Free Flight: Duration
Junior Team
The Free Flight Aeromodelling Junior World Championships is an international competition sponsored by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) for competitors under 19 years of age. The first Junior World Championships was held in 1988.
This year, four young modelers will represent the United States at the Sixth World Free Flight Aeromodelling Championships for Juniors, to be held in Sibiu, Romania. The contest will be held August 15–21.
The US team will consist of David Ellis, John Barron, and Steven Coussens flying F1A towline gliders, and Austin Gunder flying F1J (gas power). Unfortunately, there will be no US team members flying in the F1B (Wakefield rubber power) event.
Team Members
David Ellis
David Ellis is a 14-year-old eighth-grader at Hampton Hall Country Day School in Guilford, CT. He has flown F1A for four years. He was a member of the United States Junior team that flew two years ago at the 1996 Junior Champs in Krakow, Poland.
Last year he was chosen to accompany the US Open Team to the World Championships in Sazena, Czech Republic as Junior Assistant Manager. While there he flew in an open international contest and placed 10th in a field of 156 fliers. He has also done well in domestic contests, including a win and a second place at the last two King Orange International contests in Palm Bay, Florida.
John Barron
John Barron is a 12-year-old seventh-grader at North Haven Middle School in North Haven, CT. Although he has only been flying F1A for a year, he placed seventh at the last AMA Nationals. John's other interests include soccer, math, and playing the clarinet.
Steven Coussens
Steven Coussens is a 13-year-old seventh-grader at Placentia Junior High in Valencia, CA. He has been flying F1A for two years and always gives Open fliers a run for their money. At California meets last spring he placed second at the Southern California Aero Team Annual, beating his father. His other interests include roller hockey.
Austin Gunder
Austin Gunder is a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Macie-Gable School, Red Lion, PA. He has flown F1J for three years. Last year he won the Junior event at the AMA Nationals in Muncie, IN. Austin says he enjoys aeromodeling because it is something he can do with his father.
Team Manager
George Batiuk Jr. will be the team manager. George is an experienced, accomplished F1B flier and an important, patient, experienced coach and manager. He was manager of the last Junior team as well as the US Open team at the 1997 World Championships.
US Junior Program
The purpose of the US Junior Program is to provide a substantial reward for young Free Flight aeromodelers who have demonstrated a high degree of interest in the hobby and a willingness to continually improve their skills. The program is open to any interested person who will be under age 19 for the entire year of the Junior World Championship and who is a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).
Team Selection
Team members are chosen by contest records and a written application. Potential members fly America's Cup contests. The America's Cup program is sponsored by the Southern California Aero Team.
- Points are awarded for the top five placings in FAI events.
- Approximately 20 contests are held around the United States each year.
- High-point winners at the end of the year receive America's Cup awards for their respective events.
- Placings for prospective Junior Team members count as 50% of the total score.
- The other 50% comes from consideration of the written application; potential members are asked to write a brief narrative about themselves and their aeromodeling objectives.
- The Junior team is selected by a committee: Bob Sifleet, Blane Miller (chairman), and Jim Parker.
Funding and Donations
The entire Junior Team Program is funded by private donations. Neither the AMA nor the NAA contributes. The estimated budget for team travel to Romania (entry fees, lodging, meals, rental cars) is $11,250.
There are four Juniors who are very much alive and very interested in Free Flight — and they need your help. Any donation, no matter how small, will help. You can send a check to the AMA, but be sure to designate that it is for the Junior Free Flight Team. You can also send a check directly to George Batiuk at:
1759 Southwood San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Please get your check in the mail today.
Sympo '98
The Symposium of the National Free Flight Society (NFFS) is an annual publication that covers a broad range of topics, from the theoretical to the practical. This year's editor, Daniel Tracy, has put together an excellent assortment of articles and papers. Some of the topics include:
- "Thrust Testing of Small Engines" by Bob Stalick.
- "Propeller Efficiency" by Jack Norris, a definitive work on the most-elusive and least-understood of subjects.
- "F1B Trimming" by Peter King. The results of a survey of noted Wakefield fliers from around the world.
- "The Hand-Launched Glider Event" by Kevin Brown.
- "Dihedral Angle" by Andy Bauer. How much to use and why.
- "The F1D Event" by Steve Brown. The future of this indoor duration event.
- "CO2" by Fritz Mueller. Insights into the subtle aspects of CO2 flying.
- "Moon Dates" by Hermann Andresen. The Moon's cyclical effects on ultimate outdoor performance.
- "Flutter" by Len Sherman. What it is and how to avoid it.
- "Electronic Timer Software" by Roger Morrell. Second-generation avionics update.
- "The Future of Youth in Our Hobby" by Art Ellis.
- "The Builder of the Model Controversy" by Charlie Stiles.
- "Seelig Care and F1C Trimming" by Doug Galbreath.
- "Color of Models, an Empirical Study" by Ross Jahnke. What colors offer the best visibility?
- "DT Sinking Speed and Model Retrieval" by Jeff Annis.
In addition, Bob Perkins and his selection committee will present the Ten Models of the Year, the annual selection of the outstanding models in each category. Also included will be this year's inductees into the Free Flight Hall of Fame.
Copies of the 1998 Sympo should be available for purchase at the NFFS banquet held during the Nats, or from:
Fred Terzian NFFS Publications 4858 Moorpark Ave. San Jose, CA 95129
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
