You are correct Dick. FAI F4B (CL Scale) is still an official FAI event and the rules are still in the FAI Sporting Code (rule book). It can be added back to the AMA Nationals at any time NASA wants to hold it.
According to our U.S. FAI Scale Delegate Stan Alexander, the FAI CIAM has voted not to contest F4B at future World Championships due to lack of interest (entries), beginning with the WC that is to be held in 2012. It appears very unlikely that the status of F4B as a World Championship event will change in the foreseeable future. However F4B is still being flown and contested in European regional and national events. It IS still an event!
There is nothing stopping us in the U.S. from flying F4B at our Nationals. While I am not involved with the NATS operation in any way, I assume NASA dropped the event due to very low entry. I think we can all understand that it takes a minimum number of entries to make it economically feasible to hold a Nats event.
Clancy Arnold's proposal CLS11-22 would have done nothing to help this situation. It would have simply put the current F4B rules verbatim into the AMA rule book. There was nothing in the proposal about changing the description of Level Flight, or any other changes. The proposal read (guote); "This event will use the published FAI F4B rules as shown in the FAI Sporting Code, Section 4 - Aeromodelling, Volume F4, Flying Scale Model Aircraft, 2010 Edition until a complete set of new rules can be written and approved."
I voted NO on this proposal simply because it was superfluous. What's the point of putting an event in the rulebook that does not even have enough following to hold it at the NATS? Putting it in the rulebook will not make it popular. Also voting against this proposal were Jim Rediske (Dist III), Bob Karllson (Dist IV), and Richard Schneider (Dist V). It wasn't just "RCers" who voted down this proposal.
Even with that said, I do think a new upper level CL Scale event could be worth putting in the rulebook, provided it is well thought out and can demonstrate significant interest. However there needs to be a complete proposal, not simply; Use this "until a complete set of new rules can be written and approved".
If enough people want F4B back at the NATS, make it happen by contacting your NASA reps.
Regarding the vote of the Scale Contest Board - Districts I, II, and VIII did not vote. In the case of District VIII there were extenuating circumstances in that the board member Ernie Harwood passed away just 4 days before the final vote. District VIII VP Jim Rice has already appointed a replacement, Lawrence Harville of Fort Worth, Texas.
Mike Gretz
Scale Contest Board District VII
P.S. I can't really believe that anyone wants the old AMA Precision Scale back .. with the 3:1 slant of static points over flight points, scale rulers, measuring airplanes, etc. It was dropped for lots of good reasons way back when (I can't even remember it's been so long ago). "Nostalgia ain't what it used to be."