Swiss Akro Connection «goes» Rookie

Both the competitions and the training opportunities are focused on camaraderie and are designed to foster enjoyment of this wonderful hobby and build friendships that extend beyond the group’s boundaries. In the summer, training sessions are held every Thursday evening, and everyone is warmly invited to attend. Participation in the training sessions is free of charge. The schedule, which includes information on when and where training takes place, can be viewed on the website www.swissakro.ch. An SMS service is also available to keep you updated on the latest information. A judge is often present at the training sessions; they always have a few flight programs on hand and provide helpful support with tips and corrections. Beginners always have the opportunity to pick up many tips and tricks from helpful fellow pilots and judges. For each training session, tow pilots make themselves available with their tow planes to ensure that training runs smoothly. The glider pilot can determine the takeoff altitude themselves; the tow pilot ensures this using a built-in variometer.

There are often pilots who would like to fly along,

but don’t have the necessary equipment or skills to do so. The model is too small for the 400 to 500-meter launch altitude, the model isn’t designed for pure aerobatics, the pilot’s skills aren’t quite there yet, and so on. That’s exactly why the Swiss Akro Connection has decided to offer a beginner category. To truly give beginners and recreational pilots a chance, all glider models are permitted in this category—whether EPO, ARF, Superorchidee, F3B, F3J, etc., or homebuilt. The only requirements are a tow hook or a built-in motor and a variometer to reach the starting altitude of 300 m above ground level. The special beginner program, consisting of five maneuvers and the landing, takes all the critical points mentioned above into account and can be flown with any model. The maneuver positions are arranged along an axis in front of the pilot. For the start, you fly into the wind. In the middle, you fly a 360° circle. During this circle, the model should not change its attitude or pitch; continuous descent is permitted. After that, on the side

A half-roll descent (first a half-roll, then level off immediately). Then fly back to the center and perform a large, round loop. After that, head full throttle to the other side into a half-circle of 180°. Here, too, the model’s attitude and bank angle should not be changed (as with the circle). Now fly

back to the center to perform a nice roll. To land into the wind, fly another half-circle to the side (Figure 6) and then a straight line (Figure 7); both maneuvers are not scored. Finally, there’s the landing, which is again part of the scoring—phew, we made it.

On April 27, 2013, the Wettingen Model Aircraft Club (http://www.modellflugwettingen.ch/) will host the joint regional championship for NOS, OST, and Central Switzerland, at which the beginner’s program will be flown for the first time. If you’re interested, you can

register at www.swissakro.ch. Anyone who’d like to practice a bit beforehand is welcome to join our Thursday training sessions. We’re always happy to see new faces. So see you on April 27, 2013, at MG Wettingen or at one of our Thursday evening training sessions. as