Where are the younger folks in our sport/hobby? Meet 15-year-old Angstrom Eberenz, who recently competed in F2B (Control Line Aerobatics) at the FAI F2 World Championships for Control Line Model Aircraft in Australia. I asked Angstrom to share his experience.
From Pennsylvania to Perth; My World Championship Journey: Coming from a small, rural town in Pennsylvania, I never imagined that I would compete in a world championship representing the USA—especially at the age of 15. However, I couldn’t be more excited about the adventure, which started with the 42-hour (27 hours of flying) trip to Perth, Australia. I flew on the Qantas Airbus A380-800, the world’s largest passenger airplane. The airplane had two floors, amazing food, and snack bars set up all around the cabin. Even though we flew economy, and I am 6 feet, 8 inches, I absolutely loved that flight.
Upon arriving in Perth, we were exhausted. We got a night’s rest and spent the next day checking out Lilac Hill Park (the practice site) and Whiteman Park (the official site) while recovering from jet lag. A huge relief came when I did my first practice flight; it felt the same as flying at home, unlike when I flew at the team trials in California. Practice sessions went well and gave me my first chance to meet pilots from other countries and see their airplanes.
The World Cup served as a warmup for the world championships. Although windy conditions created challenges— such as another competitor’s airplane being blown onto mine—I flew consistently and finished as the second-place Junior. It was encouraging to see how close I was to first place, and it gave me confidence heading into the main event.
The day after included the official practice, the world championships opening ceremony, and the World Cup awards ceremony. More pilots arrived from more countries. I had a great time getting pictures with them and checking out their airplanes. The opening ceremony procession felt a little chaotic; some teams scrambled to display their flags and had to use random sticks. In the end, standing on the podium to receive my silver medal for the World Cup event was an unforgettable experience.
At the world championships, my flying continued to improve. My second-day flight increased my best score by nearly 30 points! I felt that it was one of my best flights ever on the Raptor. Mechanical issues added some drama, including a wheel falling off during practice and a wheel pant breaking off later, but I adapted, stayed focused, and qualified for the Junior flyoff with a top-three finish.
During the flyoff, I continued my routine of getting up at 5 a.m. to practice on the official circle. Despite putting in solid flights, I finished as the third-place Junior. It was mixed emotions; I was proud of how far I had come but disappointed that I didn’t place higher.
Standing on the world championships podium, representing my country, making my family proud, and sharing the experience with pilots from around the world was something I will never forget. I left the competition feeling more motivated than ever to continue improving my skills and return stronger for the next F2 World Championships.
Thank you, Angstrom, for representing the USA and AMA’s District III, and showing the world that there are young people who are still involved in our great sport/hobby.
Fly safely!
