Stories from the Flight Line

NATS News

Coverage, results, and stories from the National Aeromodeling Championships.

Commemorative shirt series promotional graphic with men in a field.
Celebrate 100 years of aviation history with the Nats Centennial Shirt Series! Commemorative shirts feature designs from pivotal moments like the 1923 inaugural competition and the post-WWII Victory Nats. Order by midnight EST on 05/17/2026 for shipping on 05/29/2026. Wear your piece of history today!
May 4, 2026
Two people shaking hands, one holding a 2023 award plaque, both smiling.

2025 F3A National Champion Joseph Szczur. (Jon Dieringer photo)

The 2025 RC Aerobatics Nats concluded with perfect weather and high-quality flying. Competitors in Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Masters, and FAI F3A classes showcased their skills in multiple rounds. The event culminated in a celebratory banquet where awards were presented, friendships rekindled, and plans for next year began.
Aug 25, 2025
Three people smiling under blue and white tents at an outdoor event.

Rusty Dose with Kasey and Valerie Johnson. They live in East Grand Forks, MN. Kasey has been flying for five years, and this is his first time at the NATS. He is 17 years old.

Competition resumed on Thursday for the final round of preliminary flights, but low clouds and a crosswind delayed the start. After a 90-minute wait, flights resumed, challenging pilots' crosswind skills. Friday's events include Masters and F3A finals, alongside Advanced, Sportsman, and Intermediate rounds. Finalists were announced at the day's end.
Aug 22, 2025
Man posing with colorful model airplane on grassy field.

F3A Pilot Troy Newman of Goodyear, AZ with his Wei Yang Proteus Biplane.

Nineteen Masters-class pilots gathered at 8 am on Wednesday morning for their third and fourth rounds. However, the weather gods had other ideas as the clouds were low, and the ceilings were only 400 to 500 feet at the start time. After several flights to determine whether the clouds had risen high enough to enable competition flying to begin, it was finally okay to fly without constraint.

Aug 21, 2025
Three men laughing near a model airplane on a runway.

Results from the competition rounds flown on Tuesday, August 19 can be seen on the National Society of Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) website

Aug 20, 2025
Aerobatic planes on a tarmac, one in flight, with spectators watching.

Santiago Perez flying his freestyle routine.

The final day of the 2025 IMAC Nationals at AMA Headquarters brought the contest to a strong finish after a challenging weather delay. Unfortunately, Thursday's schedule was completely washed out due to persistent rain and low ceilings throughout the day, forcing contest organizers to push the remaining rounds to Friday.

Aug 4, 2025
Man holding large model glider on grassy field.

Anatol Polillo flying his first Nats!

With the conclusion of the 2025 AMA/LSF Soaring Nats, I'm left with a feeling of joy! The seasoned attendees and first-timers all had a great time flying with old and new friends. Glider Camp is just awesome!

Aug 1, 2025
Small propeller plane on tarmac at sunset.

Kim Quenette's beautiful Jtec Plane.

It was another action-packed day at the 2025 IMAC Nationals in Muncie, Indiana, as competitors returned to Site 3 at AMA Headquarters ready to tackle a full schedule.

Jul 31, 2025
Model airplanes on an airfield, people gather in the background.

 A display of aircraft with canopy covers at the 2025 IMAC Nats.

After a full day of practice yesterday, the 2025 IMAC Nationals officially kicked off contest flying today, at AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana. Despite a foggy and low-ceiling morning that delayed our 6:45 am pilot meeting by nearly an hour, the IMAC pilots quickly got to work and made up for lost time with impressive efficiency and focus.

Jul 30, 2025

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