What's in a name? IMAC or Scale Aerobatics?
Written by Peter BrynerIMAC is the abbreviation for INTERNATIONAL MINIATURE AEROBATIC CLUB. It has also become the term used to describe the type of flying even though the literal term refers to the club which represents this type of flying. It is based in the USA where this style of flying, engines and air frames were developed. See: http://www.mini-iac.org/.
On all IMAC flying sites the term "SCALE AEROBATICS" is used to describe the discipline. This distinguishes it from "Pattern flying" which refers to itself as "precision aerobatics" and has its own set of rules.
In Australia the highest representative organization of aeromodellers is the MAAA. It is a federation of state associations and individuals are represented statewide by their own local club. In any club there are members with a variety of interests - jets, gliders, helicopters etc. Each of these is recognised as a "discipline" called an NSIG - National Special Interest Group. Scale Aerobatics is one such special interest group.
The MAAA is a member of the world-wide sport aviation organisation - the FAI (). The FAI has individual commissions that represent each type of flying. For aeromodelling this is the FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM).
Aeromodeling subdisciplines are represented by a shorthand code - F3A for pattern flying, F3F for gliders and F3M for Scale Aerobatics/Large Scale Aerobatics amongst others. The IMAC scale aerobatics judging criteria have been adopted from the USA into F3M regulations. The competition procedures and details of routines are different to accommodate the FAI framework.
The FAI holds the World Air Games regularly and this could involve aeromodelling. Drone racing is recognised by the FAI. The secretary of the MAAA Kevin Dodd is secretary of this organisation. So Australia is well placed within FAI to advance aeromodelling.
There are discussions on bulletin boards about the differences between IMAC and F3M as well as how the world can be united in a single discipline of scale aerobatics. The IMAC (USA) is to hold the second World IMAC event in 2018 to be held in Muncie Illinois.
