A note regarding future AMA sponsorship of FAI Events
If you recall, the last committee business we voted on was approving a plan to hold the 2005 FAI Scale Team Selection at the 2005 Nationals in Muncie. As you undoubtedly read in Model Aviation and the NASA newsletters, that event was a complete success and produced a U.S. Scale Team that competed in the WC in Sweden last summer.

While I am not pointing a finger at this team, the results were less than spectacular. In fact, this is another in a string of “also ran” results that our FAI Scale program has been recording in recent history. And it does not bode well for the future of FAI scale in this country. Folks, in case you haven’t heard, the U.S. FAI Scale Team program is in serious jeopardy of loosing AMA funding!
In November 2005 the AMA FAI Executive Committee (Dave Brown, Bob Underwood, and Bob Brown) and the AMA Competition Department made significant changes to the AMA document Proceedures Governing the Academy's Sponsorship of FAI Teams (formerly known as the "blue book", it is now white). If you don't have a copy of the new "white book", you can download it by clicking here.
The most significant change in Academy’s FAI program is that from now on the AMA's funding of FAI teams will be performance based. In other words, to receive AMA funding in the future the scale team program must meet or exceed certain clearly spelled out levels of participation and achievement. A point system has been put in place that measures this performance over two WC cycles combined. It's all spelled out in detail in the new white book, Proceedures Governing the Academy's Sponsorship of FAI Teams. The bottom line is ... the U.S. FAI Scale Team program is close to failing those minimum performance requirements. The next U.S. Scale Team MUST do better at the World Championships or AMA funding may cease
On the good news front, an anonymous fan of FAI scale recently made a substantial donation of money to the AMA with the stipulation that it be used for the betterment of the AMA's FAI Scale program. One of the first benefits of this generosity will be a major new FAI scale event to be held in Muncie on September 20-23, 2007. The name of the event is the USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS. This contest will feature $10,000 in CASH AWARDS to the winners - 1st place $2,000, 2nd $1,000, 3rd $800, 4th $700, and 5th $500 - for both F4C and F4B. Hopefully the cash prizes will encourage more people to get involved with FAI scale, and that would certainly benefit our program in the long run. This new event is being organized by Stan Alexander and NASA.
In discussions with several people at the NATS last summer (including Bob Underwood, and STSC members George Buso, Stan Alexander, John Buckley, and Gary Parenti), it was generally agreed that it could be beneficial to select the next U.S. FAI Scale Team at the USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS in September, instead of at the NATS as was done in 2004 and 2005. One of the most compelling reasons to combine the next FAI scale team selection with the USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS is that trying to have 3 major FAI events next summer (the NATS, the USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS, and a separate FAI TEAM SELECTION event) could be detrimental to participation in all of them. They would be too closely spaced together time wise for many competitors to get to them all. So combining seems logical. There is also the hoped for benefit of increased participation due to the draw of big money prizes, which the winners could use to offset the costs of their trip to Poland in 2008.
So that possibility is in the works. But before that can become official, AMA procedures require a “call for bids” to host the 2007 scale team selection. A bid is presently being prepared by Stan Alexander of NASA to host the team selection at their USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS in September, as outlined in the last paragraph. Other bids may happen, but at this time, I know of no one preparing an alternative bid.
As we progress through the year, please continue to visit the NASA web site for the most up-to-date information.

Best regards,
Mike Gretz, Chairman
Scale Team Selection Committee

NEW USA FAI SCALE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 07!

USA FAI Scale Championships for both F4C and F4B classes in September 2007. This is the off year for most of the FAI competitors and will be AFTER the USA FAI Scale Team Selection. What will be the awards one might ask? A trophy? A kit? A couple of bottles of glue? Nope! How about a total purse of $10,000.00 Which factors out to $5,000.00 per class with the 1st place in each event, receiving $2000 at the end of the Championships!
The Championships will be hosted by NASA and AMA with FAI experienced judges on line for the event. Some from outside the country! Competitors from the USA with their AMA card will be eligible for the championships.
The dates have been set for Muncie, Indiana (AMA’s International Flying Site) so mark your calendar and start building. We will be flying two flight lines per class and show the rest of the world how to do it!
There will be entry fees to help cover the cost of the judges and administration like most events, other details are being worked out now, but the dates have been set already so we are looking for a great turnout! Event Directors are in place as are the major Sponsors, who are already lining up to be a part of this event.
Download a copy of our new advertisement/flyer by clicking here.

2008 Scale World Championships
Hosted by the Aeroklub Polski
Events include F4B & F4C as well as for the first time
F4B for Juniors
July- the later part of the month.
Venue: is Wloclawek, a town situated 155 km north-west of Warsaw. Many events in various air sports including many Nationals for Scale have been organized on the airfield of the Wloclawek Aero Club so far, including the 2001 European Championships.
The flying field is located in Kruszyn, 10 km away from Wloclawek where it offers very good conditions for the scale contest.
They include:

• asphalt runway for R/C models
• asphalt runway for C/L models
• three hangers
• office building with conference room, rooms for FAI Jury and judges.
• café

National Teams:
Each National Airsports Control may enter a team consisting of:

• 3 competitors in F4B
• 3 Junior competitors in F4B
• 3 Competitors in F4C
• Individual Reigning World Champions in F4B and F4C have the right to defend their title.
• Team Manager for F4B
• Team Manager for F4C
• Official helpers
• Supporters
• Observers

Sports Director
Stefan Kraszewski ( who we remember was the Sports Director for the 2004 World Championships in Deblen, Poland.

2006 NATS and WC photo galleries online!
Online now are new photo galleries taken during this year's 2006 World Championships in Sweden, as well as the 2006 Scale Nationals and Indoor Scale Classic in Muncie, Indiana. Clicking the links below will bring up the gallery in a new window.