Salt mine flights start next week at the 2025 FAI F1D European Championships for Indoor Model Aircraft in Slănic Prahova
The 2025 FAI F1D European Championships for Indoor Model Aircraft begins on 24 November in a unique location: the salt mine in Slănic Prahova, Romania.
The mine operated during the early 20th century, but since the 1970s these vast underground chambers with their unpolluted, stable air conditions have mostly hosted medical and leisure visitors. Numerous FAI Indoor Model Aircraft championships played out against the spectacular natural beauty of the cavern walls.
Organised by the Romanian Aeromodelling Federation, the 2025 FAI F1D European Championships for Indoor Model Aircraft will bring together Europe’s finest indoor free flight competitors for an event showcasing precision, skill, and aeronautical artistry from 24 to 27 November.
F1D Indoor Model Aircraft are one of the two lightest FAI classes, with a minimum weight of 1.2g for the airframe. These featherlight models are built with balsa wood and micro-film, with the addition of a rubber motor weighing less than a gram.
The aircraft may be light, but this class of aeromodelling is nonetheless one of the most technically demanding. Pilots with a supremely gentle touch can manage graceful long-duration flights. In 2024, Yuan Kang Lee (USA), the World Champion in F1D, achieved a flight of 58 mins 38 secs - the current FAI world record.
Corneliu Mangalea, the Secretary General of the Romanian Aeromodelling Federation, said:
“Hosting the 2025 FAI F1D European Championships for Indoor Model Aircraft in Romania is both an honour and a celebration of our country’s strong aeromodelling tradition. We are proud to welcome athletes, officials, and enthusiasts from Europe to experience the spirit of innovation and excellence that defines our sport.”
The event will include both senior and junior categories, as well as a World Cup for F1D prior to the main event. Spectators, media representatives, and aeromodelling fans are invited to attend and witness the quiet elegance of human ingenuity in flight.
Schedule
- 24 November: Model processing, Officials’ Meetings, Opening Ceremony
- 25-27 November: Competition rounds
- 27 November: Finals, Closing ceremony
Follow the action
FAI will cover the competition with updates on the FAI website and social media channels.
Photo credit: Bernhard Schwendemann
