Nothing New Among the Fast Electric Sailboats

The first FAI World Championship class for electric aircraft is now on more stable ground. The move away from the constant, almost compulsive tinkering with the rules has contributed significantly to this. The half-dozen dedicated Swiss F5B pilots demonstrate a remarkable level of skill and hold their own on the international stage. Unfortunately—if we set aside the idle chatter—there are no young talents on the horizon.

The organizing committee at NOS organized two competitions in collaboration with MV Pfäffikon and MG Mörsburg. Patrick Häusler from Buttikon competed once again at the Swiss Championships in Pfäffikon, which really put the other participants under pressure. That’s how it should be. GZ

Or... the end of a two-year selection period marked by the coronavirus pandemic...

By early 2019, they were ready: the models for the F5B World Championships in Bulgaria. Ready for the start of the season: the team, in constant communication via WhatsApp. The lockdown in the spring then effectively wiped out the entire 2019 season. Only during the “2019 COVID-19 summer break” was there a single, somewhat international competition—the international F5B competition in Flaachtal, which also counted as the Swiss Championship—where the Swiss team showed they were in World Championship form.

This led to a true “showdown” on October 9 in Wittenwil. This competition, held at the end of a season marked by countless postponements and cancellations, became not only a national team qualifier but also the only Eurotour competition and, at the same time, the only FAI World Cup of 2020. So, quite literally, there was a lot at stake. And it wasn’t just any crowd that showed up—it was the crème de la crème: Four world champions were on the starting line, the entire German national team, two top French pilots, and Gerben van Berkum, the reigning world champion and standout performer of recent years. Everything was thus set for a fitting end to the season. With Wolfgang Schulz as jury president—who is also the “inventor” of the F5B measurement system used worldwide—it was ensured that everything would proceed in accordance with the rules. The Mörsburg Model Flying Club, along with its volunteers, perfectly complemented Emil’s measurement team and contributed to the event’s great success. President Christoph Peter and Vice President Carlo Fornasier didn’t hesitate to take on the responsible role of A-line judges. As for the competition itself: Everyone was determined to show what they were still capable of, come hell or high water, so no one really made it through without a mistake. A control error, a motor-assisted approach, a motor malfunction, a stuttering motor, etc.—each of the top-ranked pilots had 1–2 “little mishaps.” So everyone hoped it would be just one slip-up that could be discarded as the worst result. The tension was high, as the top half of the field had all “blasted through” 49- and 50-kilometer courses. This was under initially overcast skies (which called for conserving energy for the endurance flight) and wind blowing away from the course—not exactly conditions known for speed.

The surprise came at the awards ceremony: It was closer than ever before—first place (Marco) and second place (Thomas) were tied on points, third place (Gerben) was just 0.1 points behind, and even fourth place (Lucas) was only 6 points behind (less than one course). This was with a total of just under 3,000 points. In the end, the better discarded result had to tip the scales to determine the day’s winner...

This also sealed the selection of the national team, and the current national team will likely represent Switzerland again next year (pending formal confirmation by the FaKo). One small detail: Over the course of the two years, all three pilots had flown 49, 50, and occasionally even 51 and 52-kilometer flights in all the flights that counted toward the standings... The top pilots are supported—and constantly challenged—by Andy Lang (propeller master) and Ralf Drinkmann, who flew his first 1,000-meter flight in Wittenwil.

Perhaps some of them had a little more time to tinker and test—precisely because of the pandemic—without having to travel from competition to competition... Bring on the next season!

Marco Cantoni