FAC event descriptions
Below you will find descriptions and pictures (in some cases I borrow pictures from other sites....in these cases you will find a link to the photo in its original context in the description below the picture) of the various events that are typically flown in North American FAC competitions. The descriptions are broken into the basic categories: Rubber scale events, Profile scale (rubber and catepault), Enurance events, Power scale. Also note that the info provided below is the result of a collaborative effort between myself and Joshua Finn.
My goal here is to provide the most up to date set of rules and event descriptions possible. So, If you have information or corrections that should be added to this site please email me. Also if you have nice photographs of FAC models that you would be willing to post here please send them to me.
Some definitions:
Judged Scale events: Those FAC events which require scale judging and in which the scale points are included in determining the winner.
Non-Judged Scale events: Those in which no scale judging takes place.
Non-Scale Endurance events: Those in which the model need not be a scale replica of an actual airplane. In such events, only duration of flight figures into winning. (Exception is Embryo, in which additional points are awarded for aesthetic aspects.)
As you go through the general event descriptions below please refer to the FAC rules page for details.
Judged scale events (from smallest to largest)
Peanut scale is divided into FAC peanut and GHQ peanut scale (GHQ is for General HeadQuarters). I FAC Peanut is scored according to the rubber scale rules with the only difference being the wingspan limitation. GHQ peanut is a much more low-key event which essentially favors performance over appearance. A fudge factor is built in so that performance can't take over, though, so the event remains scale oriented. A GHQ model can be judged for scale fairly, in under a minute, unlike FAC Peanut which takes several minute to judge.
A little more detail on specific differences: As in all FAC scale classes, FAC peanut awards bonus points for various configurations, thereby favoring complex designs; GHQ does not, and thereby favors simple aircraft. FAC peanut scores static points on a 62.5 point scale; GHQ peanut scores static points on a 12 point scale (much simpler). FAC Peanut currently scores flights on a nonlinear scale with a 120 second max and a single flight; GHQ scores flight points on a linear scale with no max and a three flight total.
Events like GHQ peanut give beginners a better chance and allow one to enter a scale event without spending months putting in minute details on their airplanes. Such events also allow simple high-wing aircraft a place to compete since the hard-core events of peanut and rubber scale are highly biased toward complex designs like canards and twins.
The only general limitation for a peanut is that the wingspan must be less than 13 inches (330.2 mm). As far as I can tell the “or 9 inch fuselage” rule used by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) does not apply to the FAC.
Two peanuts: Tom Hallman’s lovely peanut Cub and Joshua Fin’s Goon 1930s racer (update 4/02/08: Josh’s Goon made a 16 min thermal flight with prop. in fixed mode. This 8 gram model flies on 18 inches of 3/32 rubber (2700 turns) with 5.5 inch prop and P/D ratio of 1.5)
My two cents: As a general rule If you want your peanut to fly well (and who doesn’t?) then keep her under 10 grams total (without rubber). To achieve a low weight use light wood (less than 7lb/cubic ft), used sliced rib construction, keep the tail feathers light and carve or form a wooden prop.
Dime scale is a nostalgia or classic class aimed at ensuring that the designs and design style of yesteryear (pre 1950s) continue to be built and flown. Wingspan is limited to 16 inches, wood size is limited to 1/16 of and inch (1.5 mm) minimum (see rules for details). Dime scale designs are distinctive in that they have a sparse structure with a minimum of ribs and formers etc. They are designed to fly well and in many cases (especially the older designs from the 1940s and 30s) are not very true to scale. The dime scale category also includes pseudo dime scale which is for contemporary designs of pre 1942 aircraft featuring the classic dime-scaleesque construction format.
Two Dime scale models: Joshua Fin’s 10 inch Bellanca Junior (actually nickel scale but qualifies for dime scale competition) and Tom Whitworth’s Boeing biplane (The picture of boeing is from Thayer Sym’s excellent site)
FAC scale
This is a general class for models between 13 and 30/36 inches (36 for monoplanes and 30 for multiplanes). This is arguably the most hotly contested category in the U.S. FAC with museum quality masterpieces competing for top honors. One thing that makes this and the other FAC rubber classes quite interesting is that they involve a bonus points system that encourages competitors to enter unusual designs. So if you take a look at the rules you will see that a canard, pusher biplane on floats get a rather high bonus score whereas a Piper Cub gets nothing (unless it is on floats). So if the models score equally in the scale judging and if they both fly for exactly the same amount of time the canard, pusher bi-floatplane will win!! This format adds a lot of spice to FAC competition and has resulted in a lot of competition rubber scale models which may otherwise never have been built because of the perception that they may not be good flyers or would be too difficult to trim. To everyone’s delight some of these unlikely birds are exceptionally good flyers and often win FAC events.
Two FAC rubber scale models: Rich Weber’s Bristol Scout model C and Mark Fineman’s YP38 lightning. Both photos are from Mike Stewart’s excellent web page
FAC Jumbo scale
This is a category for larger models with wingspans of 36 inches or greater in the case of monoplanes and 30 inches or greater in the case of multiplanes. In all other respects this category is judged and flown in the same same format as the other FAC rubber scale categories.
A Jumbo scale Lockheed Vultee V1 by Chris Starleaf on the left and on the right: Vance Gilbert’s Avia
Fac Giant scale
This is the largest FAC scale rubber category, and is for models with wingspans larger than 42 inches in the case of monoplanes and larger than 36 inches in the case of multiplanes. Giant and Jumbo scale models tend to be good flyers because they can be built down to low wing loadings quite easily Also the larger models can easily be built with many extra scale details that cannot be included on a lightweight peanut.
Two more Chris Statleaf models: Left: Savoia Marchetti trimotor and right: a 150 cm-plus Boeing B24 Liberator
Scale Mass launch events
In general the mass launch events are mainly focused on flying fun and spectacle (a flock of 15 brightly colored racers fluttering skywards is a sight that every free flighter should see at some point in their lives). The FAC mass launch events are divided into several categories (see the rules page for a complete list)
Here you see two shots by Joshua Fin (JF) of mass launches (difficult to capture on camera). Left: a WWI combat mass launch, Right: WWII combat. Note the lack of timers etc. The last three down win the event. In cases where there are 10 or more competitors the event is flown in heats where groups of ten launch together...the winners of the heats then qualify for the semi final and final rounds. The last three down in the final get 1st 2nd and 3rd respectively with the last man down being the winner.
Here you see two more mass launch shots by JF: on the left a Mr Smoothie and JF’s goon get away, and on the right a shot of the 1930 Greve and Thompson trophy racers climbing out in a flock.
The most popular events for mass launch are the combat events and the racer events. The combat events are limited to mass produced aircraft that saw combat during the two world wars. There are no wingspan limitations and the models may be “stand off” scale, which means that they must have the correct color scheme and shape etc. and should exhibit the correct armament and other lumps and bumps but they need not be very detailed beyond these basic requirements as they will not receive a static score that factors into the event. The racer events are focused on radial and inline racing aircraft dating from the golden age of air racing in north America (late 1920s and 1930s) and have a 24 inch maximum wingspan limitation. Unfortunately the list of eligible aircraft does not include aircraft from the European racing circuit with the notable exceptions of the French Caudron racer and the British Percival Mew Gulls. Maybe we will remedy this in the future? Just for the record, I propose racing events dedicated to the Schneider trophy races as well as the Europe-Australia race.
Typically the racing events are broken into separate categories based on aircraft configuration. These are the Greve race for inline engined racing aircraft (e.g. Caudron, Firecracker, Folkerts SK3 and Goon), The Thompson trophy race for radial engined aircraft (e.g. Bee Gee super sportsters, and Cessna CR3), and the Bendix for high winged cabin aircraft (e.g. Mr Mulligan, and Monocoupes). This division is aimed at matching models with similar configurations against one another. Sometimes however, when the number of entrants is low, they will all fly together in a single mass launch event.
JF’s Greve racer The Goon on its way on the left, an excellent design capable of 2 minute flights. The one in the middle is Chris Starleaf’s Laird Turner Super Solution, and on the right is the great Dave Rees with Crosby CR4(?)
JF’s WWI mass launch (and Pnut) Sopwith Strutter and on the right his Fiat G.55 for WWII mass launch
Other mass launch events include: Modern Military for aircraft like jets (rubber powered ones with propellers) and post war piston engined and turbo prop aircraft; Modern Civil scale for models of civil aircraft; Golden Age Military for interwar years military aircraft, and Golden Age Civil scale for civil aircraft of the interwar years.
Upper left: Dave Rees DH Foxmoth for goldenage civil scale mass launch, Upper right: JF’s Found centennial for modern civil mass launch, Lower left: Miles Magister for golden age military mass launch, Lower right: The result of a rare mid air collision in WWII mass launch.
Sky full of WWII mass launch models at FAC competition in Muncie Indiana.
Nocal Scale: This is a fun event designed for profile scale models that have the correct color scheme and general appearance of the modeled aircraft (see nocal rules on FAC rules page). Nocal wingspans are limited to 16 inches. This is a perfect class for beginners as the models are easy to construct, look great in the air, usually fly well and for a long time, and provide a good opportunity for learning and practicing the finer points of flight trimming. Nocals an clock several minute flights an are a joy to behold. Definitely a lot of bang for the buck and super for getting the kids excited.
Above are a couple of good examples of nocals by JF. Left a Mr Smoothie and right a Cessna Cardinal
Nocals are also fun as all sheet projects out of foam or balsa that can be knocked together in an evening with the kids. Above on the left my oldest (Bernard III) with his sheet foam nocal Mr Smoothie which flew off into the great beyond a few minutes after this photo was taken. On the right an 8 inch Sheet nocal chambermaid which also flew away. I used this model as a test of the feasibility of a pistachio Chambermaid. This brings up another point: Nocals are the best way to test ideas and establish parameters like center of gravity (CG) and wing and stab incidence for more complex built up projects. Below you see my son with his Folkerts Sk4 testbed and my YB49 foam sorta nocal testbed for my 42 inch YB49 flying wing project.
Embryo Endurance
This is an endurance class originally aimed at the beginner with the idea that beginners would get a chance to learn the ropes on fairly simple models that fly well yet have a built up structure closer to that of serious scale models. As you can imagine the old pros were soon dukin it out with this class and these days I doubt if any beginners stand much of a chance in well attended competition. Nevertheless, this is still an intriguing and satisfying class to build and fly and is of course a good place to start if you are just getting into the hobby. Embryos must ROG (Rise Of Ground) unassisted (one of the few events..maybe the only event requiring ROG in the FAC) from a conventionally configured landing gear (see photos). An embryo fuselage must enclose a 1.2 x 1.3 x 3 inch or larger space and there are also wing area and tailplane area restrictions (see rules). Lastly, you get bonus points for exhaust pipes, wheel pants, and a raised or open cabin with windshield and head rest.
Above you see a pair of typical embryos: one by JF (left, his own Maxout IV design) and, right, a second embryo at one of the bigger FAC meetings.
FAC old time stick, old time rubber, and two bit rubber endurance
These are three events with minor differences for designs published before December 31, 1945. Old time stick is for 36 inch wingspan or less models that lacked a landing gear, Old time rubber is for 36 inch wingspan or less models that have a landing gear and Two Bit is the same as Old time rubber except that the wingspan is limited to 26 inches (new rule as of December 2007...it was 25 inches before). Reduction of larger old time models to 36 inches is permitted as long as the wood sizes are kept proportional.
Above left you see a picture of JF’s Two Bit Zephyr model, and to the right a picture of his Miss Canada Sr. Old time rubber model.
