Team Manager: Mark Atwood
Pilot/Captain: Andrew Jesky Caller: Kevin Young Pilot: Jason Shulman Caller: Dave Stodart Pilot: Brett Wickizer Caller: Bryan Hebert Pilot (Jr.) Joseph Szczur Caller Don Szczur |
MEET THE MEMBERS
Andrew Jesky:
This is Andrew's 5th time returning to the World Championships and he's very excited for the contest to be in Switzerland. He's looking forward to seeing the competitors from all over the world and meeting new people.
His F3A accomplishments are as follows:
Sponsors: Futaba, Hacker, Thunder Power, Powerbox-Systems, ADC Graphics, Falcon Props, F3A Unlimited, Central Hobbies
Kevin Young - Andrew's Caller:
Kevin is the President of JTEC Radiowave and has been a modeler since 1991. His primary interests in RC are Giants Scale, IMAC and Pattern. He's been in RC for 24+ years and has competed in IMAC for over 15 years. He's competed in the Tucson Aerobatic shootout and IMAC Nationals.
Kevin has had the pleasure of calling for Andrew Jesky and Jason Shulman, among others at the AMA Nationals, Tucson Aerobatic Shootout and Clover Creek Invitational. This will be his 3rd World Championship as a U.S. team member.
His F3A accomplishments are as follows:
- 4 time US F3A Nationals Champion
- 5 time US F3A World Team Member (2007-2015)
- 3 time US F3A World Team Captain
Sponsors: Futaba, Hacker, Thunder Power, Powerbox-Systems, ADC Graphics, Falcon Props, F3A Unlimited, Central Hobbies
Kevin Young - Andrew's Caller:
Kevin is the President of JTEC Radiowave and has been a modeler since 1991. His primary interests in RC are Giants Scale, IMAC and Pattern. He's been in RC for 24+ years and has competed in IMAC for over 15 years. He's competed in the Tucson Aerobatic shootout and IMAC Nationals.
Kevin has had the pleasure of calling for Andrew Jesky and Jason Shulman, among others at the AMA Nationals, Tucson Aerobatic Shootout and Clover Creek Invitational. This will be his 3rd World Championship as a U.S. team member.
Jason Shulman:
Jason is 40 years old and lives in the Orlando, Florida area. He has been around model airplanes all his life, flying them for 37 years. His flying history runs three generations deep with his grandfather Leon, father Don, and brother David, and they all still fly. The 4th generation has dabbled a bit; his niece has flown a few times and his nephew isn't far off from giving it a try.
He has been competing in pattern since his first contest in 1981 and competed in F3A since 1990. He has also been flying Giant Scale for 23 years and competing for 22 years in various events. Jason has also performed in numerous airshows and training seminars around the world and also enjoys flying electrics, pylon, gliders, scale, jets and helicopters. He's honored to have flown Unmanned Aerial Vehicles doing training for the government as well.
His F3A accomplishments are as follows:
Sponsors: Futaba, Shulman Aviation, JTEC, Kirby's Kustom Graphics, Vel-Tye, Falcon, FTE, CA Model, Plettenberg, Contra-Drive, PowerBox, Tuny-Pro
Dave Stodart - Jason's Caller:
Dave began flying RC in Trinidad in 1985, just before he immigrated to the US with his wife Catherine. They had three boys in 1986 and lived their first year in the US on the West Coast in a small town called Corvallis, two hours from Portland, Oregon. They then headed east and made their home in Orlando, Florida.
He joined the RCACF model club in 1987 and has been a member for 27 years. In 1991, after watching a 15 year old youngster by the name of Jason Shulman flying pattern, he decided he also would like to fly pattern. Naturally, he just wanted to fly like Jason, and since then they have become friends and Jason has been his mentor. His first contest was in 1991 at the RCACF field and he flew in Novice Class with an ugly stick. After flying that contest he got the pattern bug and has competed in Sportsman, Advanced, Masters, and eventually FAI.
In 1991, he flew at the World Championships for his country, Trinidad and Tobago, in Pensacola, Florida, and then again in Ireland in 2001. In 2003 he teamed up with Jason as his caller and attended World Championships with the USA Team in Poland, France, Argentina, Portugal, and South Africa. He currently flies Masters class and still enjoys competing and flying all the challenging maneuvers very much.
He has been competing in pattern since his first contest in 1981 and competed in F3A since 1990. He has also been flying Giant Scale for 23 years and competing for 22 years in various events. Jason has also performed in numerous airshows and training seminars around the world and also enjoys flying electrics, pylon, gliders, scale, jets and helicopters. He's honored to have flown Unmanned Aerial Vehicles doing training for the government as well.
His F3A accomplishments are as follows:
- 9 time US F3A World Team Member (7 time Finalist, 6 time in the top 7)
- 3 time US F3A World Team Captain
- 3 time US F3A Pattern National Champion (2004, 2007, 2008)
- 2009 Australian F3A Pattern National Champion
- 2008, 2012, and 2014 PanAmerican Open Internation F3A Champion
Sponsors: Futaba, Shulman Aviation, JTEC, Kirby's Kustom Graphics, Vel-Tye, Falcon, FTE, CA Model, Plettenberg, Contra-Drive, PowerBox, Tuny-Pro
Dave Stodart - Jason's Caller:
Dave began flying RC in Trinidad in 1985, just before he immigrated to the US with his wife Catherine. They had three boys in 1986 and lived their first year in the US on the West Coast in a small town called Corvallis, two hours from Portland, Oregon. They then headed east and made their home in Orlando, Florida.
He joined the RCACF model club in 1987 and has been a member for 27 years. In 1991, after watching a 15 year old youngster by the name of Jason Shulman flying pattern, he decided he also would like to fly pattern. Naturally, he just wanted to fly like Jason, and since then they have become friends and Jason has been his mentor. His first contest was in 1991 at the RCACF field and he flew in Novice Class with an ugly stick. After flying that contest he got the pattern bug and has competed in Sportsman, Advanced, Masters, and eventually FAI.
In 1991, he flew at the World Championships for his country, Trinidad and Tobago, in Pensacola, Florida, and then again in Ireland in 2001. In 2003 he teamed up with Jason as his caller and attended World Championships with the USA Team in Poland, France, Argentina, Portugal, and South Africa. He currently flies Masters class and still enjoys competing and flying all the challenging maneuvers very much.
Brett Wickizer:
F3A Accomplishments:
Brett started flying pattern in 2005 and, with incredible support from family and friends, became a USA F3A World Team Member three years later. Bryan Herbert has been with him from the start and in fact was the contest director at the very first pattern contest he competed in. Their relationship grew from acquaintances, to friends, to competition partners, to business partners in short order.
Their company, CK Aero, provides the pattern community with an unrivaled knowledge base of information ranging from product spotlights to in depth trimming and flying techniques. They also sell their own pattern airframes and accessories. It is yet another facet of this hobby/sport that keeps Brett excited for the future. At the end of the day he just has an incredible passion for what he does! To be able to represent his country with that passion is a dream come true.
Outside of RC Brett is an aspiring airline pilot. He's currently building hours as a flight instructor but still loving every minute. He likes to say, "When I'm not flying airplanes, I'm flying airplanes!" He's also an avid Formula 1 fan and lover of great food and wine.
Sponsors: Futaba, Yamada YS Engines, Morgan Fuel, Central Hobbies, B&P Associates
Bryan Hebert - Brett's Caller:
Bryan Hebert is a pattern airplane designer, known worldwide for his trimming methods. He is the mechanic \caller for four-time USA F3A Team member Brett Wickizer, and is also a former USA F3A Team Manager.
Bryan and Brett are co-owners of CKAero, the company that markets Bryan's designs; two of which Brett currently flies, the Allure and the Alferma. Past pattern designs include the Storm, Patriot, Shinden, and Valiant, all of which have been available commercially. Both the Shinden and Allure are currently available; the biplane Alferma is soon to be released.
Bryan is married, with one married child and two grandchildren, all of which reside in Denham Springs, Louisiana, USA.
- 2005 US Intermediate National Champion
- 2006 US Advanced National Champion
- 2007 F3A Nationals Finalist
- 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014 F3A 3rd Place US Nationals
- 2009, 2011, 2013 F3A World Championship Finals Demo Pilot
Brett started flying pattern in 2005 and, with incredible support from family and friends, became a USA F3A World Team Member three years later. Bryan Herbert has been with him from the start and in fact was the contest director at the very first pattern contest he competed in. Their relationship grew from acquaintances, to friends, to competition partners, to business partners in short order.
Their company, CK Aero, provides the pattern community with an unrivaled knowledge base of information ranging from product spotlights to in depth trimming and flying techniques. They also sell their own pattern airframes and accessories. It is yet another facet of this hobby/sport that keeps Brett excited for the future. At the end of the day he just has an incredible passion for what he does! To be able to represent his country with that passion is a dream come true.
Outside of RC Brett is an aspiring airline pilot. He's currently building hours as a flight instructor but still loving every minute. He likes to say, "When I'm not flying airplanes, I'm flying airplanes!" He's also an avid Formula 1 fan and lover of great food and wine.
Sponsors: Futaba, Yamada YS Engines, Morgan Fuel, Central Hobbies, B&P Associates
Bryan Hebert - Brett's Caller:
Bryan Hebert is a pattern airplane designer, known worldwide for his trimming methods. He is the mechanic \caller for four-time USA F3A Team member Brett Wickizer, and is also a former USA F3A Team Manager.
Bryan and Brett are co-owners of CKAero, the company that markets Bryan's designs; two of which Brett currently flies, the Allure and the Alferma. Past pattern designs include the Storm, Patriot, Shinden, and Valiant, all of which have been available commercially. Both the Shinden and Allure are currently available; the biplane Alferma is soon to be released.
Bryan is married, with one married child and two grandchildren, all of which reside in Denham Springs, Louisiana, USA.
Joseph Szczur:
Joseph has been flying for about 11 years and competing for 7 years. He started pattern at the age of 7 when his Dad got him a Diamante from E-Flite for Christmas. Some of his mentors include his Father, Andrew Jesky, Gernot Bruckman and Quique Somenzini.
He got the pattern bug from his Dad when he was about 6 years old, but the reason he flies pattern is because it is enjoyable and challenging. Other things that he likes to do in RC are IMAC, 3D, F3P, and RC cars.
Don Szczur - Joseph's Caller:
Don as been flying for over 30 years and has competed in model airplanes for 28 years. He's competed in RC Aerobatics, IMAC, RC sailplanes, RC fun scale, hand launch gliders, indoor free flight, free flight hand launch gliders and club pylon racing.
Accomplishments:
He got the pattern bug from his Dad when he was about 6 years old, but the reason he flies pattern is because it is enjoyable and challenging. Other things that he likes to do in RC are IMAC, 3D, F3P, and RC cars.
Don Szczur - Joseph's Caller:
Don as been flying for over 30 years and has competed in model airplanes for 28 years. He's competed in RC Aerobatics, IMAC, RC sailplanes, RC fun scale, hand launch gliders, indoor free flight, free flight hand launch gliders and club pylon racing.
Accomplishments:
- 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2011 US F3A Pattern Aerobatics Team Alternate
- 2005 8th place Tournament de Champaign, Romilly, France
- 2003 US F3A Pattern Aerobatics National Champion
- 12 time FAI NATS Team Selection Finalist
- 2003 Don Lowe Masters 2nd Place
- 2000, 2002 Tournament of Champions competitor, Las Vegas, NV
- 7 time Don Lowe Masters Competitor
Mark Atwood - Team Manager:
Mark's RC background began at age 13 building a Heathkit 5 channel radio. He's always had a love for all things that fly, but at that time Heathkits were his passion. Seeing the transmitter and accompanying airplane at his local Heathkit store was more that he could resist. From there he became an avid sport flyer, dabbling in every flying fad from pylon to combat to fun-fly and helicopters over the next 15 years.
His own accomplishments include an Advanced National championship in '97, 2nd in Masters in '99, and a perennial semi-finalist and one time finalist in FAI. Mark also did a terrific job as Team Manager in the USA F3A World Championship in South Africa in 2013.
Outside of the hobby, Mark is a computer geek by trade, working the past 20+ years for a small consulting firm in Cleveland, Ohio where he's lived most of his life. He has two children; a daughter Taylor who attends the University of Cincinnati with only one year to go, and a son, Sean, who will begin his college career at Ohio State University this Fall.
His own accomplishments include an Advanced National championship in '97, 2nd in Masters in '99, and a perennial semi-finalist and one time finalist in FAI. Mark also did a terrific job as Team Manager in the USA F3A World Championship in South Africa in 2013.
Outside of the hobby, Mark is a computer geek by trade, working the past 20+ years for a small consulting firm in Cleveland, Ohio where he's lived most of his life. He has two children; a daughter Taylor who attends the University of Cincinnati with only one year to go, and a son, Sean, who will begin his college career at Ohio State University this Fall.