National Youth Aviation Academy - NYAA

Please consider donating to support the 2026 Outdoor Free Flight Jr USA Team that will compete at the Jr World Championships in Prilep, North Macedonia🇺🇸🇲🇰✈

Please consider making a donation to the US Junior Outdoor Free Flight team who will be competing at the end of this month at the Jr World Championships in Prilep, North Macedonia. ✈

We have a full team for the first time in over a decade and with the addition of F1Q to the World Championships, also the largest Jr Team in USA history! 🤩

Introducing the 2026 USA Outdoor Jr. Free Flight Team!🇺🇸
F1A : Aarna Appajappa, Johnny Mah-Gersting, John Kim, and Daniel Son
F1B : Aurelius Lin, Adith Alagiri, Reema Bharadwaj, and Johnny Mah-Gersting
F1Q : Kiana Lin , Aarav Alagiri, Leah Park, and Meital Zayats
F1P : Emrick Smith, John Kim, and Reema Bharadwaj

DONATE TODAY!
Sponsor Team Jackets - $1000 - You will receive an Official Team Jacket
Sponsor Team Shirts - $500 - You will receive an Official Team Ceremony Polo
Sponsor Team Accommodations - $150 - You will receive an Team T-Shirt
Sponsor Team Transportation Costs - $100 - You will receive an Team Keychain

Tax-Deductible Donations can be made via:
1. National Youth Aviation Academy - NYAA - All donations through 7/31/2026 will be directed to the USA Jr. Outdoor Free Flight Team
https://www.nationalyouthaviationacademy.org/support-us

2. NFFS Website - Click “ DONATE” at the top right and select “ US Junior Outdoor Free Flight Team”
https://www.freeflight.org/product/make-a-donation/

3. Academy of Model Aeronautics - AMA - SPECIFY your donation is for the “OUTDOOR JUNIOR FREE FLIGHT TEAM”
Contact Colleen Pierce (765) 287 - 1256 ext 252 [email protected]

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE DONATED AND WILL BE DONATING TO SUPPORT THE 2026 OUTDOOR FREE FLIGHT JR PROGRAM! 🙏🥰

Meet the USA Jr Outdoor FAI Free Flight Team✈🇺🇸 - Manager Sevak Malkasyan:

I am excited to participate in my 11th Free Flight World Championships. The United States for the first time in over a decade will have a full team! Thank you to Zdravko Todoroski for hosting us, and ensuring an enjoyable experience for all participating countries!

Meet the USA Jr Outdoor FAI Free Flight Team member Meital Zayats ✈🇺🇸:
I started aeromodelling through rocketry and have really enjoyed meeting the hobby's amazing and supportive community! My favorite memory so far is playing lacrosse with the other juniors during the sunset. Outside of aerospace, I like painting, skateboarding, and going downtown with

Meet the USA Jr Outdoor FAI Free Flight Team✈🇺🇸:
I'm Kiana Lin and I'm the youngest member of the 2026 USA Outdoor Free Flight FAI Team. One of my greatest Free Flight memories is making it to my first flyoff in Eloy, AZ, where I set my first U.S. National Record for F1Q. Coach Sevak, Grandpa Tim and others in the outdoor free flight community have mentored and supported me along this journey. Free flight is challenging at times, but the friendships and unique experiences make it worthwhile. Losing a plane in a huge thermal is an unforgettable experience.

Outside of Free Flight, I LOVE reading. I am also an active member of my school's Associated Student Body (ASB) and Lead Robot Designer for the Robotics Team.

I'm looking forward to my first Jr. World Championship. Go Team USA!!

Meet the USA Jr Outdoor FAI Free Flight Team✈🇺🇸:
My name is Aarav Alagiri, and, following my brother, I was launched into the world of Free Flight like a model airplane into the sky.

I am going to 7th grade next year and as you would imagine, it is a pretty big deal for me because I am transitioning from elementary to middle school. I love coding, making and flying paper airplanes, and gaming.

My journey into free flight started with building and flying a P-18 in the huge dome in Eager, Arizona in 2022. At the start of the day, all I wanted to do was to play video games on my mom’s phone, but my mom refused and instead made me ask for and build a P-18 using the kit that we were given very generously. So I built my first P-18 with the help of my mom and a person by the name of John McGrath, who also helped me trim the model. With their help, I trimmed and improved my plane until the end of the day when we had to go. Then, later in 2025, I was back again in Arizona, but this time in Eloy to fly in my first outdoor FAI contest with my F1Q and with the help of Sevak and Tim. Of course, I didn’t get into the flyoffs, but I remember it because I got 2nd, even though it was my first competition. I am looking forward to representing Team USA and competing in the FAI Junior World Championships with my 3 other F1Q team members.