[Fernando Ramos]

Hi!
I have been fortunate in attending every FAC Nats since 1978.
For many years not only as a contestant, but also covering it for
Model Builder magazine and Model Aviation for my scale column. When
you have over 150 contetants and around 900 to 1200 models in
attendance, you get a pretty good idea how popular this FAC event
actually is. (The grand champion one year brought 18 models to
compete with.)
The majority of the modelers are from the east coast and many from
the mid-west where they can drive there vehicles loaded to the gills
with model airiplanes. Since I have to travel by air from
California, I can only take two models, at the most 3. Obviously,
with as many models that are there, not all are judged for scale.
The name of the game is FUN...no ROG required. Enlarged stabs, more
dihedral than scale a few liberties here and there. Flying is the
major goal. Along with the bonus points awarded for having multi-
wing, multi-engine, pusher canard seaplane, and you have a massed a
lot of bonus points. What this has done, is to encourage airplanes
that are not the typical Piper Cub type. I have seen many models
that a few years ago would have never been considered. Yet, they are
flying like you wouldn't believe!
I hope your effort pans out. I did enter Interscale one year when
it was held in the Czech Republic...great fun. Fernando Ramos

[Bernard Guest]

Hi Fernando,

I was and still am a reader of your column in Model Builder....great column!! Regarding the FAC format...I have attended only a few local contests in the LA area but this was enough to make a firm believer out of me. This is why I am trying to get a similar format going here in Europe....it is difficult though....there are lots of boundaries and road blocks...every scale community here has their own set of rules and they naturally believe that theirs are the best...only p-nut and pistachio seem to transcend the national borders. I have no idea if this is going to work...it partly depends on getting folks to show up and fly at openscale 2008 where we will demo. several of the more spectacular FAC events.

thanks for your note,

If you have any suggestions or ideas that might help I would be interested to hear them.

Bernard

Bernard Guest

Assistant Professor of Geology

Dept. of Geo- and Environmental Sciences

Ludwig-Maximilain University

Luisen Str. 37, 80333 Munich

Fax: 0049 89 2180 6514

Tel.: 0049 89 2180 6713

b.g...@iaag.geo.uni-muenchen.de