Each year, the AMA Competitions department communicates with SIGs and their respective leadership to establish the Nats schedule for the following year, usually starting in the fall of the previous year. When the schedule is hammered out between each group and approved, this schedule then goes to our Executive Council (EC) for final approval. This year, the Competitions department, along with SIG leadership, took another approach by looking at the schedule and determined a two-year plan for the Nats.

Again, I cannot praise the SIG leadership and the EC enough for being forward-thinking in this approach. Many members must plan their vacation time more than a year in advance, and this will help many plan how they can best spend that time.

As we look forward to the Nats and local events, we should not forget that we have several FAI team selections and world championships events that are happening this year. FAI events take place on a twoyear cycle, where there is generally a team selection one year and the next year is the competition. The US is hosting the 2024 FAI F2 World Championships for Control Line Model Aircraft at the IAC and the FAI F5B World Championships for Electric Model Aircraft is being held in Maricopa, Arizona.

If you are new to competition or seeking guidance on how to start in a competition, the best and first resource I recommend is your local club. From there, I suggest using AMA’s website to look up the SIG that applies to the competition that you are interested in at www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/ama-organization/special-interest-groups. I guarantee that you will find someone to help assist you in your first competition.

Remember, we all started as beginners, and we want you out at the field with us!

Entering the box…