2003 USA Team Trials Contest

The 2003 United States F3C World Team trials were held September 28^th and 29^th at the RC World flying complex in Orlando Florida. The host club was TORCHS (The Orlando Radio Control Helicopter Society), and the CD for the event was the 1995 World Champion Cliff Hiatt. Despite the less than favorable initial weather reports due to Hurricane Isadore, the weather cooperated throughout the event.

After 7 official rounds of competition flight, the following individuals earned a position to represent the United States as the

2003 USA F3C Heli World Team:

1^st: Wayne Mann

2^nd: Dwight Shilling

3^rd: Len Sabato

Team Manager for the 2003 USA F3C Team is Barron Guss

Current World Champion: Curtis Youngblood

Curtis will also return to the 2003 World Championships as an individual to defend his World Championship title. Curtis’s scores will not be included in the team standings.

Alternate for USA Team

4^th: Larry Hazbun

Other participants:

5^th:Gordie Meade

6^th: Mike Goza

7^th: Dave Harkey

Len Sabato earned his first ever spot on the United States team flying his original design Vigor CS “Eclipse” model that was showcased in the articles section of this site. Len is the first new team member of the USA Heli team since 1995, and is the youngest member of the team.

Click to enlarge:
	Len and his Vigor Eclipse during an official schedule B flight.
	Competitors and spectators at the 2003 USA Team trials.
	Len's trusty Bronco, complete with color coordinated models, flight box, and his Team position winning Vigor Eclipse.
	The 2003 USA F3C World Heli Team (R-L): Wayne Mann, Dwight Shilling, Len Sabato

Previous F3C Worlds Facts:

• The USA and Japanese teams have dominated this competition collectively trading for the 1^st and 2nd place team title at every World Championships since the competitions inception in 1985. The USA and Japanese teams are considered to be the title contenders at the 2003 World Team Championship Title.
• The Individual World Championship Title has been won only by an American or Japanese pilot at every World Championships since its inception in 1985.

Youngblood, Mann, Shilling, and Sabato will represent the USA at the upcoming 2003 World F3C Heli Championships to be held June 1^st through the 8^th in Ishikawa Japan. The event will be held at the new Kyoto Airport, located 200 miles from Osaka.

As you can imagine, sending 4 Pilots and support staff to this event is not an easy task financially. Although the AMA and corporate sponsors help with these expenses, the Team is also working to raise funds in the form of Apparel and Raffle ticket sales.

For more information on the USA Team, and how you can offer your support, please visit their website at: www.usaf3c.com The site lists the stats on the team, as well as a section on team apparel and sponsorship/raffle information.

For more information on the 2003 World F3C Championships, visit the official site at:

www.rc-tech.co.jp/f3cwch2003

The officials for the 2003 USA Team trials event were:

Contest Director: Cliff Hiatt

Assistant Contest Director: Steve Hathaway

FAI Jury: Horace Hagen

Judges:

Tom Unger

Carey Shurley

Don Wade

Kevin Cordell

Nob Muraki