MAAA Wingspan - Quarterly Magazine

6 WING SPAN AUGUST AUSSIE PILOT WINS AT WORLD- FIRST AERIAL SPECTACULAR A Sunshine Coast pylon pilot has won 1st place at the 2019 F3D and F5D combined Pylon Racing World Championships, held at Maryborough Model Aero Club airfield from August 6-12. Chris Callow won the prestigious World Champion title for the F3D category, while Matthew Wood (also from the Sunshine Coast) won F3D Junior World Champion. The World-first aerial spectacular saw competing aircraft reach speeds of up to 350km/hr over a 4km race course with a G-force of 38. Competitors came from as far as Italy, France, USA and Sweden to take to the skies over Maryborough. Mr Callow, who has previously come 1st at five world championships said it was an honour to win the top accolade on Australian soil. “The World Championships is a fantastic event to compete at, being amongst the world’s best,” said Christopher. “This sport offers an adrenalin rush like no other, with the Pylon reaching speeds of up to 350km/hr.” Matthew Wood who has been flying pylon since he was four-years-old said hard work and a lot of pre-event practice has paid off. “My Dad got me into this amazing sport and taught me how to fly. This was my very first world championships and I’m really happy at how well I did,” said Matthew. “To be surrounded by the world’s best pylon pilots was very exciting. It’s a great sport where you get to meet people from all over the world. It’s an adrenalin rush for sure, the pylons go very fast.” The F5D Pylon Racing event was won by Jan Sediacek from Czech Republic. Tyler Mees from Australia won 3rd place. The event was held on behalf of the Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA), Air Sport Australia Confederation (ASAC), Model Aeronautical Association of Queensland (MAAQ), Australian Miniature Pylon Racing Association (AMPRA) and the Queensland Model Aircraft Racing Association (QMARA).