2022 Swiss Competition

The aircraft:
An electric glider approximately 2 m in size, with a maximum weight of 1,400 g.

Flight area:
As shown on the map, an area 150 m long with an open sky.

Tasks:
Endurance flight, gliding, landing.

Course flight:
The 150-meter distance must be covered as far as possible without using the motor within 200 seconds. At points A and B, respectively, there are two inspectors who confirm with an audible signal that the run has been completed in accordance with the rules. To reach the starting altitude, a maximum of 10 climb attempts are permitted outside the restricted zones. To monitor engine duration outside points A and B, a receiver is used that is connected to a box in the control center, which is linked to points A and B via radio. Takeoff occurs uphill outside point A, with the engine shut off after passing point A. If the glider crosses point A with the engine running, the flight will be considered a zero.

The gliding flight begins immediately after the route flight, without landing, and lasts exactly 600 seconds. Each second of flight is worth one point.

If necessary, the engine may be used at any time, but 3 points are deducted for every second it is running.

The landing must be precise at 600 seconds; for every second over or under that time, 1 point is deducted.

The landing zone consists of three circles: the smallest has a diameter of 10 m and is worth 30 points, the medium one is 20 m with 20 points, and the largest is 30 m with 10 points. Any pilot whose flight exceeds 630 seconds does not earn any landing points, regardless of where they land. This is a brief explanation of the F5B category, excluding technical details regarding the glider’s construction and electrical system.

On a hot summer day, August 6, the drivers competed for valuable points; since there were four heats, some of them really worked up a sweat.

Thankfully, the GESV team was there. →

We were thoroughly spoiled with cold drinks and a barbecue party for lunch. It was a successful day, organized by the GESV group and Silentwings. A big thank you goes to Manrico Duzzi, president of GESV, along with all the members, and to Emil Giezendanner, chief judge of the championship race, including all the drivers.

See you soon, and stay healthy.

Wolfgang Völler

Saturday’s F5B and Sunday’s F5J events pose a real challenge for the organizing club, the volunteers, and the competition officials. The result is something to be proud of. Here, we’d like to take a brief look at Sunday’s F5J competition.

The F5J electric flight class, with its elegant, large, and lightweight F5J gliders, is probably the greatest success of the FAI electric flight competition classes to date. This has been demonstrated by the number of participants since the very first European Championships, World Championships, and FAI World Cup events.

Today, F5J is one of the RC categories with the highest number of participants and is extremely popular among young people. The large models have always been attractive to pilots and spectators alike. The models, made of laminated resin, have a wingspan of up to 4 m and weigh between 1 and 2 kg. Since 15 or more models take off simultaneously in large-scale competitions, F5J races are challenging and exciting for both competitors and spectators. These elegant gliders—large and beautiful—now fly at high speeds and can still almost “hover” before landing.

Finally, I’d like to thank the San Vittore Model Aircraft Group (GESV) for the superb organization of the event, the excellent cuisine, and, of course, the impeccable competitive support provided by the club members. Where else can you find world and European champions sitting at the starting line as F5B judges for an entire day and then serving as timekeepers on the second day? And all this in a competition class that isn’t even run by the club itself?

Emil Giezendanner

P.S. More information on F5J can be found in the report on the European Championships in Hungary in mfs 6-22