10 Feb 2025

Bruckmann (AUT) wins sixth FAI Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft world champion title

After an intense week of competition, the new world champions in FAI F3P Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft have been decorated with FAI medals, in Widen, Switzerland. Austria's Gernot Bruckmann has claimed a remarkable sixth world champion title, whilst Team France delivered an outstanding performance, with Maxime Schmitt's success in F3P-AFM and Lucas Poncet's strong results in both classes as a junior. In addition the other members of the French team performed exceptionally well, securing the top spot in the National Teams ranking.

The sixth FAI F3P World Championships for Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft was held from 2-8 February 2025, with 33 pilots representing 10 nations (Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands and Switzerland) competing at the Burkertsmatt Sports Arena. The event was covered via livestream with high numbers of viewers watching the two classes in the competition from around the world.

See pictures via FAI Airsports Flickr channel
More images from organisers
Go to YouTube channel

F3P-A final round video

F3P-AFM final round video

The Closing Ceremony took place on Saturday 8 February.

Watch Closing Ceremony video on YouTube

About Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft

Indoor Aerobatics is a highly challenging aeromodelling discipline in which pilots perform complex aerial manoeuvres with their lightweight radio-controlled model aircraft. The Freestyle Aerobatics to Music class was introduced in 2019; pilots must choreograph a flight set to music and may add ‘effects’ such as lights, streamers or confetti, to impress judges.

F3P-A: Competitors will perform a predefined sequence of manoeuvres with the goal of executing them with the highest possible precision. An F3P Aerobatics model aircraft will have a fuselage length of no more than 1.5 metres, a wing span of less than 1.5 metres, and the weight must not exceed 300g, but current F3P aerobatic models are much more lightweight, even below 50g.
F3P-AFM: Pilots will choreograph their aerobatic flights, synchronizing their manoeuvres to music for added flair. The models for AFM Freestyle weigh between 150g-200g and a variable thrust of engine is permitted in this class.

the 2025 Champions

View full results

Master of the F3P aeromodelling category, Austrian Gernot Bruckmann claimed his sixth world champion title in the F3P-Aerobatics (F3P-A) discipline, commenting via his social media feed, “Super proud how everything worked out and congratulations to all other medal winners, it was an honour to fly with you.”

FAI F3P AFM 2025 podium

In the Aerobatics Freestyle to Music (F3P-AFM) discipline, France’s Maxime Schmitt swooped to the top of the podium, impressing judges with his magnificent, choreographed flight. Gernot Bruckmann took second place in this category, with his Austrian team-mate Andreas Wildauer coming third.

FAI F3P AFM Junior podium 2025

Schmitt’s young team-mate Lucas Poncet gained two more gold medals for his collection, in both the F3P-A and the F3P-AFM junior classes. These golds for France – alongside the high-ranking flights from their other team-mates – meant that the team came top of the Nations, ahead of Switzerland and Austria.

FAI F3P Teams winners 2025
National Teams winners

FAI Aeromodelling Commission President, Antonis Papadopoulos, who attended the event, commented: "The 2025 FAI F3P World Championships for Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft - the sixth since 2013 - was a resounding success, with incredible displays of technical mastery and creative talent. Many thanks to the hosts and organiser, and huge congratulations to the medallists."