F3L Coastal Cooler

The Coastal Cooler is an annual 2-day contest for F3L thermal duration held at the Encinitas Flight Center. It is part of the larger F3L Contest Series which encourages pilots to fly in larger 20-30 person events, helping to grow F3L in the United States.

Due to the size of the Encinitas field, we typically cap registration for the Cooler at 24 pilots, and compete in teams of 3 or 4 pilots per team. Pilots attend from throughout the southwest.

The event is flown using standard FAI F3L rules with additional site specific rules for added safety. Additionally, the best pilots from the preliminary rounds typically fly in two or more flyoff rounds to determine a contest winner. Awards are provided for the top 3 pilots and the top scoring team.

This is a fun way to enjoy thermal duration soaring from hi-starts as individual pilots being assisted by team members. Come join us at the next Cooler!

2025 Contest Scores

More info on RCGroups