2026 FAI F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft

BMFA National Centre, Sewstern, Leicestershire, United Kingdom

Thursday 9th July to Saturday 18th July

 

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

 

 

ORGANISER AND LOCATION

The organiser of the Championships is the British Model Flying Association www.bmfa.org and in particular its Scale Technical Committee.

The location is the BMFA National Centre, which is located on the Leicestershire/Lincolnshire border, close to the towns of Melton Mowbray and Grantham. The site occupies 43 acres of open and largely unobstructed countryside, set within a traditional farming estate. It presents an ideal location for the sport of model flying to take place. https://nationalcentre.bmfa.uk/

Postal Address:                         BMFA Buckminster, Sewstern, Grantham. Leicestershire NG33 5RW
Co-ordinates of Entrance:       Lat 52.777138, Lon -0.704075
What Three Words:                 Growth, Expensive, Furniture

The average weather for July is as follows:

Max temperature 21C
Min temperature 10C
Rain days 8
Humidity 80%
Wind Speed 12.7km/hr
The average length of the day is 16 hours and 19 minutes, with sunrise at approximately 0500 BST and sunset at 2100 BST

The venue is situated in Leicestershire, approximately 170km from both London and Manchester.

COMPETITION CLASSES

The following classes shall be flown

  1. F4B Control Line Scale Aeroplanes

  2. F4C Radio Control Scale Aeroplanes

  3. F4H Radio Control Stand-Off Scale Aeroplanes

RULES

FAI Sporting Rules
The championships will be run according to editions effective at the date of the event.
– CIAM F4 Scale Volume

In addition, the following documents will be applicable by consulting the edition effective at the date of the event:
– FAI Sporting Code Section 4 Aeromodelling CIAM General Rules Volume.
– FAI Sporting Code General Section Volume.
– FAI Code of Ethics.
– FAI Disciplinary Code.

The current editions can be found at https://www.fai.org/page/ciam-code

Junior
According to CIAM General Rules Volume C.5.1, a competitor is considered to be a junior up to and including the calendar year in which they attains the age of 18. So, a competitor will be considered for the championship(s) as being a junior as long they are born from the 1st January 2008.

FAI Sporting Licence
Every competitor and each team manager of any national team must possess a valid FAI Sporting Licence (Aeromodelling discipline) registered in the FAI database. A FAI Sporting Licence is not required for the helpers.

The holder of a FAI Sporting Licence may be required to produce, as proof of identity, an official document including their names, photograph and signature (eg passport).

Complaint and protest (See FAI Sporting Code General Section Volume 6.2.2 & 6.3.2, and CIAM General Rules Volume C.20)
The purpose of a complaint is to obtain a correction without the need to make a formal protest.
At any time during a championship, a team manager who is dissatisfied with any matter must first ask the Contest director or the appropriate official for assistance. Complaints may be made orally or in writing in English.
A complaint shall concern only one matter. In case of different matters, separate complaints must be made. A joint complaint may be made, should multiple complainants have the same position on the matter concerned.
It is recommended that a complaint is made before submitting a protest.
Complaints must be made as soon as possible after the occurrence giving rise to the complaint, and shall be dealt with expeditiously.
If dissatisfied by the decision, the complainant(s) concerned must inform the Contest Director as soon as possible of the intention to submit a protest.
All protests must be presented by the team manager(s) in writing in English to the Contest Director and must be accompanied by the deposit of a fee of 50 CHF (or equivalent amount for a different currency). In the case of a joint protest, every protesting team manager must pay the protest fee.

Note: It is recommended to use the Contest Protest Form which may be downloaded from the ‘DOCUMENTS’ section of the CIAM website (https://www.fai.org/ciam-documents) by clicking on ‘CIAM FORMS & OTHER DOCUMENTS’ section, and then on ‘World and Continental Championships’.

A protest shall concern only one matter. In the case of different matters, separate protests must be made.
A protest against a decision of the judges or other contest officials or against an error or irregularity committed during the championship(s) by another competitor or team manager must be lodged as soon as the contest situation requires but not later than 60 minutes after the incident. The same person is not permitted to present two consecutive protests on the same incident.
The deposit for a protest is returned only if the protest is withdrawn prior to the beginning of the effective treatment of the protest or if the protest is upheld.

Anti-doping statement
A competitor who needs for medical reasons to take any of the substances listed on the WADA Prohibited List must have a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) signed by FAI.
To access the current WADA prohibited list of substances and additional information regarding the TUE, see the FAI website with the following link: https://www.fai.org/page/anti-doping-therapeutic-exemptions.

UAV regulations
Details of the UK CAA requirements will be given in Bulletin 1.

Radio Control frequencies
Only 2.4 GHz spread spectrum radio control systems are allowed (output power not exceeding 100 mW according to EN 300 328 Standard).

Model Aircraft Specification Certificate and sticker
According to the CIAM General Rules Volume C.12, each NAC shall process every model and shall issue for each model aircraft the Model Aircraft Specification Certificate provided by the FAI.
Model aircraft not properly processed by their NAC, with FAI certificate, must be processed by the organiser at a cost of 8 EUR for each model.
Each competitor must present a Competitors Declaration Form as stated for each class concerned in the FAI Sporting Code Section 4 Aeromodelling Volume F4 Flying Scale Model Aircraft.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

The official language of the Championships will be English.

PARTICIPANTS

Every NAC may enter a team consisting of:

– Team manager (The team manager is mandatory but may be a dedicated person or one of the competitors of the national team).
– Assistant Team manager (not mandatory).
– Maximum of three competitors per class (without age and gender requirements).

Optionally, one additional Junior competitor (without gender requirement) and/or one additional Female competitor (without age requirement).

Note: A national team must, at least, include one competitor and may include a maximum of five competitors with the two optionally additional competitors.

– Official helpers.
– Supporters.

The reigning Champion(s) and, where appropriate, the reigning Junior Champion(s) have the right (subject to the approval of their NAC) to participate in the class concerned. If they are not a member of their national team, they will not be considered for the national team classification. When a reigning Junior Champion is no longer a junior, they cannot be considered for the individual Junior classification.
The reigning champions are:
F4B Peter Bauer (USA)
F4C David Law (AUS)
F4H Reto Senn (SUI)

Additional individual competitors
According to CIAM General Rules Volume C.5.3 f), the organizer will evaluate after the deadline defined for submission of the Preliminary Entry Form (PEF) the participation level which may be expected. If the number of expected participants is below the minimum number which makes the event financially viable, the organiser will ask CIAM to consider cancelling the championship(s), or to initiate a second phase for accepting additional individual competitors with a ‘wild card’.

In case a second phase is initiated, the organizer, with the approval of CIAM Bureau, may send out invitations to the NACs which already had expressed with the PEF their intention to participate.

At the same time, the relevant CIAM Sub Committee (S/C) Chairman may also send invitations considering the World Cup ranking or similar criteria which will ensure that the invited competitors are competent to participate to the championship concerned. Those individual competitors invited by the S/C must also have the approval of their NAC to participate.

All individual competitors invited to participate during that second phase can only be part of the individual classification(s), and so will not be considered for the national team classification.

FAI JURY

The Jury list shall be published in Bulletin 1.

JUDGES

There shall be a 2 separate panels, each consisting of 3 members for the static assessment.

There shall be 2 separate panels, each consisting of 5 members for the radio control flight assessment.

There shall be 1 panel of 3 members for control line flight assessment

The Judging list shall be published in Bulletin 1.

ORGANISER OPERATIONAL OFFICIALS 

Contest Manager                    Graham Kennedy
Contest Director                      Mark Benns
RC Flightline Controller          Paul Blakeborough
CL Flightline Controller          TBD
Administration & Scoring      Stephen Kessel
Registration                             Brian West

CLASSIFICATIONS AND AWARDS

Individual overall classification
FAI gold, silver and bronze medals and FAI diplomas will be awarded to the competitors placed first, second and third in the individual overall classification for the class concerned.

Individual Junior classification
FAI gold, silver and bronze medals and FAI diplomas will be awarded to the first, second and third placed juniors subject to at least six juniors competing in the class concerned. If the number of competitors is less than six, then only FAI diplomas will be awarded. The best placed junior earns the title of Junior World or Continental Champion subject to at least six juniors from four different nations are competing.

Individual Female classification
FAI gold, silver and bronze medals and FAI diplomas will be awarded to the first, second and third placed females subject to at least six females competing in the class concerned. If the number of competitors is less than six, then only FAI diplomas will be awarded. The best placed female earns the title of Women World or Continental Champion subject to at least six females from four different nations are competing.

National team classification
FAI gold, silver and bronze medals and FAI diplomas will be awarded to the first, second and third placed national team for the class concerned.

A medal and a diploma will be awarded to the team manager and to all competitors of each national team concerned.

CIAM Perpetual Trophies
F4C Individual -Dennis Thumpston (British Scale Trophy)
F4C Team – Keil Trophy
F4H Individual – KLM Trophy
F4H Team – FAI Challenge Cup

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

Monday 6th July Team Arrivals
Tuesday 7th – Thursday 9th July Team Practice
Thursday 9th Opening Ceremony
Friday 10th July – Saturday 18th July Static and Flight Judging
Saturday 18th July Closing and Awards Dinner
Sunday 19th July Departures

ENTRY FEES

Details of the entry fees will be published in Bulletin 1.

DEADLINES

Preliminary Entry Form (PEF)
Each NAC planning to send a national team is requested to fill out the PEF, and to return it signed and stamped no later than 10/01/2026.
The PEF shall be published along with Bulletin 1.

According to CIAM General Rules Volume C.15.10, if after the deadline to submit the PEF the number of entries in a class or classes is low, it will be up to the organizer, in consultation with CIAM Bureau, to cancel the competition for the class or classes concerned.

Such decision will be taken after the deadline for the PEF and before the deadline for the Final Entry Form submission. This shall be announced together with the Bulletin 2.

Final Entry Form (FEF)
Each NAC planning to send a national team is requested to fill out the FEF, and to return it signed and stamped no later than 10/04/2026. Entry fees will not be accepted at the arrival, except for an exceptional circumstance and subject to prior agreement of the organiser.
In case a participant or a national team withdraws after the entry fees have been paid, a partial or full refund of the entry fees will be considered only in case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.

LODGING AND FOOD

Accommodation and camping options shall be listed on the website. Competitor camping shall also be available on-site and the fees will be detailed on the FEF.
There is an on-site cafe at the competition venue which will be open daily from breakfast till mid afternoon.
Banquet tickets can be booked as part of the FEF.

INSURANCE

The organizer will provide third party insurance for all participants during the competition for accidents involving injury to others and damage to property according to the host country legislation.
Participants are recommended to organise their own individual health and travel insurance before travelling.

VISA

It the responsibility of the competitor to have an appropriate visa (if applicable) for the duration of their stay in the UK.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The website shall be updated regularly with all information regarding the competition. Please subscribe to the website www.https://worldscale26.bmfa.uk/ to receive updates, including further Bulletins.

Model aircraft fuel
The preferred supplier for fuel is Southern Modelcraft. Fuel can be purchased in advance by contacting them directly https://www.southernmodelcraft.co.uk/

If a competitor wishes to use their own fuel, it can be shipped to the postal address given in the venue details.

The competitor will be responsible for making sure to respect the regulations applicable for transportation of fuel and that the fuel will be delivered to the specified address, and to support the postage and custom costs which may occur. The organiser will be responsible for arranging a safe storage for the fuel and to get the fuel available at the arrival of the competitor.

Batteries 

The preferred supplier for batteries is 4Max. Batteries can be purchased in advance by contacting them directly https://www.4-max.co.uk/

The competitor will be responsible for making sure to respect the regulations applicable for transportation of batteries and that the batteries will be delivered to the specified address, and to support the postage and custom costs which may occur. The organiser will be responsible for arranging a safe storage for the batteries and to get the batteries available at the arrival of the competitor.

Vehicles authorised on the venue

There shall be parking available for participants on site within the designated areas. Disabled parking will be available.
Transportation between the model storage marquee and the static location shall be available.
An aircraft recovery vehicle shall also be available, if required.

Registration on arrival

Documents to be presented at registration

– Entry form signed and stamped by the National Aero Club / National Federation
– Valid FAI Licences of competitors, Team-Manager, Team-Manager’s Assistant. The holder of a FAI Sporting Licence may be required to produce an official document bearing his photograph and signature as proof of identity
– The proof of payment of entry fee and fuel
– Model certificates to be presented only during model processing
– 2 national flags, approx. 1 x 1.5 m
– National anthem on USB-Stick

At registration, the team manager will receive the ID cards, souvenir programme to include local Information, gifts and the nation’s night and banquet vouchers (if ordered).
The national flags and the anthem will be returned to the Team Manager after the Closing Ceremony.

At registration, the jury members and judges will receive their ID cards, meal allowance, souvenirs and the nations night and banquet vouchers.

Medical service

Qualified first aiders shall be available on site for the duration of the Championships.
There are 2 Automated External Defibrillators permanently on site by the Reception Building and by the main flightline.

Local currency

The local currency is GBP. All items sold on site will be priced in GBP. Card payments are possible.
Rates are approximate at the time of publication (August 2025)

GBP = 1.15 EUR

GBP = 1.35 USD

GBP = 1.08 CHF

Electricity

The plug type used in the United Kingdom is G, which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. The UK operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

Communication

Free WiFi will be available throughout the site.
A WhatsApp messenger group shall be set up for Team Manager notifications.

Tourist information

Details of various aviation and non-aviation attractions will be detailed on the website.