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FAI Information Services
The FAI website (http://www.fai.org) is to have a face-lift. Starting on 5 May, FAI will have the services part-time of Mike Culver and Matthieu Grandguillot, respectively a professional programmer and a web-site animator, whose job will be to make the site more visually appealing, even easier to navigate around, and more topical and up-to-date. Whereas, in the past, we have had to rely extensively on busy volunteers to prepare text for publication on the web, the FAI Office will now be able to help with this task. Watch the site for developments. Do not forget also to read the May issue of "Air Sports International", now out at http://airsports.fai.org.  |
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FAI Council Meeting
The meeting of the FAI Council on 28/29 May will have to take some of the toughest decisions in the recent history of the FAI. On the agenda is not only the question of the site for the 2nd World Air Games in 2001 (will it be Austria, Spain or Turkey? - a final round of negotiations takes place with these bidders on 14/15 May) but also the question of a possible move of the FAI Headquarters (will FAI stay in Paris or move to Geneva, Lausanne, Monaco or Vienna?). The members of Council already have the agenda for the meeting and will shortly receive another document giving details of the relocation options. Council will also be called upon to adopt a Business Plan setting out FAI's goals and strategies for the years ahead. A lively meeting is in prospect! 
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Simulated Flying
The FAI Simulated Flying Working Group is pressing ahead with the development of rules for international contests. FAI Assistant Secretary General Thierry Montigneaux recently attended a symposium and trade fair on the subject in Bologna. The Italian Simulated Flying Federation has been especially active and is now officially recognised by and affiliated to the Aero Club of Italy. We remain convinced that this will be an important aspect of FAI's future activities. |
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Co-Operation With Other International Organisations
Anothe of the regular tri-partite meetings between FAI, IAOPA and Europe Airsports took place in Brussels on 24 April, in a very cordial and co-operative atmosphere. FAI was represented by the Secretary General, Max Bishop. Among the topics discussed, on which co-ordinated policy positions will be developed, were Mode S Transponders, Cross-Border Formalities and Drugs (abuse in sport and prevention of use of general aviation aircraft for smuggling). |
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Air Sport Commissions
No less than seven Commission meetings have been held in the last few weeks: CIA (Ballooning), IGC (Gliding), CIVL (Hang Gliding), CIAM (Aeromodelling), CIG (Rotorcraft), ICARE (Astronautic Records) and CIACA (Amateur Built Aircraft). The FAI Secretary General attended for at least some of all the meetings. Some of the key decisions are described in the latest issue of Air Sports International. There was no change in the Presidents of CIAM, CIG, ICARE and CIACA. Sandy Pimenoff (Finland), Alfred Herbert (Switzerland), Segismundo Sanz Fernandez de Cordoba (Spain) and Pierluigi Duranti (Italy) respectively remain in post for 1998/99. |
Important Dates
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1998 Race to Kitty Hawk
Cross-country Air Race scheduled for September 4-6, 1998 Adventure Air Racing, Inc. has scheduled it's first benefit race for the 1998 season. The "Race to Kitty Hawk" will start on Saturday at Concord Regional Airport (JQF) in North Carolina and pass over several airports en route to Kitty Hawk (FFA). Aircraft will be refueled at Manteo (MQI), NC, where the participants will be able to tour the Wright Brothers Memorial. Aircraft will race an alternate route back to the finish line at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. The total flying distance of the race is 550 nautical miles. The cross-country air race is open to all certified normally aspirated aircraft up to 700 HP. Each aircraft will fly a handicap-timing course on Friday for the purpose of assigning a handicap speed. The aircraft that farthest exceeds their handicap speed will be the winner of the race. 1st Prize is 500 gallons of EXXON aviation fuel. Several other events and functions will make this a "not-to-miss" aviation event. Aviation sponsors and supporters are urged to contact the race committee for marketing opportunities. A portion of each entry fee will benefit the Church of God Children's Home of North Carolina. More information can be faxed or mailed to you by calling Concord Regional at 704-793-9000, or by calling 804-752-7466. E-mail the race committee at royj@erols.com. Race kits are available now. Deadline for entries is July 31. |
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World Rankings For Hang Glider And Paraglider Pilots
We are proud to announce that the CIVL World Pilot Ranking Scheme is now active for class 1, hang glider pilots and class 3, paraglider pilots. The rankings and list of category 1 and 2 competitions can be found on the FAI/CIVL website at http://www.fai.org and also (rankings only) on the British Hang Gliding League Website at http://www.theleague.force9.co.uk The ranking scheme for classes 2 and 4 is ready and will become active as soon as we receive results from FAI sanctioned competitions. Pilots accrue ranking points by competing in any FAI-sanctioned competitions. Category 1 competitions have a coefficient value of 1 and category 2 a coefficient value of two thirds (0.66). The scoring is based on competitions over the previous 18 months (competitions over this time scale are automatically dropped). The rankings will be updated on a regular basis and will become a useful tool for many Associations and pilots for selection purposes and for those seeking sponsorship, etc. The first publication of the rankings includes the following 1997/8 competitions: Hang gliding:
For 1998, all Category 1 events (e.g. European Championships) will automatically qualify. Category 2 events are other open international competitions which have been notified for inclusion in the FAI Sporting Calendar and for which the sanction fee has been paid. The sanction fee is not high - simply the equivalent to one pilot's entry fee for the relevant competition. Organizers are reminded to ensure that their events are included at the earliest opportunity so that pilots can plan their competition year. Already the PWC, WHGS and many open competitions have qualified, so those results will automatically to go forward to the CIVL Pilot Ranking Scheme. For further details on the ranking scheme or how to apply for FAI category 2 sanctioning, contact Sarah Fenwick, CIVL PR co-ordinator e-mail cloud10@zetnet.co.uk or tel/fax +44 1983 523003 (or from 25/4/98 to 4/6/98 tel/fax +44 1248 681755). |
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MEMORIAM The following friends of FAI have died since the last General Conference: IN MEMORIAM The following friends of FAI have died since the last General Conference:
Formerly President of Irish Aviation Club Ltd Baron Edmond de Rothschild (France) - 2 November 1997 Formerly Companion of Honour of Federation Aeronautique Internationale Mr George Cox (United Kingdom) - January 1998 Formerly President of Honour of CIEA Mr Stane Bizlilj (Slovenia) - January 1998 Formerly Secretary General of Aeronautical Association of Slovenia Mr Don Kirsten (USA) - February 1998 Formerly Delegate to the FAI Ballooning Commission Dr Herbert Culmann (Germany) - 5 February 1998 Formerly President of German Aero Club Mr Mauricio Obregon (Colombia) - 7 February 1998 Formerly President of Honour of Federation Aeronautique Internationale Mr Roger Woods (Australia) - March 1998 Formerly Vice President of the Gliding Commission Mr Patrick de Gayardon (France) - 13 April 1998 Formerly famous French Skydiver |
| OTHER ARTICLES OF ASI JUNE'98 ISSUE | News In Brief | Letters To The Editor | World Records | | 1998 Free Flight World Cup | | Flying With The Birds | | Baltic Cup 1998 | | Some Rare Kind Of Guts | | Did He Actually Fly Before The Wright Brothers ? | |
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