Eleven-year-old Pio Neri of Cebu grabbed the limelight yesterday by topping the Sportsman category in pattern flying and expertly executing a Climb/Glide in the fun fly event of the 22nd Philippine Radio Control Aeromodelers Nationals held at the PAL tarmac of the former Bacolod Domestic Airport in Bacolod City.

Neri, a sixth grader at Paref Springdale, Cebu and son of three-time national champion Jayjay Neri, earned the nod of the judges in the fun fly event when he remained up in the air for 4 minutes and 47 seconds for his climb/glide entry while Bacoleño Yepe Infante settled for second place for his 1.01 execution of the Time Trax.

Placing behind Neri in the Sportsman category (pattern fly) was Ron-Ron Merecido, 36, from Dumaguete, while fourth grader Louis Nikolai placed third.

In the Seniors category for 55-above, Rene Avila topped the event followed by Manileños Obi Mapua and Matti Tuason.

Meanwhile, tournament coordinator Chepit Dulay said it is the first time for Bacolod City to host the RC Aeromodelers Nationals and the event is sanctioned by the Federation of Aeronautique International.

The competition features pattern maneuvers, scale plane flying, and fun fly events. Categories under the pattern fly include the Sportsman, Seniors, P3A and the F3A, considered as the hardest among all events, Dulay said.

Also known as precision aerobatics, pattern flying is done by planes with a maximum of 2-meter wingspan or fuselage, controlled by the flier through a transmitter on the ground.

The scale event will display models that look like real planes and must be flown like a real one. Higher points will be given to competitors with bigger models.

Participants in the fun fly events try outdo each other by executing maneuvers such as tight loops, spins, float like a kite, and land-on-a-spot.

Planes used in the fun fly are characterized by a very large wing area that makes them glide weightlessly.

Flyers seeing action in the PNATS event also attended the advance pattern training conducted by Ken Hirose, Japan's FAI and Futaba representative who is also in Bacolod City to witness the flying competition, Dulay said.*NAB

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