By Paul Gibeault – 2024 F2 World Championship Media Director for Control Line Models

The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) welcomes the world to the 2024 F2 World Championship for Control Line Model Airplanes, which begins today in Muncie, Indiana, USA.

The F2 (Control Line) World Championships have been held since 1960, but were last held in 2004 here in Muncie, Indiana at the International Aeromodeling Center in the USA. AMA is very pleased to offer our competitors an improved Control Line facility with newly paved flight circles this year. We expect well over 200 competitors from 30 countries competing in four individual disciplines that will ultimately produce four new Control Line World Champions.

The following events will be presented:

F2A Speed

The rules are quite simple: the maximum engine capacity is 2.5cc and models must conform to a fixed wing loading. All models fly on a fixed line length of 17.7 meters and run on the prescribed nitro fuel. This is similar to the Top Fuel Dragster class where the aircraft have developed a very aerodynamically sleek, asymmetrical layout. The top speed engines generate over 2.5hp and are superbly tuned to over 40,000rpm, so bring your hearing protection! To get on the podium, speeds of just over 300km/h are required. The current Junior and Senior World Speed ​​Champions (Ivan and Alex Valishev) from the USA will be here to defend their titles.

F2B precision aerobatics

This event is not unlike ballet, where the pilot must gracefully fly his model through a precise sequence of maneuvers in front of an international panel of judges. Each maneuver is given a score out of 10 and then multiplied by a difficulty factor, expressed as K in the maneuver descriptions. The aerobatic models are the largest of the C/L models and are built and finished like show models. Unlike the AMA stunt, there are no bonus points for completion. Despite this, these models are built and finished to perfection, as many flyers feel that this adds (even if only slightly) to the overall presentation of the flying type. This is the only class where electric motors dominate, making this class the quietest of all.

F2C team race

The essence of F2C is that the class is fast, with technically advanced models that are quite difficult to operate and fly. It is very physically demanding for the pilot and at this level it is essential to compete in threes and to get your best performance out of them. Team racing is sometimes referred to as a junior event and requires a high level of fitness from the pilots. These 220 km/h models have evolved to a crescent-shaped flying wing layout. Often built from composite materials, they are very light (~315 grams) and allow for instant acceleration. They are powered by very highly tuned (25,000 rpm) 2.5 cc racing diesel engines. Diesel engines are used due to the mandatory 7 cc tank size limit. Glow engines simply cannot achieve the required range of these models. The pit men at these races are fitted with a sophisticated pressure refuelling device on their arm which will refill the model’s tank in seconds. He can also change the fuel mix from tank to tank during the race if required. T/R models are flown in threes for 100 lap runs with 2 fuel stops. A good pit stop is an amazing sight as it can be done in just a few seconds. Both good piloting skills and consistently excellent pit work are required to make it to the 200 lap final race. All events are stopped to enjoy the 200 lap final which is often very exciting. Hearing protection is recommended as three team racing models racing together at full power is loud!

F2D combat

Combat is arguably the best spectator event. With 50 competitors at the previous World Cup, Combat promises to be a very exciting event! F2D Combat is simply dogfighting! Two pilots, each flying a model aircraft, fly against each other in a four minute battle in the same circle. Each model tows a strip of paper of a specific colour and each pilot attempts to make cuts in their opponent’s strip using their own aircraft’s propeller. Combat models have always been flying wing designs but the current models are very sophisticated to be both manoeuvrable and robust. F2D models are powered by powerful 2.5cc internal combustion engines using prescribed fuel and are flown on 15.9 metre lines. Fuel cut-offs are now mandatory for safety reasons after some models had their lines cut during combat bouts. It is always exciting to see these models chasing each other’s stripes at well over 100mph. Top competitors have to bring a whole fleet of models with them because the failure rate due to crashes and collisions in the air is high.

All competitors and spectators are welcome to enjoy our championships at the International Aeromodeling Center. Visit our model aircraft museum and gift shop. The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are also nearby attractions.

See you soon!

Photo credit: Charlie Johnson