GAM Sion Youth Tournament

Since May 2006, GAM Sion has been running a school for young model builders. There, they learn the basics of building and tuning scale models. In 2009, the GAM school welcomed more than a dozen young people. At the same time, the traditional building methods favored by the instructors (Yves Sedlatchek and Jérôme Savioz) have gradually given way to foam kits.

Consequently, young pilots’ interest shifted toward flying rather than building. With this in mind, the GAM Sion committee, led by President Olivier Moret, organized a competition for young pilots. The 1st Youth Cup (CDJ) was born.

The CDJ rules call for a championship-style competition, with a round held on the first Sunday of each month, as well as a final in October. The required maneuvers are chosen by the organizers. For the first rounds, only simple maneuvers (barrel roll, loop, Immelmann, Cuban half-figure-eight) were selected. This allowed competitors to defend their positions using any type of aircraft. Beyond pure aerobatics, the judges strive to instill sound fundamentals in the pilots: adherence to scheduled flight times, flight zones, flight paths, and announcement of maneuvers. These requirements have not

The goals were never quite met, but progress was evident with each round. With time and experience on their side, the competitors had ample opportunity to test their determination by tackling increasingly technical tricks.

The 2009 event was a real success, with no fewer than 11 pilots registered. Some senior members were more than happy to step into the role of judges for a Sunday morning.

Participation was slightly lower for the 2010 edition, as two of our pilots had moved up to compete in international aerobatics, but there was still plenty of enthusiasm and some truly impressive performances.

Now it’s time to prepare registrations for 2011. The schedule includes three heats plus a final, with, as always, great prizes for the top finishers.

For more information:
[www.gamsion.ch](http://www.gamsion.ch) → “Activities” section.