If you would like to be placed on the North Island or South Island mailing lists please email Frazer: frazer@pbgsoftware.co.nz
Unofficial Facebook Page RC Aerobatics NZ
2025 F3A World Champs in Muncie USA – August 9th to 16th … you can support the New Zealand team !!
The F3A World Championships are coming up fast.
While you’ve been sitting in front of the heater sipping hot cocoa, the team has been in the shed getting new models ready, and then battling the elements out in the winter weather practicing. Brrrr….
We have a full team, and they are:
Hamish Galloway (Worms), Frazer Briggs (Bogan), Sean Galloway Jr (Sprocket), John Knox (Norman). Team Manager is expat kiwi, Brian “Hooley Dooley”. Supporting the team, Trina Briggs, Noeline Craighead (Judge) and Ross Craighead (Obe Wan Kenobe)
Team apparel is now available, and you can support the NZ F3A by purchasing some merch. Last WC we had a huge number of shirts and hats sold, and it really helped. I think we raised some $500. If you want some gear you will need to be quick. Final order needs to go in asap so the stuff can be made in time.
Steve Johnson of Livery Studio has done a great design for us. This time the shirts are going to be a smart looking dark Navy Blue colour, with white trim. The material has a nice texture and it’s the breathable stuff. So you won’t melt when we get back into summer in NZ, plus it’s going to be hot in Muncie !!
Not only do we have the team logo front and back, but the sleeves feature the southern cross and the NZRCAA logo. We think it’s going to look pretty good as we strut about the opening ceremony, waving the NZ flag with pride.
Click the pictures to see fullsize imaging.
This gear is being made locally here in NZ, and will be available as soon as the team leaves on Saturday the 2nd August. Come to the airport, have a beer with us, and wave us good bye and good luck.
Pricing: Shirts $90, Hats $40. Hat & Shirt Combo. $125.
Get in touch with Frazer to place your order frazer@pbgrc.co.nz.
The proceeds of all sales go towards making the team uniforms a little cheaper for the squad. By purchasing a hat and a shirt, you are helping by approx $20.
Feb 2024 – New Zealand retain the Trans Tasman F3A Trophy !!
2023 F3A World Championships Results
Sean Galloway 2nd junior and 33rd overall!
Andrew Palmer (21st) and Frazer Briggs (23rd) – the first two New Zealanders to reach the semi finals!
New Zealand 7th in the team rankings.
A team of supporters made the trip over…..
RULE UPDATES
July 2024 – Two F3A Team Selection remits from the SIG have passed, so please check out the updated NZ Pattern rules here.
SCHEDULE UPDATES!
We have a NEW Clubman schedule which will be flown at the 2023 Nationals and beyond! Check out the full Clubman rules here, and check out video descriptions and fly-throughs of all the maneuvers here.
We also have a NEW Classic schedule for the 2023 Nationals and beyond! Check it out here!
And a new Expert schedule also for the 2023 Nationals and beyond – check it out here – and more info on the downloads page.
Andrew’s Judging Presentations 2022!
Judging Presentation A Check it out here!
Judging Presentation B – includes NEW CLUBMAN SCHEDULE FLY THROUGH! Check it out here!
Judging Presentation C – includes NEW EXPERT SCHEDULE FLY THROUGH! Check it out here!
Judging Presentation D Check it out here!
Judging Presentation E Check it out here!
Flight Coach
Flight Coach started as an idea by Thomas David, a top UK IMAC and F3A pilot. Could the fusion of a GPS, cheap multirotor flight control board, and some fancy computer analysis result in flight analysis which would be a useful coaching aid? The answer was a resounding yes! Of course, such a project was going to be quite complicated. Artur Uzieblo, an Australian F3A pilot came aboard with a vast knowledge of programming skills. Andrew Palmer (New Zealand F3A pilot) organised ideas and developed hardware systems. Russell Edwards (Australian F3A pilot) has been involved in system testing and wrote the plotter manual.
At the heart of the system is an advanced sensor fusion algorithm that can extend the GPS based positioning with inertial navigation to deliver a smooth and accurate flight path and attitude log with 15-25 points per second. This compares to 1-2 per second (with no attitude information) of a typical GPS only system. This data is recorded in the model on micro-SD card. Then the web browser-based Flight Coach software – which is free to use – provides post-flight analysis. The Flight Coach system does not remove the difficulty of F3A, but it does function as a valuable training aid to allow post flight analysis with some objective data on model flight path.
Getting up and running with the hardware can be a bit daunting. If you need a hand, give me (Andrew Palmer) a ring on 021-976665. You will need an Ardupilot compatible flight control board (with SD writer) and GPS/compass. More expensive options are almost plug and play – like the Cube Black or Holybro Pixhawk4 mini + GPS. Cheaper options need some soldering and more configuration – such as an OmniBusF4 + cheap N8M GPS from ebay. The quality of the data from all systems I have used seems identical.
