Conditions and organisation
This year's F1A Polish Championships took place at Leszno airfield on 10–11 May 2026. Weather on the first day was nearly ideal — a light south-westerly wind (8–12 km/h), around 22 °C and clear skies with occasional cumulus clouds. The event was organised by Aeroklub Leszczyński with support from the Polish Aero Club.
47 competitors from 18 clubs across Poland entered the competition. Among them were experienced national team members and several newcomers to this class. The format comprised 7 elimination rounds on Saturday and fly-off finals on Sunday morning.
Elimination rounds
The first three rounds ran in stable thermal conditions. Most of the top pilots easily achieved maxes (3:00 min). Rounds 4 and 5, held in the afternoon when thermals became more turbulent, proved decisive — requiring precise timing of the launch moment.
Round six brought a surprise — a sudden wind-direction change caused many competitors to misjudge the tow angle. Several favourites lost valuable seconds, which ultimately decided the composition of the final eight.
The seventh and last round was flown just before sunset in exceptionally calm conditions. The stable air produced much longer flights than during the day, giving an additional chance to those who had weaker afternoon results.
Results and podium
The title of Polish Champion went to Piotr Nowakowski (Warsaw Aeroclub), who consistently maxed six of seven rounds and flew over 8 minutes in the fly-off. Second place went to Marek Wiśniewski (Leszno Aeroclub), and third to Tomasz Zieliński (Kraków Aeroclub).
Of particular note was the excellent debut by juniors — 19-year-old Jakub Lewandowski from Poznań finished 7th overall, an outstanding result for his first senior championship start.
Technical observations
This year's competition showed a clear trend in F1A designs. More competitors are using wings with the HN-1033 profile with a modified nose, offering better performance in weak thermals. Carbon-fibre designs with a 1500 mm span and an automatic tow-line release system based on an angle-of-attack sensor dominate the field.
An interesting novelty was three models equipped with new-generation electronic timers featuring barometric sensors that automatically adjust DT time to the current flight altitude. Although controversial among traditionalists, the solution is FAI-legal and may become standard in coming seasons.
50 m Spectra tow lines remain the most popular choice, though some competitors experimented with Dyneema lines of slightly different elasticity.
Summary
The 2026 F1A Polish Championships confirmed the high standard of Polish free-flight glider modelling. Competition was fierce and margins between the top pilots minimal. The next championship-level event — the Polish Cup — is scheduled for June in Zielona Góra. The national team for the World Championships in Croatia will be selected based on both events.
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