About
UKF3A is the R/C aerobatic association organising F3A competitions in the UK for newcomers to advanced, on behalf of the British Model Flying Assocition.
Our Team
Graham Gooch
Chairman
Graham started flying with his father from the age of seven. Initially this was with a single channel radio but soon progressed to a basic four channel proportional set gaining experience through the years flying a variety of sport and scale aircraft.
During the mid 90’s he purchased a fully aerobatic Wolfgang Matt Joker which is still flying to this day and had several thousand flights.
His biggest regret is not joining the
UKF3A Aerobatic Association sooner as there is so much helpful advice and training readily available.
He has also held the position of Chairman of the Norwich Model Aero Club for forty one consecutive years.
Peter Jenkins
Vice Chairman
Association Secretary
Peter Jenkins has been flying model aircraft since he was a teenager but only entered aerobatic competitions after retiring in 2010.
He has organised and run a number of introductory courses to coach newcomers to start and others to improve their aerobatics. He continues to organise aerobatic competitions for the UKF3A National League and to act as Contest Director.
He is a qualified instructor and examiner for the UK’s largest model flying association, the BMFA of which he was a Director for six years. He has also held a private pilots’ licence and flew and instructed on full size gliders for many years.
Peter currently flies the FAI(P) schedule in domestic competitions in GB.
Peter has written two books, one co-authored with Kevin Caton, covering flying the schedules offered by the UKF3A up to the FAI P schedule.
Ross Donovan
Chief Judge
Ross started flying single channel RC back in the early 70’s.
He became interested in RC aerobatics in the 1980’s and joined UKF3A (formerly the GBR/CAA) in 1986.
He started judging at competitions regularly in 2014 and has since judged at a number of Triple Crown Competitions.
In 2025 he became Chief Judge for UKF3A.
UKF3A Documents
Contest Director (CD) Information
Resouces for running a competition as a Contest Director below:
Contest Director Guide
Our Story
UKF3A, the evolution of the Great Britain Radio Control Aerobatic Association (GBR/CAA), took flight on December 2, 1978, fuelled by a passion for exhilarating aerobatic competition.
By October 1980, with over 200 members, the association, led by Geoff Franklin, Kath and Terry Watson and Sue Robinson, orchestrated a lineup of approximately 45 competitions annually.
In the early ’80s, a competition at Doncaster witnessed 60 participants engaged in fierce competition.
Engines were limited until 1996, with a cap at 10cc for two-strokes or 20cc for four-strokes.
By 2006, engine size limits were removed, the only criteria remaining that aircraft had to fit in a 2-meter square box and weigh under 5 Kg.
Huge advances in Lithium-Polymer batteries have seen F3A aircraft become almost exclusively electric powered today.
For 2024, after careful consideration, the weight limit for aircraft has been increased to 5.5 Kg.
