10 Apr 2024

2023 Rookie Project winners announced!

Two 10-year-olds have been announced as winners of the 2023 Rookie Project, in the indoor and outdoor flight categories. The international online contest pits under 16s against one another as they aim to achieve the longest flight time with model aircraft which fit the competition rules. 

Julius Strauß from Germany (see header image), who was 10 years old at the time of the contest, made an astonishing flight time of 79 seconds with his Rookie model in the outdoor category, gaining the lift required to surpass the second place competitor, Jonna Brandes by 14 seconds. Jonna, aged six, therefore became vice champion, and Carl Georg von Bitter, aged five, came third (pictured below).

Rookie Project  2023

Competition was tougher in the indoor category, with just 0.1 second between the top places. 10 year old Franciszek Bogucki of Poland is the 2023 champion with a flight time of 37 seconds, beating 13-year-old Anastasija Borojević from Bosnia-Herzegovina (pictured below). 11 year old Hubert Obszyński took third place.

Rookie Project  2023

The winners will receive a special certificate and a prize from Aviation Toys. Champions will be able to choose between the CX RES Mini, CX Fling or the 2 metre 2M RES/F3L kit and the second and third place winners will choose between a CX RES Mini kit or a CX Fling kit. The rest of the top 10 competitors will also receive a surprise kit.

Rookie Project  2023
Youngsters willing their aircraft to fly as long as possible!

The competition for 2024 is already under way, and competition organisers can submit their flight times online. The team will update the scores more frequently this year, and encourage followers to keep an eye on the times to beat!

Rookie Project  2023
Rookie Project participants 2023 in the outdoor category

Rookie Project  2023
The Polish team with their two indoor podium winners