Aerobatics is a sport that requires concentration

When it comes to model aircraft flying, in my experience there’s still a lot of room for improvement. I could name names and teams. Mistakes are made that border on—or even cross the line into—stupidity or negligence. In team sports, the vast majority of the credit for the athletes’ focused behavior must go to the leadership or coaching staff. As a role model, the coach must exude a certain calmness. Emotional behavior rarely helps.

The Swiss Model Aviation Association offers professional concentration exercises. However, participants must cover part of the costs, because concentration not only enhances athletic performance but also generally enables people to tackle challenging life tasks. It has been observed time and again that model aviators who excel in highly precise and demanding professional roles also succeed in the sport of model aviation. Concentration can also be trained on your own. This can be done through various proven concentration exercises, such as those from Asian or Indian cultures. Creating something beautiful and technically challenging demands more concentration from the brain than the media overload provided by TV, social media, and the constant beeping of a smartphone in your pocket.

Especially in technical sports like model aircraft flying, the groundwork is laid during the preparation of the model aircraft. The testing and trial phases are complete. Checklists can be reassuring and take some of the pressure off the mind—what have I forgotten? Preparing the equipment is calming in itself. Even the final practice sessions need to go off without a hitch. Any persistent problems can get on your nerves and lead to overreactions.

Practicing frequently is, in itself, good preparation. You know the entire sequence of the routine.

Still, having an assistant with a checklist is reassuring. Things get more challenging with unfamiliar flight programs. That would be unthinkable without intensive support from the “co-pilot.” Either way, the pilot will mentally go over his maneuver sequences one more time before the flight, focusing especially on specific critical points. Clear checklists are indispensable tools.

Time and again, I’ve noticed how model airplane pilots lose their focus or their performance drops sharply after a failed maneuver or other difficulties. This could have disastrous consequences in the final tally. Concentration, in this context, also means staying fully focused on the task at hand. Giving up is not an option!