All about F3J

F3J explained

The BARCS “Open” class rules were first published in the 1970s and have driven the standard for thermal soaring models on a world wide basis. Other than the restrictions on maximum wing area and weight (as set by the FAI rule book), anything goes as a model definition. These rules formed the basis of the UK led submissions to the FAI in the mid 1990s which then adopted them to create a formal thermal duration class of gliders – a class known as F3J. In their adoption by the international community some differences were introduced between Open and F3J. For instance the landing bonus was increased to 100 points (only up to 50 in Open) to add to the flight time score (in seconds) so placing a much greater premium on a precision landing. Additionally (relative to Open), re-launches are allowed – the last flight to count and re-flights can be allowed at the CD’s discretion due to events such as mid air collisions

Flying rules for F3J are quite straight-forward and require as much flight time as possible in a ten minute “slot” period ending with a precision landing. The gliders are flown in groups (usually of between six and ten models at a time) so as to neutralise the effect of any one slot having nothing but “poor air” so resulting in nothing but low flight times for that slot.

The model should be landed close to a marked target spot to get landing bonus points. In competitions, launching is generally accomplished in UK events with a power winch but hand towing (150 metre line) is a requirement for international status events and two persons are allowed to tow. These two tow men generally use a pulley and stake and, by so doing, even more power can be injected into the model than from a power winch giving rise to quite spectacular launches.

Because the flyer’s believe that some of the group who will find thermal air to allow for a ten minute flight (and they can re-launch if they choose anyway), flyer’s will launch simultaneously at the start of the slot time; this gives a quite spectacular start to the slot and the landings, if multiple models fly out the ten minutes can be equally exciting.

As these rule differences are all quite minor the design requirements for the most competitive models for top level Open and F3J events are identical.

Almost without exception, all serious F3J flyers will now use moulded (from factory produced numerically controlled female moulds) or equivalent composite construction models to get the soaring efficiency required whilst also being able to handle the high speed/high stress tow with the consequent height gain from the line. In local competitions where there are generally less experienced flyers participating, the original Open version of these rules may be used however the major two day contests (like the BMFA Nationals) will use the F3J rules.

BARCS F3J Forum

Contest Eurotour Website
Archive of F3J League Results

2016 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Eurotour
Pos	Pilot	South Mids 01 05 2016	Radioglide 30 05 2016	F3Jglide 26 06 2016	BMFA Nationals 28 08 2016	Edgecot 11 09 2016	Twywell 25 09 2016	Slovenia Cup 30 07 2016	Total
1	Neil Jones		103	101.5	102.00	98.98		88.91	405.48
2	Peter Allen	96.26	59.82	101.81	94.65	95.67	102.00	93.54	395.74
3	Mark De Vall		89.65	91.97	102.11	101.00	38.20	84.63	384.73
4	Ozzie Osbourne	101.00	83.36	93.77	85.09	97.36			377.22
5	Ian Duff	89.53	85.20	92.41	94.94	100.08	78.65		376.96
6	Colin Paddon	83.44	89.80	99.78	95.16				368.18
7	Bob Dickinson		80.69	95.85	95.12	89.96	64.18		361.62
8	Al Lipscombe	95.58	48.99	83.02	74.17	76.22	87.18		342.00
9	Chas Dunster	67.76	70.34		99.54	63.02	63.27	92.75	330.39
10	Colin Boorman	81.21	79.22	95.38	72.71				328.52
11	Mike Raybone	96.63	53.52		76.07	91.97			318.19
12	Dave East	80.02	66.11	80.85		85.67			312.65
13	John Shenstone		70.86	80.26	80.97		64.97		297.06
14	Graham Wicks	83.51		98.75	99.27				281.53
15	Kevin Beale	84.04	91.14	92.24				95.06	267.42
16	Alex Sykes			61.28	69.05	78.37			208.70
17	Gary Binnie	82.62	74.40						157.02
18	Graham James		71.21			70.33			141.54
19	Cengiz Philcox		88.22						88.22
20	Alan Morton						86.11		86.11
21	Neville Warby						81.38		81.38
22	Tom Satinet					75.99			75.99
23	Simon Haley							60.95	60.95
24	John Hulett						49.81		49.81
25	Robin Sleight		13.23						13.23

2015 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

		Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Eurotour
Pos	Pilot	South Mids	Radioglide	Wetlands Re Run	Interglide	Retford	BMFA Nationals	Edgecott	Bulgaria	Total
1	Peter Allen	95.37	101.05	98.3	97.59	98.25	103	90.42	92.42	399.94
2	Mark DeVall	92.49	91.33	89.10	89.44	101.00	100.27	102.85		393.56
3	Neil Jones	102.71	100.50	101.50	82.72		94.45	102.00		388.93
4	Kevin Beale	88.5	88.97		87.56		92.46	101.06	98.44	379.52
5	Graham Wicks	97.67	90.05		86.17			96.38	88.77	370.27
6	Ozzie Osbourne	101	90.61		74.06	76.38	95.01	93.25		363.32
7	Colin Boorman	90.47	82.61		89.08		92.94	79.14		355.10
8	Cengiz Philcox		98.21	94.10	78.82		82.50			353.63
9	Colin Paddon	85.44	102.94		60.03		100.53	74.94	89.98	353.48
10	Ian Duff	91.22	81.30	97.60	56.97	100.62	80.62	97.86		353.05
11	Chas Dunster	94.46	94.64		52.85	95.12	93.30	96.36		338.97
12	Bob Dickenson	74.79	63.90	71.30	67.92	85.42		80.83		308.96
13	Dave East	99.55	91.74			100.67	100.05			300.27
14	John Shenstone		73.56	60.30	51.68	63.37	76.62			265.23
15	Mike Raybone	91.75	86.55			75.80	82.24			260.54
16	Al Lipscombe	90.04	75.54	59.50			85.34	84.63		260.01
17	Kevin Dart	90.16	76.93		68.52					235.61
18	Neville Warby		68.21	63.30				86.84		218.35
19	Gary Binnie	79.58	89.78							169.36
20	Andre Borowski	87.53	70.31							157.84
21	Robin Sleight		73.3				30.4			103.71
22	Alex Sykes				24.6	72.6				97.16
23	Simon Viatkevicius			79.80						79.80
24	Graham James		75.40							75.40
25	William Watson			71.10						71.10
26	Graham Gilliat			69.20						69.20
27	Brian Johnson				62.81					62.81
28	Ken Goddard		56.17							56.17

2014 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

Pos	Pilot	Radioglide Rd1	Interglide Rd2	BMFA Nats Rd3	Bulgaria (Eurotour)	Hollandglide (Eurotour)	Total
1	Graham Wicks	92.68	98.51	98.47	88.10	86.78	289.66
2	Colin Paddon	95.38	87.32	100.00	86.90		282.70
3	Peter Allen	94.60	92.35	95.03		89.07	281.98
4	Kevin Beale	92.45	87.60	98.18	75.92		278.23
5	Mark DeVall	87.22	91.31	98.78			277.31
6	Chris Glover	93.91	96.79	84.62			275.32
7	Ian Duff	85.71	84.61	96.91			267.23
8	Colin Boorman	98.22	69.22	93.21			260.65
9	Ozzie Osbourne	90.49	81.86	84.63			256.98
10	Dave East	100.00	73.55	79.23			252.78
11	Andre Borowski	85.19	75.03	89.71		61.16	249.93
12	Chas Dunster	71.32	79.16	89.16		77.60	245.92
13	Gary Binnie	85.99	75.55	69.67			231.21
14	Mike Raybone	71.33	75.24	78.80			225.37
15	John Shenstone	72.52	80.35	61.39			214.26
16	Neil Jones	99.08	91.72				190.80
17	Brian Johnson	89.89	99.00				188.89
18	Austin Guerrier		92.11		93.00	89.64	185.11
19	Cengiz Philcox	86.88		86.64			173.52
20	Graham James	63.94		86.04			149.98
21	Bob Dickenson	80.79	64.98				145.77
22	Kevin Dart	99.67	39.75				139.42
23	Al Lipscombe	52.68		69.08			121.76
24	Jon Stanswood	80.09					80.09

2013 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

Pos	Pilot	Round 1 Radioglide	Round 2 Interglide	Round 3 BMFA Nats	Total
1	Peter Allen	102.73	100.69	101.35	204.08
2	Ian Duff	101.90	90.59	101.50	203.40
3	Colin Paddon	98.78	98.54	98.18	197.32
4	Chris Glover	96.93	91.22	99.38	196.31
5	Kevin Beale	98.73	87.94	94.50	193.23
6	Colin Boorman	102.00	90.27	87.31	192.27
7	Bob Dickinson	100.52	84.37	87.35	187.87
8	Graham Wicks	95.84		91.07	186.91
9	Neil Jones	96.54	89.34		185.88
10	Mike Raybone	87.84	89.36	94.64	184.00
11	Dave East	93.65	79.24	90.08	183.73
12	Ozzie Osborne	85.16	83.15	97.09	182.25
13	Mark DeVall	95.14		84.65	179.79
14	Cengiz Philcox	97.45	78.66		176.11
15	Gary Binnie	71.30	87.96	87.07	175.03
16	Al Lipscombe	97.93		75.35	173.28
17	Graham James	73.60		81.17	154.77
18	Neville Warby	70.80		75.81	146.61
19	Chas Dunster	94.37	44.85		139.22
20	John Shenstone	63.81	66.00	66.18	132.18
21	Kevin Dart		88.53		88.53
22	Jonathon Wells			88.2	88.17
23	Brian Johnson		85.21		85.21
24	Alex Sykes		70.89		70.89
25	Jon Stanswood		70.57		70.57

2012 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

Pos	Pilot	Northern Round 1	Bulgaria Eurotour	Turkey Soarist Cup	Southern Round 2	Osijek Eurotour	Radioglide National Event	Euroglide Belgium	Interglide National Event	BMFA NATS National Event	Hollandglide	Southern Round 9	Southern Reserve	Total*
1	Graham Wicks		69.70		100.06		102.00	88.89	82.47	100.50	92.46	100.75	97.43	403.31
2	Kevin Dart		80.74		102.00		92.95	92.81	99.19	100.11		89.41	99.90	401.20
3	Colin Paddon		78.64		98.22		102.66	67.57	102.00	93.25	95.99	78.55		398.87
4	Ian Duff				96.59		90.13		82.70	102.44		75.15	103.00	392.16
5	Chris Glover				82.40		98.29		96.75			103.00	89.27	387.31
6	Bob Dickenson	101.33		92.59			87.96		69.96	92.35		96.10	69.12	382.37
7	Colin Boorman				78.51		72.38	61.98	99.14	97.47	90.60	75.83	91.39	378.60
8	Ozzie Osbourne				90.73		95.33		94.68			93.76	89.34	374.50
9	Brian Johnson	99.73		87.72					78.74	93.97		91.33		372.75
10	Peter Allen				79.99		96.82	76.65	100.08	101.53		85.29	76.24	366.89
11	Austin Guerrier		69.36	76.85	92.15	99.29	91.29		66.99			71.44	55.20	354.17
12	Mark Devall				84.52		95.89		79.57	75.16		91.98	83.24	351.96
13	Dave East				92.45		92.98		93.57	93.89		70.60	74.49	350.51
14	Kevin Beale				78.07		92.77	79.73	87.68	88.85	85.22	79.47		346.31
15	Gary Binnie				68.57		89.63		74.11	88.02		73.01	88.16	338.82
16	Graham James				74.32		85.15			91.11		62.80	60.26	313.38
17	Cengiz Philcox				73.49		77.05		88.42	87.09		55.57		304.57
18	Al Lipscombe				60.44		67.31		80.18	87.03		71.25	65.59	304.05
19	Jon Stanswood	101.00		88.85					78.40	88.51				278.36
20	Simon Jackson									75.25		84.26	96.08	255.59
21	Neville Warby						79.78		61.29	79.51			82.80	242.09
22	Steve Haley									100.05		92.02		192.07
23	Simon Haley									93.05		80.65		173.70
24	Andre Borowski				79.86		79.60							159.46
25	Bill Haley									75.59		43.48		119.07
26	Ken Goddard						59.70						45.13	104.83
27	Jonothan Wells									98.36				98.36
28	Rick Lloyd	96.72												96.72
29	Neil Jones						89.91							89.91
30	Andy Lewis	86.57												86.57
31	Sydney Lenssen				75.96									75.96
32	Terry Pelling						73.83							73.83
33	Gordon Ballantine	73.24												73.24
34	Robin Sleight						68.65							68.65
35	George Wells	68.45												68.45
36	Mick Thorpe						66.02							66.02
37	Tom Satinet						58.08							58.08
38	Cliff Hannam						53.39							53.39
39	Ian Stewart	53.31												53.31
40	Tom Preston	51.94												51.94
41	Peter Shirlicker	42.41												42.41
42	Alex Forest	40.60												40.60
43	Craig Mason	36.81												36.81
44	Clive Needham											33.08		33.08
45	Bob Owston				18.57									18.57
46	Ian Coutts	6.79												6.79
47	Tom Wilson	2.87												2.87
48	Mike McCracken	2.10												2.10

2011 BMFA F3J Team Selection League

Pos	Pilot	Northern 1	Bracknell	Bulgaria Eurotour	Interglide	Radioglide Re-Run	Belgium Eurotour	Finish Eurotour	Upton	Holland Glide	British Nats	Twywell	Italy	Northern Reserve	Best Eurotour	Total
1	Neil Jones		91.07		97.97	102.08		97.42	80.12		94.77	100.71			97.42	398.18
2	Austin Guerrier		67.89	66.13	91.10	99.83	98.23		101.80	85.30		95.88			98.23	390.96
3	Peter Allen		97.09		88.30	97.69	79.86		95.72			102.00			79.86	385.08
4	Colin Paddon		73.55	99.15	90.42	89.13	79.24		103.00			69.21			99.15	381.70
5	Jon Stanswood	100.37	72.79		86.11	78.20			89.23		90.05			103.00		379.53
6	Ozzie Osbourne		86.52		97.75	99.45	84.66		78.78			90.39			84.66	374.11
7	Mark Devall		66.83		87.35	96.65			88.41		69.92	100.50				372.91
8	Chris Glover		102.00	69.07	83.91	86.74			98.55	78.10		87.04			78.10	371.20
9	Brian Johnson	101.00	78.02		76.75	89.45					58.54		92.19	83.00	92.19	365.64
10	Ian Duff				79.43	95.37	77.84		84.98			101.74			77.84	361.52
11	Mike Raybone		91.16		88.80				93.49	84.30	71.87	85.95			84.30	357.75
12	Bob Dickenson	93.88	47.66		72.16	87.65						75.56		102.00		355.69
13	Kevin Beale		84.95	78.52	76.69	92.47	78.54		86.91			93.83			78.54	351.75
14	David East		72.82		64.29	96.89			92.57		65.22	95.65				350.33
15	George Wells	86.24			76.55						57.34			100.97		321.10
16	Chas Dunster				64.6	87.45	82.66		84.11						82.66	318.82
17	Kevin Dart		83.02	94.18		101.50						94.20				289.88
18	Al Lipscombe				67.31	69.91			82.52		62.59					282.33
19	Gordon Ballantine	96.20									84.80			86.40		267.40
20	Nick Kidd		90.57	77.71	72.86	95.81									77.71	259.24
21	Graham Wicks		55.00	93.03	81.65		88.18		75.02			79.83			93.03	254.51
22	Colin Boorman		50.41		79.42		88.05		79.72						88.05	247.19
23	Ken Goddard					74.58			72.71			76.27				223.56
24	Andy Lewis	96.19												99.13		195.32
25	Rick Lloyd	92.88									66.94			33.33		193.15
26	Graham James					91.94					78.37					170.31
27	Dougal McIntyre	79.04												85.83		164.87
28	Craig Mason	81.43												78.88		160.31
29	Ian Stewart	76.23												83.80		160.03
30	Cengiz Philcox					75.12					81.92					157.04
31	Colin Lucas		79.16						74.09							153.25
32	Neville Warby				66.18							78.68				144.86
33	Robin Sleight					73.57					54.94					128.51
34	Andre Borowski					61.17			64.03							125.20
35	Tom Preston	45.65												69.90		115.55
36	Alex Forrest	52.53												51.20		103.73
37	Steve Haley										102.45					102.45
38	Simon Hayley										102					102.00
39	Jonathon Wells										98.72					98.72
40	Dave Hunter	92.38														92.38
41	Ian Coutts	89.83														89.83
42	Peter Sherliker													86.53		86.53
43	Ian Simpson	86.36														86.36
44	Alan Morton											84.69				84.69
45	John Payne		79.97													79.97
46	Greg Hayfield		76.32													76.32
47	Andrew Weight		75.53													75.53
48	Bill Hayley										75.42					75.42
49	Colin Sparrow	75.19														75.19
50	Richard Reed								69.76							69.76
51	Mark Weight		65.63													65.63
52	Clive Needham										63.77					63.77
53	Mike McCracken	57.74														57.74
54	Sydney Lenssen								48.04							48.04

BARCS F3J League 2016 Final

Pos	Name	Points	Cards
1	Neil Jones	396	4
2	Peter Allen	390.1	6
3	Mark DeVall	379.7	5
4	Ian Duff	375.6	6
5	Ozzie Osbourne	374.8	5
6	Colin Paddon	363.7	4
7	Bob Dickenson	361.7	5
8	Al Lipscombe	340.5	6
9	Colin Boorman	328.5	4
10	Mike Raybone	315.2	4
11	David East	312.6	4
12	Chas Dunster	299.1	5
13	John Shenstone	297.1	4
14	Graham Wicks	279.6	3
15	Kevin Beale	265.3	3
16	Alex Sykes	208.7	3
17	Gary Binnie	157	2
18	Graham James	141.5	2
19	Cengiz Philcox	88.2	1
20	Alan Morton	86.1	1
21	Neville Warby	81.4	1
22	John Hulett	49.8	1
23	Robin Sleight	13.2	1

BARCS F3J League 2015

Pos	Name	Points	Cards
1	Neil Jones	399.7	6
2	Mark DeVall	391.7	7
3	Peter Allen	391	6
4	David East	387.5	4
5	Ian Duff	382.3	7
6	Chas Dunster	379	6
7	Ossy Osbourne	378.8	5
8	Kevin Beale	368.7	5
9	Graham Wicks	368.4	4
10	Colin Paddon	358.7	5
11	Colin Boorman	355.1	5
12	Mike Raybone	336.3	4
13	Al Lipscombe	335.4	5
14	Bob Dickenson	312.4	6
15	John Shenstone	274	5
16	Cengiz Philcox	272.8	3
17	Kevin Dart	235.6	3
18	Neville Warby	218.4	3
19	Gary Binnie	169.4	2
20	Andre Borowski	157.8	2
21	Robin Sleight	103.7	2
22	Alex Sykes	97.2	2
23	Simon Vaitkevicius	79.8	1
24	Graham James	75.4	1
25	William Watson	71.2	1
26	Graham Gilliatt	69.3	1
27	Brian Johnson	62.8	1
28	Ken Goddard	56.2	1

BARCS F3J League 2014

Pos	Name	Points	Cards
1	Peter Allen	381.9	4
2	Mark DeVall	377.3	4
3	Colin Boorman	360.4	4
4	David East	344.2	4
5	Chas Dunster	335.5	4
6	Mike Raybone	323.1	4
7	Gary Binnie	309.1	4
8	John Shenstone	302	4
9	Graham Wicks	287.7	3
10	Colin Paddon	282.7	3
11	Neil Jones	279.1	3
12	Kevin Beale	278.2	3
13	Christopher Glover	274.3	3
14	Ian Duff	269.4	3
15	Ozzie Osbourne	268	4
16	Bob Dickenson	237.2	3
17	Brian Johnson	188.4	2
18	Cengiz Philcox	171.5	2
19	Al Lipscombe	158.5	3
20	Graham James	149.9	2
21	Kevin Dart	139.4	2
22	Simon Thornton	96.5	1
23	Martin Newnham	95.9	1
24	Thomas Satinet	92.2	1
25	Austin Guerrier	92.1	1
26	Jon Stanswood	80.1	1
27	Neville Warby	73.6	1
28	Ken Goddard	70	1

BARCS F3J League 2013

Pos	Name	Points	Cards
1	Ian Duff	396.1	5
2	Peter Allen	395	6
3	Colin Boorman	370.6	4
4	Colin Paddon	369.8	4
5	Mike Raybone	366.3	6
6	Bob Dickenson	365.7	5
7	Christopher Glover	364.9	4
8	Ozzie Osbourne	363.7	4
9	Chas Dunster	350.6	5
10	David East	349.3	5
11	Mark DeVall	341.3	4
12	Gary Binnie	326.8	5
13	Kevin Beale	281.1	3
14	Graham Wicks	275.1	3
15	Al Lipscombe	260.6	3
16	Neil Jones	249.9	3
17	Neville Warby	234.3	3
18	Graham James	216	3
19	John Shenstone	210.9	3
20	Cengiz Philcox	176.2	2
21	Brian Johnson	169.7	2
22	Philip Hayward	103.4	2
23	Kevin Newitt	100	1
24	Kevin Dart	88.5	1
25	Alan Morton	86.6	1
26	Thomas Satinet	82.6	1
27	William Watson	76.5	1
28	Alex Sykes	70.9	1
29	Jon Stanswood	70.6	1
30	Ken Goddard	68.6	1
31	Jason Griffiths	63.2	1

BARCS F3J League 2012

Pos	Name	Points	Cards
1	Graham Wicks	397.2	7
2	Colin Paddon	396.9	6
3	Christopher Glover	392.1	6
4	Peter Allen	385.4	7
5	Ian Duff	383.1	6
6	Colin Boorman	377.5	7
7	Bob Dickenson	375.8	6
8	David East	372.9	7
9	Ozzie Osbourne	372.5	6
10	Brian Johnson	360.7	4
11	Mark DeVall	355.1	6
12	Kevin Beale	348.9	5
13	Gary Binnie	339.9	6
14	Austin Guerrier	321.8	5
15	Graham James	313.4	5
16	Neville Warby	313.1	5
17	Al Lipscombe	306.8	7
18	Ken Goddard	186.3	3
19	Neil Jones	178	2
20	Andre Borowski	159.5	2
21	Andy Lewis	86.6	1
22	Chas Dunster	85.4	1
23	Sydney Lenssen	76	1
24	Terry Pelling	73.8	1
25	Robin Sleight	68.7	1
26	Mick Thorpe	66	1
27	Thomas Satinet	58.1	1
28	Cliff Hannam	53.4	1
29	Bob Owston	18.6	1

All about F3J
- f3j
By thermaldoctor

November 17, 2011
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By Neil Jones

F3J is the ultimate combination of reading air, using thermals and landing precision. It is challenging, captivating and addictive. So much so that two of the worlds most famous and iconic pilots now choose F3J as their main class – Daryl Perkins and Joe Wurts.

The F3J format gives pilots a 10 minute slot in which to do the longest possible flight time. The flight is timed from the moment the model releases from the tow line to the moment it touches the ground. A landing bonus is added to your flight time and this is a maximum of 100 points (20cm or less from the spot). It is measured when the model has come to rest and is the distance from the tip of the nose to the centre of the spot. To do well you need long flight times and the most accurate landings possible.

All pilots in the group fly the same 10 minute window so it is a real man-on-man competition with everyone launching and landing together trying to get the longest flight time and most accurate landing bonus in order to beat each other and gain the coveted 1000 points.The adrenaline and heart rate really pumps in the last minute of a slot as you start to forget the flight and begin concentrating on the landing approach. This is what makes it so addictive.

F3J can help you understand what’s going on in the air around you and give you the confidence to read or predict a thermals position. The launches are fast, noisy and explosive and the soaring is a magical yet precise and efficient affair.

Often models will congregate together in thermals, other times the whole sky is dotted with different planes. Everyone will have one goal in their mind however – to stay aloft for the entire duration of the 10 minute slot.

Model technology has really come on in the last few years. Models are now bigger and lighter than they ever have been thanks to advanced building techniques and new composite materials such as spread tow and high modulus pre-preg spars. Models are stiffer and stronger than they ever have been, yet are half a meter bigger and (in some cases) half a kilo lighter too. Aerodynamically they are now very near fully optimised with designers like Philip Kolb (Pike Perfect and Prestige) and Mark Drela (Supra) having taken wing sections and airfoil transition to a whole new level. They are capable of floating like a rudder elevator model in weak conditions yet perform 120mph high tension launches in windier conditions and take ballast to cope with 25mph + winds.

F3J pilots have also developed considerably over the years and use these new tools like finely tuned instruments when conditions allow. Launches are only as long as a pilot thinks he needs to give him enough height to travel to a thermal. Top pilots regularly take 2s or 3s launches to help maximise their flight time and every scrap of energy and flight time is exctracted from the air with new levels of accuracy and efficiency. Landings are now timed to perfection and accurate to within 20cm – 40cm for the majority of top pilots.

In the UK this year we were generally blessed with sunny weather but we had a mixture of windy events and light wind thermal events. Windy ones included round 2 at Marsh Gibbon where Peter Allen reigned supreme in the fly-off after a dominant performance by Chris Glover in the prelims and the Nationals where F3B ace Steve Haley took control in very cold windy conditions.

Light wind thermal events included Radioglide where Neil Jones took top honours and Twywell where Ian Duff pipped everyone to first place. Upton Upon Severn was also a good thermal soaring event where Colin Paddon took the prelims and fly-off in fine style after being pushed all the way by Austin Guerrier

Interglide is a highlight in the UK F3J calender and is the UK leg of the FAI International Eurotour. It now attracts some of the worlds top flyers such as Benedikt Feigl (2008 World champion and 2010 World Championship runner up), Jo Grini (World and European championship fly-off pilot) and Eser Kismir (2011 European championship fly-off pilot and 2nd overall Eurotour for 2011). In fact there are more Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, Belgian, Norwegian and German competitors than Brits these days. In the presence of such a high calibre field, it was good to get 2 Brits into the fly-offs where Neil Jones came 4th and Ozzie Osbourne 9th.

In fact quite a number of top UK pilots ventured abroad to compete in other Eurotour events and fly against some of the worlds best pilots. Highlights include Colin Paddon making the fly-offs in Bulgaria, Austin Guerrier making the fly-offs in Belgium (including a podium placing) and Neil Jones making the fly-offs in Finland.

And so, after many UK and International qualification events the final results of the 2011 UK BMFA F3J league looks like this;

1. Neil Jones
2. Austin Guerrier
3. Peter Allen
4. Colin Paddon
5. Jones Stanswood
6. Ozzie Ozbourne
7. Mark Devall
8. Chris Glover
9. Brian Johnson
10 Ian Duff

Below is a table of the top 10 pilots, their models and equipment used in the 2011 season.

In total 54 pilots took part in the qualifying process and live in areas from Devon to Dunfermline and from Essex to Edinburgh. The top three are the official team GBR pilots for next years F3j World Championships in South Africa. Wish them luck and stay tuned for further updates and links.

Have a go at F3J. You’ll love it and will be made very welcome. One thing we can guarantee – it will improve your air reading, thermal soaring and landing skills beyond all belief and you’ll be the envy of your club mates. It will take your flying ability and confidence to a whole new level and you can mix and get advice from some of the best glider pilots in the UK. You will receive all the help and advice you’ll ever need and more. And you know what? You might just have a lot of fun too.

Neil Jones.
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