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The Bedford Comp is now ready for entries, and thanks must go the The Bedford and District Aeromodelling Club (BDAC) for allowing it to take place. Entries for the competition are now welcome which will be on Sunday 17^th August.


Schedules to be flown are Entry Level, Clubman, Intermediate, Masters, P25 only.

The gate to the field will be opened at 8:00 and the pilots briefing will be at 9:15 prompt. First flight will be at 9:30.

The site is at Cardington in Bedfordshire, the nearest postcode is MK44 3TA.

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Confirmed Pilots :
 
 Entry Level

Clubman
Pete Sutton

Intermediate
Chris Brewer
Simon Clark

Masters
Greg Butterworth
Graham Gooch
Darren Dorgan


P25 Only
Peter Jenkins
Malcolm Harris
Keith Brightman
Mike Wood
Mark Allen
Adrian Harrison
Steven Smithey
Mike Pole
Steve Burgess
Kevin Caton
Philip Lewis


Judges: Eddy Scott, Brandon Ransley

Reserve List:

On behalf of Ross here are the flight orders for Sunday's competition.

All three rounds will be flown in the following order :- Clubman, Intermediate, Masters, P - 25

Any errors, please let either Ross or myself know ahead of Sunday please.

As a heads up for anyone travelling to the comp, particularly those from north using A1 or east approaching via the A14.....there are significant road closures in the vicinity of the competition site so please factor this in to your arrival...

The competition site is just south east and below cardington on the attached map and the significant detours will add 20-30 minutes to an otherwise dual carriageway approach .

Hopefully the attached will assist your route planning or explain any weird routes that your sat nav throws out..

From north A1 If you do follow the A428 diversion through St Neots then best to continue on A1 beyond Sandy to Biggleswade Sainsbury's and then turn right past Old Warden to approach the field more easily...

From East it's best to stay south of the closures and use waypoints on route from Cambridge of 'wimpole' followed by 'Biggleswade'..

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/a428-black-cat-to-caxton-gibbet/diversions-closures-and-speed-restrictions/

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/3vcmgq3g/a1-and-a421-weekend-closure-diversion-route-map.png


A1 and A421 weekend closure - 15 to 18 August 2025

Quote from: Greg Butterworth on 15, August 2025, 04:49:04 AMAs a heads up for anyone travelling to the comp, particularly those from north using A1 or east approaching via the A14.....there are significant road closures in the vicinity of the competition site so please factor this in to your arrival...

The competition site is just south east and below cardington on the attached map and the significant detours will add 20-30 minutes to an otherwise dual carriageway approach .

Hopefully the attached will assist your route planning or explain any weird routes that your sat nav throws out..

From north A1 If you do follow the A428 diversion through St Neots then best to continue on A1 beyond Sandy to Biggleswade Sainsbury's and then turn right past Old Warden to approach the field more easily...

From East it's best to stay south of the closures and use waypoints on route from Cambridge of 'wimpole' followed by 'Biggleswade'..

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/a428-black-cat-to-caxton-gibbet/diversions-closures-and-speed-restrictions/

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/3vcmgq3g/a1-and-a421-weekend-closure-diversion-route-map.png


A1 and A421 weekend closure - 15 to 18 August 2025

We are connecting two new sections of road to the existing network at Black Cat roundabout:

• the new A421 eastbound to A1 northbound free-flow link
• and the new A421 westbound slip road

To work safely, the following closures will be in place from Friday 15 to Monday 18 August 2025 (9pm to 5am):

• A421 eastbound between Cardington Interchange and Black Cat roundabout
• A421 westbound between Black Cat roundabout and Renhold Interchange
• A1 northbound between Tempsford and Wyboston
• Bedford Road between Roxton Road junction and Black Cat roundabout

Diversion
We will divert traffic by the:

• A421 at the Cardington Interchange onto the A603 towards Sandy
• At Sandy, traffic will take the A1 northbound to the Tempsford Interchange
• before exiting onto St Neots Road and joining the A428 at St Neots Traffic will re-join the A1 northbound at the Wyboston junction

Thanks Greg for this info.

I'd like to say a big "thank you" to everyone who ran the Bedford competition - Ross as CD, Keith who I understand arranged for the use of the site, and particular thanks to Eddy and Brandon who judged 48 flights in very bright conditions, and Graham who set up the scoring system.

There were lots of good flights in all the classes in windy and sometimes turbulent conditions.

All in all a great day out and well worth the trip!

Absolutely, thank you!

Great to see some demo flights from Brandon too and thanks to Mark for calling for me.

Mike

Great comp! Well worth the 6 1/2 hour trip.

Was good to meet so many old friends!

Thanks to Ross, Keith and the Bedford club for all their hard work and to Celia (Mrs Ross) for looking after us so well outside the comp.

Malcolm

As all of the above sentiments, thanks to all those who ran and assisted in the comp and to Mark for use of the sun disk that proved invaluable!
Thank you to all competitors for making it a great day.
Team Pole really enjoyed the day 👍

I can only endorse everything that has already been said. A great day, good to meet up with a few mates again and chew the F3A fat! My congratulations to the judges for judging so many flights in a very difficult sky. 

Hope to see you again next month. Pete.

Results

On Ross's behalf here are the scores.

...........and FAI P25

Having now recovered from a whole day of blue skies, just like to add my thanks to Ross, the BDAC, Brandon, Eddy, Graham and my long suffering caller, Mark!  I know everyone suffered from the blue sky syndrome and not being able to see their models as easily as they might but that tested me beyond my capabilities!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a nice high bit of grey cloud for the next competition!

A few observations from the judging seat. These are meant to be helpful comments rather than criticisms.

1. Top radius too tight.

Too often on manoeuvres such as the half square loop down with half roll or full roll down or the square loop from the top the first radius is simply too tight. Too many pilots slow the model up to almost a stand still and then pull or push to vertical down creating an almost right angle square with no 1/4 loop radius at all.

The next radius (two radii on the square loop) at the bottom is (are) then huge in comparison.

You have to maintain flying speed (not full throttle) at the top before you push/pull to create a proper radii only reaching tickover as you hit the vertical down - certainly if using a contra - you may need to come off the throttle earlier if not using a contra.

Then on the square loop the 4th radius is again too tight and not consistent with the bottom two radii. Fly it around the radius at the top.

2. Swooping out of manoeuvres

So many people simply do not finish their manoeuvres with a proper quarter loop or 45° radius as appropriate.  They never achieve straight and level.  This occurs in so many manoeuvres. For example, square loops, half square loops, Humpty bumps, spin exits, stall turn exits,... The list goes on.

As a result, as a judge, I simply do not know when the manoeuvre has ended and in the end give it a downgrade. You must perform the exit, usually a 90° radius and finish on straight and level. 

Sweeping out just gives an ugly impression which results in downgrades because of inaccuracy and ugliness. Before anyone says that there is no specific "ugliness" criteria in the FAI judging criteria, I know.  But if it does not look good it will get downgraded.

3. Centre manoeuvre Square Loop on Corner

The first leg of this manoeuvre is down wind. Too many people do not pull hard enough on that first radius meaning that the fuselage is pointing up at 45° but the trajectory of the model is actually at about 30°.

They then pull the second radius and the next line takes forever to get back to centre not only because it is against the wind but because you have travelled far too far down wind on the first leg because you are not at 45°.

You then get downgraded for the first leg not being at 45°, the first radius not being 45°, The second leg being too long, line lengths not equal. No doubt somebody will jump in with the "double Jeopardy" argument. Trust me, get that first line wrong and the manoeuvre looks ugly. You are going to be downgraded. You are going to be downgraded more than one point because the pilot who does get the 45° lines right and has equal length Lines should not be rewarded only one more point than somebody who does not fly a good first half of a square loop on corner

Secondly, the line lengths and wind correction on the third and fourth legs are not right because too often the fourth leg is rushed.  It is radius roll radius. Instead of radius PAUSE roll PAUSE radius.

4. Triangle - first manoeuvre

Too many people not getting the angles right. They are 45 degrees not 60 degrees.

This becomes very apparent in the bottom leg when the roll has to be rushed.

ALSO please practise rolling from inverted. This occurs twice in the P25 schedule.  In the triangle and in the immelman. You need to practise this on its own.  Practise this roll with the model closer to you so you can see what is happening. Keep practising a single roll from inverted to inverted from the left and from the right and learn the rudder and elevator movements (for those flying normal trim - not gravity neutral trim- this might mean no up elevator at the half roll stage PS I'm not convinced that some of you are not putting in down elevator when you are upright!!.)

Then when you are comfortable with it do the triangle and the immelman again.

5. Stall turns and spins.

Just because they were some of the first aerobatic manoeuvres you learnt many years ago does not mean they are easy. They need practise. 

Do a whole flight practising spin entries until you keep getting them right.  Not until you get one right.  Practise them in both directions.  Practise them in calm. Practise them in wind.  Practise them in cross winds.

Same for stall turns. A whole flight.  In all wind conditions. And always stall turn into any prevailing wind (if there is any wind on the side of the fus) rather than with the wind.

Many people get low scores for spins.  The exit is a clear downgrade if not spot on. As is the exit radius - see above. But many points are also lost for a poor entry and that is what needs to be practised.

I did award a 9.5 for a spin this weekend. So get it right and you will get rewarded.

6. Relax

Too much is rushed. Too many rolls immediately after a radius (clearly needed on Immelmann and split S but not on other manoeuvres unless specified).

Pull PAUSE roll PAUSE pull.

NOT pull roll pull

7. Enjoy

If the fun stops - stop. It's only a hobby flying toy planes. We do it for fun. If it stops being fun have a rest. Have a fun fly.  I almost always have a mess about at the end of a practice session.

Hopefully helpful.

Brandon

Thanks for that feedback Brandon.  

Great feedback Brandon!

Reading your post I could see all those errors in my own flying and then some!

Much appreciated!

M