AMA Nats: CL Aerobatics
Ted Fancher
Overview
The battle to determine the best Control Line Stunt fliers in the United States for 1988 is history. The story of this year's Nats is less about winners and losers and more about people, places, and the individuality pilots bring to the sport. The event, held in Chesapeake, VA, drew nearly 80 pilots and showcased experimentation, progress, and refined expectations for the future.
Advanced class proved its value, attracting about 30 entries that might not have competed otherwise. The supplemental Advanced event provided a consistent yardstick for those committed to the sport and encouraged broader participation.
Open Championship and Concours d'Elegance
Open top finishers:
- 1st: Jim Casale (1983, 1985 champion) — Open champion; Walker Cup winner.
- 2nd: Paul Walker (1984–1987 champion).
- 3rd: Ted Fancher (1982, 1986 champion).
- 4th: Windy Urtnowski.
- 5th: Kaz Minato (Japan) — notable international finisher.
Concours d'Elegance:
- Winner: Jim Casale's "Columbia" — red, white and blue U.S. World Champs team regalia; awarded a perfect score (20 points).
- Runner-up: Windy Urtnowski's "Cardinal" — also awarded a perfect score (20 points).
- Special mention: John Burns (Richmond, VA) — near-scale Grumman Wildcat with a realistic weathered finish. Although many judges voted for it, the ship was placed low in appearance scoring because it lacked the glossy finish traditional Stunters favor. PAMPA should develop clearer appearance guidelines so exemplary work like Burns' receives appropriate recognition.
Advanced Class and Supplemental Awards
- Advanced class winner: Nat Gifford — also Senior champion.
- 2nd (Advanced): John Davis (flying a Pro-Magnum).
- 3rd (Advanced): Mike Pratt (designer of the Sig Magnum).
At least seven Sig Magnums were entered, making the design a popular option for the new Advanced class. Junior and Senior fliers may enter the supplemental Advanced event; it provides valuable exposure and the opportunity to fly alongside Open fliers during qualifying.
Junior and Senior Results
- Senior champion: Nat Gifford (also Advanced winner).
- 2nd (Senior): Todd Lee.
- 3rd (Senior): David "Little Bear" Giesecke — flew a Giesecke Noble powered by a Fox .35.
- Junior champion: Archie Adamisin, Jr. — son of Archie Sr. and grandson of "Big Art" Adamisin. Atlanta's Scott Castleberry, a protege of Tom Dixon, challenged Archie heavily.
Old-Time Stunt (OTS)
The unofficial OTS event, now a Nats fixture, was contested on Monday and attracted many enthusiastic supporters.
- OTS overall winner and Spirit of '52 award: James Lee (Topeka, KS) — flew a Super Zilch powered by an Anderson Spitfire ignition engine.
- OTS Concours award: Todd Lee — Galloping Comedian in yellow-and-lime-green silk.
Some controversy arose over acceptable modifications to qualified OTS designs. PAMPA plans to form a committee, chaired by Don McClave, to develop an approved interpretation of OTS eligibility rules.
International Flavor and Competitive Depth
This year saw a strong international presence. Several foreign pilots not only competed but reached the top levels of qualifying:
- Kazuhio "Kaz" Minato (Japan) — first-time top-20 flier in Lincoln (1987); finished 5th in the Walker Cup flyoff and demonstrated he can compete at the highest level. Kaz and his wife Mariko were noted for their charm and skill.
- Henk de Jong (Netherlands) — solid performance; earned Rookie of the Year as the highest-placing first-time qualifier.
- Brian Eather (Australia) — strong qualifier.
- Other internationals included Eli Rosenberg (Israel) and Jeff Reeves (Australia), who narrowly missed qualifying in their circles.
At the end of Friday's top-20 flyoff, scoring was exceptionally high: only three fliers failed to break 1,000 points for two flights. This was the most competitive Nats in depth since the current four-day format began in 1977. The event also marked the first time a non-U.S. citizen qualified for the Walker Cup flyoff.
First-time qualifiers included Don Melanson (Baton Rouge) and, in a different sense, Billy Suarez.
Notable Performance: Bob Whitely
Bob Whitely (Fountain Valley, CA), 1977 Walker Cup winner, made a spectacular showing flying a twin-engined Stunter:
- Aircraft: "L.A. Heat," red, powered by two Tom Lay-prepared OS Max .35s.
- Result: 6th place in a very competitive field.
Whitely's twin showed that dual engines need not double the problems; engines lit reliably and the ship flew beautifully. After a snapped line and crash during qualifying, Whitely, with help from Jeff Reeves and Tom Lay, repaired the ship and nearly qualified for the Walker Flyoff — an extraordinary effort.
PAMPA Meeting and Awards Banquet
The traditional PAMPA business meeting, chaired by President Tom Dixon, was well attended. Major discussion included the possibility of professionally publishing the PAMPA newsletter on a regular schedule (every other month or quarterly).
At the awards banquet, excitement was slightly muted because Jim Casale and Paul Walker departed immediately after the Walker Flyoff to prepare for the World Championships in Kiev. Waldo Cargill accepted awards on Jimmy's behalf and read a brief thank-you note from him.
A notable sign of the event's high standard: the paydirt award (given for significant memory lapses costing points) was not awarded — nobody committed such errors; everyone flew well.
Thanks and Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Event Director Doug Figgs and his crew:
- Assistant Director: Ronnie Farmer
- Chief tabulator: Mary Gebhar (with Barbara Shearer and Sheree Farcher)
- Chief judge: Don Zimmer (and 11 judges)
- Pit crews coordinator: Charity Pate
- Runners, recorders, and many other volunteers
It takes many dedicated people to run a Nats Stunt event right, and these volunteers did a great job.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
