning..
The RC Scale Nats officially began on Thursday, July 6. While more than just a few pilots arrived on Wednesday to set up and get in some practice flying, the majority began arriving early Thursday morning. John Boyko, the event’s contest director, calls this “processing day.”
We had a great Nats at the AMA International Flying Sites last year. Mike Barbee Concrete had finished a lot of earth moving and grading, and then grass was planted to this tough ground at Site 4. The site is looking better now, but some projects are still in construction.
It was a busy Friday with static judging and then during the afternoon, it was decided to go ahead and fly the first round of flight competition. Four flightlines were used all weekend and we were able to get in the first round that evening.
We were all happy to see the rain clear away Saturday so we could get two rounds flown. Although it was breezy, the models handled it well. After rounds 2 and 3 were completed, only a few people flew in round 4.
In the past, the Nats have been one day for static judging and then the next two days to accomplish all of the flying. But just like 2021, weather forced us to get some of the flights in Friday due to incoming weather.
This year’s Nats started with practice on Thursday for many of the competitors arriving early to Site 4 at the back of AMA’s property. Unfortunately, at least half of the grass runway was overrun with ruts, tire tracks, as well as footprints from careless people abusing newly sown grass. All of that will have to be reseeded and rolled again.
