Pattern Flying Website

You have reached the new Pattern Flyer website. Visit again soon to find valuable tips and information of interest to all who actively participate in pattern rc flight.

A Brief Introduction to Pattern RC Flying

If you're new to radio-controlled flight, or just haven't got around to checking out aspects of r/c flight beyond your own favorite aircraft and style, you may be wondering what "Pattern flying" all about. Pattern is one form of radio-controlled aerobatic flight. Other popular forms of competitive aerobatic rc flight include 3D and Aerobatic Giant Scale.

Specifically, Pattern flying involves the careful execution of a series of precision acrobatic maneuvers within an imaginary box in the sky — all according to a special set of rules or guidelines. (In competitions, they are definitely rules, not just guidelines.) Governed in the USA by the AMA and largely organized by the NSRCA, Pattern flying is a world-wide sport. The World Championship competitions are held every 2 years. The next global competition is scheduled to be held in Portugal, in August of 2009.

Both nationally and internationally, there are 5 classes or levels of competition in Pattern. Each higher class involves maneuvers of greater complexity and difficulty. At present, the classes include: Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Masters and FAI. The FAI class designates flyers ready to compete in international World Aerobatic RC Championships. At this writing (April, 2008) Quique Somenzini is the current FAI F3A World Champion.

Rules for competitive Pattern flying cover things like the size and weight of the aircraft. For example, the plane may not weigh more than eleven pounds (five kilograms), excluding fuel, with a maximum wingspan of two-meters or 78.74 inches. There are also rules regulating the noise level and equipment functions, etc. For more detailed information and up-to-date information on the maneuvers & guidelines, see the AMA Regulations for Pattern Flying ( a free download in Adobe PDF format from the AMA website).

You should be able to find plenty of information on the web to help you get a better understanding of this sport, but the best thing to do is download the regulations mentioned above, and start practicing the moves. I don't suppose any other kind of rc flying will test your skills like F3A Pattern.

If you don't have a rc plane that can accomplish some of the moves or handle the added stress of aerobatic flight, consider a smaller version for initial practice and learning. The popular Focus Sport (shown in photo) is a practical option, combining some very nice features in a relatively inexpensive model that is well known for its ease of handling. The Focus Sport gives you genuine Pattern aerobatic flight at a very economical price, and is available as a kit in ARF (almost ready to fly) and ARC (almost ready to cover) versions. Learn more about the plane here.