Important update for JWM2025

 Hamburg, Oct 08 2024

Dear Frank , 

On behalf of the IJMC Board, I would like to inform you today about a very positive outcome for the organization of the 15th IJMC JWM 2025.

I am very happy and also proud that we have succeeded in finding a new host for the organization and staging of our JWM 2025 through intensive discussions and trusting cooperation to date.

Our next journey will take us to Norway, to the Skienjetmodellklubb site under the personal leadership of our well-known and highly esteemed modeling colleague Trond Hammerstad.

Before detailing more about Norway, firstly I would like to outline the latest developments with the original venue Qatar.

At this year's JetPower fair, the delegation from Qatar was unfortunately unable to dispel any doubts that the Ministry of Sports and Youth would clearly commit to hosting the 15th IJMC JWM in 2025 still this remaining year or at the latest at the beginning of the new year 2025. Therefore, the organization of the next JWM was generally at risk.

Also, the geopolitical situation in this region has become so acute in recent weeks that some pilots have informed me, if the JWM is held in Qatar, they will not take part in the JWM.

Regardless of the commitment given to Qatar in the AGM 2024, the IJMC Board had to act immediately and take decisions in order not to further delay the 9 months that have already elapsed to date without any decision or approval.

On October 6, the commitment and decision of the country representatives awarded to Qatar in the AGM 2024 was therefor withdrawn by the IJMC board in order not to generate further delay or unnecessary activities launched by the QRCSC in Doha. The IJMC board sincerely thanked the Qatari delegation for the work done so far, explained the reasons that led to the current cancellation instead of January 2025, combined with the desire and hope to understand and accept the decision of the IJMC board.

At the same time, however, the option was left open to consider hosting the JWM again in Qatar at a later date.

The jet model club owns a 400mtr long asphalted runway, the club itself currently has more than 50 active pilots. Lars Norsberg is acting as the chairman of the club deputized by Trond as the vice chairman. Camping would be possible in the area of the site.

The town of Skien is a pretty county town situated on a fjord with approx. 56,000 inhabitants. The town was made famous by the poet and author Henrik Ibsen, who was born in Skien.

Skien is located in the southwest of Norway on a small fjord with a harbor, about 40 minutes by car from Torp Airport, and about 140 km from Oslo Gardemoen International Airport, which can easily be reached by car in about 2 hours.

Over the next few weeks, the IJMC Board will be working intensively with Trond to produce the first bulletin in order to provide the pilots with the most important data as quickly as possible, as 9 months need to be recovered.

In consultation with Trond, the 15th IJMC JWM will include two new elements and will therefore be unique for the time being.
On Saturday and Sunday the JWM will start with an attractive two-days airshow.

The Friday before will be used for training of all the Jet Scale classes (15kg, 20kg, Turbo Prop and Basic Jet Scale class).

Due to the weight limit of 150 kg for model aircrafts in Norway, a “Giant Class” will be integrated into the IJMC competition for the first time.

In order to take up the trend towards larger and heavier models from this year's JetPower fair, a competition class will be created to enable jet pilots to compete in this very attractive heavy class.

The static judging will be based on simplified rules, similar to the Turbo Prop class, and the flight judging of the Jet Scale class will be retained. It is important to mention that the pilots of the Giant class do NOT have to belong to the respective country teams, but start as individual pilots.

They are not subject to the numerical limitation of pilots from one country, nor do they have to be registered via a local association.

Sunday morning will be used to give the Giant class pilots training time, which will be integrated into the airshow at the same time. As this is perhaps a one-off event, the Giant class is NOT automatically promoted as a new IJMC competition class, which is subject to approval by the country representatives.

Monday will then begin as usual with the competition flights separated into weight classes.

In order to be able to compensate for an increased number of participants e.g. due to the Giant class or in the event of bad weather conditions, it might be possible to extend the competition by one more day, e.g. August 31, 2025.

Further details such as the exact schedule, hotel accommodation proposals, prices, etc. will be announced in the draft bulletin to be published quite soon. Important for all pilots is the deadline to be considered for the registration of participating pilots, which is scheduled for May 31, 2025.

On behalf of the IJMC board, I would be delighted if you would fully support our new venue in Skien, Norway and look forward to this event as much as I do.

I would like to take this opportunity to deeply thank Trond Hammerstad on behalf of all jet pilots around the world, without whom this event would not have been possible in such a short time frame.

Skien, here we come!