Successful Swiss Model Aircraft Pilots

FAI Free Flight World Championships featuring magnet-controlled gliders in Turda, Romania

The Swiss team, consisting of René Pfister, Andreas Tschanz, and Heinz Bleuer, secured an excellent third place out of twelve teams in the team standings, behind Romania and France.

With a little luck, a medal might also have been within reach in the individual standings, as René Pfister didn’t lose the bronze until the second tiebreaker and ultimately finished in a strong fourth place. With these results, the Swiss free-flight specialists have demonstrated that, despite not exactly being blessed with suitable training grounds, they have certainly kept pace with the world’s best. Free-flight competitions using magnetic or compass controls take place exclusively on slopes and hills. The forested, grassy hills of Transylvania are ideal for hosting large F1E competitions. A particularly noteworthy aspect of this model flying discipline is the significant physical exertion required of both competitors and helpers. Descending into the valley several times during a competition to retrieve one’s aircraft and then returning to the launch site means that the total elevation gain can easily exceed 1,000 meters. This gives the term “model aviation” a very vivid dimension. Furthermore, the participants’ exceptionally strong connection to nature is fascinating—without it, success in this class is impossible. The participation of 24 junior male and female pilots from ten countries—two from Switzerland—was particularly gratifying. Let anyone still claim that free flight is dying out. GZ