F3C: Swiss Cup and COVID-19

We are entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit everyone hard—including daily life and various sports. However, our F3C model flying division had already begun to “struggle” before that, whether in the FAI sector or, specifically, in the Swiss Cup’s entry-level and advancement programs. While F3C FAI continued to see encouraging participation numbers—thanks in part to participants from neighboring countries—we’ve had to cancel Swiss Cup competitions in recent seasons due to low turnout, and not just because of the pandemic.

This prompted the Swiss Cup team to get to the bottom of the matter, partly in response to criticisms from various quarters. On September 4, 2021, we therefore invited participants to a discussion session—featuring free flying—at the MG Unteres Aaretal (MGUA) model flying field instead of holding a competition. Several good suggestions were received, which we reviewed afterward and decided to implement as follows:

• Starting in 2022, we will implement an F3C flight program consisting of 19 maneuvers, ranging from beginner to advanced pilot levels.
• Of the 19 maneuvers, 2 mandatory and 5 optional—for a total of 7 maneuvers—must be flown, and these will be judged by three judges.
• We will hold two training days dedicated to learning, free flying/training, sharing experiences, and fostering camaraderie.
• Two competitions will be held each year; there will no longer be annual rankings, and no trophies will be awarded, though the “Pilot of the Day” award will continue. There will also be no “exclusions” among participants.

We will launch this initiative in 2022 and evaluate the results at the end of the year during the second training day. If we succeed in rekindling the joy of model helicopter flying and the interest in competing through aerobatics, and if we attract at least about 10 pilots per event, the Swiss Cup will have secured its future. Otherwise, the current team will disband and make way for new ideas and organizers. It is unacceptable to make efforts to enable entry into—or advancement toward—the demanding FAI pilot level in this wonderful recreational sport, only to find that interest has waned and people are no longer seeking it out. Every beginning is difficult; every path to advancement has its own course and requires experience. The Swiss Cup has successfully addressed this in Switzerland for years.

The Swiss Cup team believes that this adjustment creates a platform for beginners and advanced F3C pilots who enjoy aerobatics, want to set goals for themselves, and—if desired—can also make the transition to the higher class of F3C-FAI pilots. This also achieves an important goal: meeting with like-minded people, exchanging ideas, gaining experience, and receiving tips on setup and flying. We look forward to a large number of participants and interested individuals in the upcoming 2022 season.

The Swiss Cup team believes that this adjustment creates a platform for beginners and advanced F3C pilots who enjoy aerobatics, want to set goals for themselves, and—if desired—can also make the transition to the higher class of F3C-FAI pilots. This also achieves an important goal: meeting like-minded people, exchanging ideas, gaining experience, and getting tips on setup and flying. We look forward to a large number of participants and interested individuals in the upcoming 2022 season.

The pilot selects five (5) figures from the following catalog; the first two (2) figures are mandatory.

The maneuvers have a K-factor of 1 or 1.5.

The seven figures will be announced upon registration and will then apply to the two or three rounds on the day of the competition.

All details regarding the new routine program, including descriptions, etc., can be found on the Swiss Cup website and are available for download:

www.f3c.ch

Those interested can also find the dates there or note them down as follows:

• First training day: April 23, 2022
• First competition day: May 14, 2022
• Second competition day: August 27, 2022
• Second training/information day: October 1, 2022

The Swiss Cup has been running for 16 seasons, and none of the original founders are still on the team today. The organizing team consists of Markus Speckert (President), Ueli Brunner, George Emmanouelidis, Simon Schmid, and yours truly, Walter Heller. Some of us are “getting on in years,” so we need new “helping hands” and fresh ideas. Even though there isn’t all that much to do during the year outside of competition days, we’re looking for new faces.

Much of the work during the season is handled by phone and email. A great deal of equipment has accumulated, which needs to be maintained, managed, and transported to the competitions. We meet at the competitions and, of course, at the final meeting in November. Writing reports and invitations, taking and organizing photos, managing, seeking out, and securing sponsors, maintaining a website, and managing the finances are also tasks that need to be handled by the IG. Therefore, replacements and support are urgently needed to ensure the successful continuation of this IG. If you’re interested, please contact Markus Speckert at info@swiss-cup.ch.

So, get “fit for F3C,” enjoy the off-season, train hard, think about your flight program, and set your goals for the upcoming F3C season. It could be the last Swiss Cup if nothing changes in this regard.

Walter Heller is a member of the Swiss Cup and the MG Rapperswil-Jona