F3K

F3K is the international contest class for radio controlled, hand-launched model gliders.

Although the roots of RC hand-launched gliders can be traced back to the late 1970′s, F3K is a relatively new aeromodelling discipline, becoming officially recognised by FAI CIAM (the international body responsible for aeromodelling competition disciplines) with full official status in 2007. The first official FAI F3K world championships will be held in July 2011 at Arboga Airport in Sweden. The UK is sending a full senior team (3 pilots) and one junior pilot.

F3K gliders are 1.5 metre wingspan, radio controlled models, launched using a ‘discus launch’ in which the glider is held by a wingtip and rotated around the flyer by hand before release. Using this method of launching the average flier can achieve launch heights of greater than 140 feet, with the top fliers exceeding 200 foot high launches.

F3K competitions consist of a group of fliers completing a number of pre-defined flight tasks, centred around launching, flying and landing the model in a number of timed durations, using just the hand launch itself and thermal currents of rising air to power the flight.

In competitions, flight times range up to 5 minutes duration, in practice sessions F3K gliders are capable of flying for upwards of an hour in the right hands on a good day… not bad for a small, radio controlled glider, launched only by hand.

Eurotour results

MSA F3K event Photos

F3B

2015 - Round 3 - Results
Below are the scores for round 3 on 27.06.15.

Soaring conditions were good with some strong lift with out it being too easy in duration. The contest was won by Steve Haley. Everyone else had at least one bad round, but with Steve flying a 14.63 in speed 1, he was always going to be tough to beat. I lost 400 points in a bad duration, Simon had a bad Speed (30.xx), as did Dave (27.xx). John Whittle had problems with his CG when ballasted, and lost points in distance and speed, but his own built model looks very promising. I believe Steve's time of 14.63 is a new record for electric f3b.

While sometimes one doesn't feel motivated to get ready for a soaring contest, once you are out on the field that buzz comes back and you feel the thrill of flying. Especially in F3b with it's complexities, which test you as a pilot.

Rank Name     Score Pcnt    Raw  Score Rnd1 Dur Rnd1 Dis Rnd1 Spd Rnd2 Dur Rnd2 Dis Rnd2 Spd Plty
1 Steve Haley  6000 100.00 6000         1000         1000       1000   1000       1000                1000         0
2 Simon Haley 5264 87.73   5264           932          1000       768.8   1000      1000                563.2        0
3 Tom Satinet 5203 86.72    5203          598.9       1000        749.1   964.3    1000                890.7 0
4 Dave Worral 5068.9 84.48 5068.9 1000 944.4 528.3 971.4 736.8 888 0
5 John Whittle 5003.7 83.40 5003.7 991.4 562.5 605.8 950.5 1000 893.5 0
6 Clive Needham 3856.6 64.28 3856.6 933.4 565.2 650.2 275.7 733.3 698.8 0
7 Bill Haley 1255.4 20.92 1255.4 316.5 0 0 938.9 0 0 0