Irish Model Aircraft Aerobatic Association
About RC Aerobatics Print
Aerobatics for radio-controlled aircraft are basically the same aerobatic manoeuvres as those being flown by full scale aircraft but performed in model scale by remote control. Turns, rolls, spins, and stalls are demonstrated in combination for compulsory patterns or in freestyle format for the purposes of competition, sport, and entertainment.


Each manoeuvre can be documented with Aresti notation in accordance with its path through the air as well as by name which is sometimes descriptive or is a tribute to the first person credited with performing the manoeuvre eg; Immelman Turn.

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1 Basic RC manoeuvres

1.1 Inside loops

1.2 Outside loops

1.3 Immelman turn

1.4 Inverted flight

2 Intermediate RC manoeuvres

2.1 Stall turn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All manoeuvres are made from straight lines (upright, inverted, knife edge), loops or part loops, stalls and rolls or part rolls. Just about any conceivable combination of these components can be flown and is being flown to a very high level of precision.
MACI through its officers and participating clubs organises competitions for all standards. These are held, around the country, from Spring to Autumn.
MACI currently has three aerobatic classes namely;

Sports Class (link to schedule)
Masters Class (link to schedule)
MACI FAI F3A (link to schedule)

Sports Class is an entry level class and Masters is an intermediate level class which also helps people to prepare for F3A if that is their aim.
F3A is the International Class and is the most testing of the three.

To support the competitions Judging Courses are run each year. These courses can be very informative and are attended by both judges and pilots. The FAI provides a guide detailing the principles involved. PowerPoint presentations are used to assist with demonstrating the manoeuvres.

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Any sports aerobatic type model can participate in these classes but to be really competitive in F3A a purpose built pattern model is a must.

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These purpose built/designed models have been developed over a great many years. Twenty years ago they were exclusively '60' size ballistic types. Now anything from '60' to '160' size, from scratch built to kits to finished ARF's are used. The ARF's range in price from €250 to €2500.Models from both ends of the scale are competitive in the right hands. The RC Aerobatic pilots like to think of these as the 'F1' machines of the RC Aeromodelling world.

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Nowadays the power source is a mix of IC two or four stroke and electric with all being competitive.

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The current style of RC Aerobatics is known as 'Turnaround'.
This involves a sequence of manoeuvres (pattern) which are all interconnected to form a set schedule. The FAI(link to section 4)and or MACI review/refresh these schedules every two years. This gives the competitor a new challenge each time.

MACI appoints an officer to coordinate the events for each discipline. For aerobatics the officer is the RC Aerobatic Secretary. MACI also provides a subvention fee to those clubs running authorised events. This is to help with the cost of prizes, preparation, food and refreshment. There is no financial risk to any club endeavouring to run a competition. Any club may run one or more of these events by seeking authorization from the council. A fun and family atmosphere is encouraged with smoking BBQ's food and refreshments being in evidence at all competitions.

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Achieving the ability to perform the manoeuvres well is very rewarding indeed. This comes to some more easily than to others with youth giving an advantage generally. Practice makes perfect as is usual with some people putting in 300 to 500 practice flights a season. For beginners a good technique is to break the manoeuvres down to their basic components and practice these part manoeuvres until they are good, then put them together. This step by step approach isolates the mistakes which help to identify and correct them. An aim is but a dream without a plan.
MACI also organises teams to compete internationally including at European and World Championships. We have yet to win one of these but MACI F3A teams have been representing us successfully for fifty years now.

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In 2001 MACI hosted the FAI F3A World Championships in Mallow Race Course.
This was a very successful endeavour with 120 International participants.
This was all done by a core group of ten people with assistance from a large group of MACI members during the event.
Competition RC Aerobatics in Ireland is fostered by the Irish Model Aircraft Aerobatics Association. Membership is open to all interested parties, but not a requirement if one wishes to participate.
So if you think you can fly or if you want to improve and or want to learn how to improve then all you have to do is attend any of the Aerobatic events on the MACI events calendar. You are also welcome to join the IMAAA. Beginners are very welcome and will get help, encouragement and advise. As already stated any sports aerobatic model will do fine for Sports and Masters classes and is easily good enough to win with some practice.
So do you have what it takes, the 'Right stuff' ???.