The 2021 Nats

Written by Rachelle Haughn
Annual contest adapts to a "new normal"
As seen in the November 2021 issue of Model Aviation.

Bonus Video

Flickr Album Collection

Nats Blogs

https://nats.modelaircraft.org/natsnews

01Dale Arvin presents his Fokker D.VII for static judging in the RC Scale contest. Photo by Matt Ruddick.

02Bobby Mears (red shirt) and Leonardo Silva share a laugh while competing in CL Combat.

03Ron Columbo and Steve Kott launch for Mike Evans in CL Combat.

04Colleen Gilbert pits for her husband, Joe Gilbert, while he competes in CL Precision Aerobatics. Joe finished fourth in the Open class.

This Republic P-47D Thunderbolt was assembled from a VQ Warbirds ARF kit. Burt Brokaw competed with it in CL Fun Scale. The fullscale aircraft was one of the largest fighters of World War II. Photo by Fred Cronenwett.

The year 2020 was anything but normal. As the calendar changed to 2021, many hoped that the new year would bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Although life as most knew it might never be the same, one constant that modelers have been able to rely on is the fun, joy, and sense of normalcy that the hobby brings. For some, part of the thrill of aeromodeling is competing. In June, July, and August 2021, pilots had a chance to do just that at the Nats, which took place in somewhat of a normal fashion.

**06.**David Fitzgerald competes in the Open class finals at the CL Precision Aerobatics Nats. Ruddick photo.

The handful of Nats contests that were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, returned for 2021. Modelers who had barely traveled were finally able to see their friends again. Indiana’s face-mask mandate was lifted, so when people were reunited, they could actually see each other smiling and were able to shake hands (and use hand sanitizer). Some of the annual traditions at the Nats also came back, such as banquets, cookouts, and simply sitting around a campfire in the evenings to chat. Other things changed, including the schedule. Instead of the Nats taking place consecutively during a period of roughly six weeks, this year, those six weeks were spread out across three months. The first Nats contests (RC and Control Line [CL] Scale and RC Scale Aerobatics) began June 17 and the final event, RC Soaring, ended August 27. After approximately 1-1/2 weeks, the Nats took a break for the scheduled World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft (F3A) that was supposed to take place at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana, which is where the Outdoor Nats also took place this year. Earlier in 2021, that international contest was canceled because of the global pandemic. The Nats resumed on July 20 with the Indoor Free Flight (FF) contest, held at the Indoor Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Michigan. The RC Aerobatics Nats also took place at the IAC that week.

07Gary Freeman Jr. calls for his son, Brody, age 11, at the RC Pylon Nats. Ruddick photo.

Pilot David Moser (R) and his caller, JJ Hedrick, visualize David’s next flight while competing in RC Scale Aerobatics. Ruddick photo.

09A group of callers react to the launch of RC Pylon aircraft.

10Jack Buckley spent 3-1/2 years perfecting this 36% Fairchild 24. The 156-inch aircraft featured a cockpit with crushed velour and carpet and the same cockpit details as the full-scale airplane. It played recorded cockpit audio from Sully Sullenberger’s 2009 flight where he landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River near Manhattan NY. Jack’s aircraft won first place in Designer Scale, first place in F4H, received the High Static award, and won Pilots’ Choice for Best Civilian aircraft.

Another break in the Nats schedule began August 4 for the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association Jamboree and the MultiGP International Open. This year’s schedule was definitely different, but one thing that regular Nats attendees knew they could rely upon was inconsistencies in Indiana’s weather. For the most part, it was hot at the Nats, with temperatures hovering in the low to upper 90s°. Sometimes there were heat index warnings; other times, strong wind cut events short by a day or two. Predicted thunderstorms also forced contest directors (CDs) to make the tough calls to fly fewer rounds and determine winners much sooner. Except for RC Aerobatics, all of the contests saw an uptick in the number of preregistered participants, especially when compared with the 2020 figures. Many of these events had even more pilots than in 2019, long before news of a potential pandemic even made it to the US. In the Sportsman class of the RC Helicopter Nats, there was a record 10 pilots—most of them competing in the Nats for the first time. Let’s hope that the 2022 Nats will be even closer to the ones that pilots fondly remember from a time before mask mandates, social distancing, and lockdowns.