The entry for the nationals is now open.
All classes to be flown. This has also been chosen to be our team selection event for the 2026 European champs. This is open to all who wish to take part in qualifying and will include both P&F schedules.
To be clear, my fault with the wording, the nationals is open to all classes. Please if you can make it come along for a fabulous weekend with your fellow competitors
Please use the normal entry form 2 day event section.
Entry list.
FAI P&F - National Championship & Team Selection for 2026 European Championship
James Fallowfield
Kevin Caton
Malcolm Balfour
Dan Workman
Brandon Ransley
Peter Madden
Garry Peacock
FAI P Only
Brian Hoare
Steven Smithey
Stephen Simm
Pete Scholes
Adrian Harrison
Gerhard Fehringer
Ken Moss
Mark Allen
Philip Lewis
Masters A 25
Darren Dorgan
Intermediate
Clubman
Entry level.
Hi Garry,
Payment and entry sent.
Many thanks
Stephen
Fabulous, thank you Stephen
Hi Gary
Really sorry but going to withdraw my entry to natts
Can you do this for me.
Do I recieve a refund ?
Regards Steve
Hi Garry,
Form and payment sent.
Thanks,
Darren
Just over two weeks to go and we have nine entries for our National Championships...
For comparison we had 22 for the combined UKF3A combined Championships and World Cup. Should we consider condensing these into one event for next year?
When there was a large combined Nationals run by the BMFA at Barkston Heath, we could justify two separate events, but running two similar competitions at Buckminster isn't cost effective with the site costing around £400 for each weekend.
Any other thoughts?
Sorry but I am unable to attend due to other commitments at that time of which I made you aware, otherwise I would have been there.
I always considered the Nationals to be a highlight of the competition calendar and it is sad to see there are just 9 entries with two weeks to go.
I would hate to see this event lost from our calendar but can understand the issue of financial viability.
In reply to Kevin, would it be worth having just the one "nationals/champs" where we book Buckminster for 3 days. This would allow all day Friday for practise flights and make the high costs of accommodation more worthwhile. If we invited foreign competitors to attend then we could have a sort of World Cup without the costs associated that come with an FAI event.
We could make this the big event of the year with associated social elements. It might be better attended.
I think I'm going to enter. But will confirm at the beginning of September.
Is anyone else camping ?
I'm planning on getting there Friday afternoon (straight from holiday (call it keen, or mad ;D )
I've checked with Manny, there's a classic aerobatics meet, but they should finish at 5, and we can fly after that if we want
Hello all.
Final details for the national champs will be here later in the week but waned to mention that judging duties will be carried out by Al W plus a mix of everyone else. Not a huge entry list so no one will be overworked or asked to fly straight after a stint in the chair.
Thanks to all, Garry.
I think I may be a bit overworked😂
Keep the tea and coffee coming😁
Im happy to judge p's and lower.
Are we all going for a meal somewhere Saturday night? Who's driving?? ;D
hi Alan & all.
Sorry I can't be there to judge this year. But Alan's right.
Being in the chair can be out of sight & out of mind(!) and can seriously dry out your throat.... a nice cup of unexpected tea can work wonders.
Quote from: Dan Workman on 01, September 2025, 01:26:25 PMIm happy to judge p's and lower.
Are we all going for a meal somewhere Saturday night? Who's driving?? ;D
I'm camping (straight from holiday abroad) but meal sounds good, although I may have to pack everything away to drive 🤣
Quote from: Alan Williams on 01, September 2025, 12:35:02 PMI think I may be a bit overworked😂
Keep the tea and coffee coming😁
If the cafe isn't open, I'll be in my little camper, so can keep you topped up... bring a thermos cup ;D
Garry
What's the format for the P+F pilots?
Thanks
Brandon
Hi Brandon. It will be 4 rounds of P25 followed by 2 rounds of F25.
3 out of 4 P normalised scores will then be re normalised to 1000
1 out of 2 F normalised to count.
Total max score of 2000
In the event of bad weather, rounds 6 then 5 and so on will be dropped. If only 1 round of F Is flown then it will count. Any model failures etc would be an unavoidable missfortune.
Notice to all out there thinking of entering our National champs which is open for all classes .
ENTRY DEADLINE
Midnight tomorrow....Wednesday the 3rd.
Scoring system flight order can then be worked out Thursday onwards and announced on Friday.
Thanks as always to Phil.
The format for the p only, Masters, Intermediate, clubman and entry level will be to count 4 scores from 6 flights. So a max total of 4000.
Quote from: Darren Dorgan on 02, September 2025, 10:37:30 AMIf the cafe isn't open, I'll be in my little camper, so can keep you topped up... bring a thermos cup ;D
Thanks Darren, I think the kitchen in the hangar will be open so hot drink facility is ok. May need a gofer though :D :D
I understand that the cafe will be open, so please make sure we support it by buying some food & drink.
I will double check tomorrow.
Hi Everyone,
Unfortunately I'm not going to make it to the Nats this year. I was hoping to cover the Nats in RCM&E and can still do this if you can organise some good photos and let me know some nuggets of information as the comp goes on. In terms of photos, it is important that any group shots do not look a collection of pilots thrown together. I've attached a group shot from the WC's to illustrate how this might be achieved, but really any formation is okay.
It is really important to continue the coverage of the UKF3A activities so that the general modelling population know we are still here and and what we do. Please try to help me with this, I hope to get the article ready for Nov 2025 edition.
Good luck to all competitors and I hope you all have a great time.
Keith
I can confirm that the Flyers' Cafe will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 0830 until 1530.
Please pre-order if you can. I'm happy to collate breakfast order for Saturday - contact me directly for this please (email, WhatsApp, text etc.).
Quote from: Alan Williams on 03, September 2025, 05:27:01 PMThanks Darren, I think the kitchen in the hangar will be open so hot drink facility is ok. May need a gofer though :D :D
I can be a gofer 😁👍
On Gary's behalf here is the Nats Flight Order in the order that the schedules will be flown.
Please note this is a revision to one posted earlier.
Morning all.
Looking forward to a great time at Buckminster this weekend.
Everything is pretty much in place but I would like to hold a pilot briefing at 8-45 and start with round 1 at 9 o'clock which will give us time through the day for judges breaks and any problems that might occur.
The format for each round throughout the weekend will be :-
P only followed by Masters followed by p&f
Please double check that your fail safe is operating correctly as its a requirement and is each individuals responsibility.
See you all in the morning
Garry
On Gary's behalf, here are the results from the Nationals at Buckminster.
Phil
Good job Phil masterminding the scoring system for two loooong days and generating the results so promptly.
A
Many thanks to Garry and those that enabled the event this weekend, especially those that travelled purely to judge.
It's a shame the entry number was low but I thoroughly enjoyed it, I had a great catch up with a few faces that I've not seen for a while.
Saturday was challenging and against the odds Sunday turned out better, although I was the only one to fly in the rain (I took one for the team ;D ).
Knettishall this weekend will be my last comp with P25, then it's time to see how P27 looks.
Very enjoyable comp.
Thanks to Garry for organising, Al and Eddy and Eugene as non flying judges plus all pilot judges, especially Pete and Gerhard who judged a lot of the P+F and to my callers Jim and Kevin.
Also thanks to Phil Lewis for masterminding the notaumatic scoring system.
Congratulations to the various winners. Some very good flying throughout in difficult conditions.
I'm very pleased to be in the UK team for the EC in France in 2026.
Until next time. For some that is Knettishall where I am judging.
Brandon
I echo all the previous comments. I can see the amount of effort that goes into these comps, and it's great to see the general support, good humour and amazing flying.
For me, each competition just re-enforces what a great hobby this is, and what a great bunch to attend these events with - thanks to all the organisers and also all the competitors who make it such an enjoyable event (shame there aren't more 2 day events). Everyone I spoke to over the weekend gave good advice and each an every one of you are great representatives of UKF3A.
Big congrats to the UK team .... some amazing flying, and I think the level of competitors you had, pushed you all that bit harder.
Look forward to seeing some of you again soon at either Knettishall, Leicester or Phoenix ... can you tell I've got the bug ? :)
Agree, well said Adrian.
m
As we were all busy braving the mad wind at the Nats, did anyone get any photos that they could post on here ?
I think someone took one at the meal, and I'm sure there's others ?
Cheers
Darren