By a great stroke of luck, the first FAI Air Sport Commissiion meeting to be held in Lausanne - the Ballooning Commission (CIA) - took place at a time when two "Round the World" attempts were in progress., those of Andy Elson and Colin Prescott (Cable and Wireless) and of Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones Breitling Orbiter 3).

Among the delegates at the meeting were the pilot of Spirit of Peace, another contender, CIA President of Honour Jacques Soukup, and Don Cameron, manufacturer of the great majority of the balloons in the "race".

It was an inspiring experience to watch the Breitling Orbiter soar away from the little Alpine resort of Chateau d'Oex and to know that its next landfall could be 20 days later in Africa....or who knows where.

This is a true adventure and it has captured the imagination of the public, who are often thought to be blasé. The press coverage has shown that there is a large appetite for stories involving adventure and the air.

This year we are planning to release, for world-wide distribution, a series of TV programmes featuring major FAI World Championships, including the Hot Air Balloon World Championship in Austria.. We hope to capitalise on the interest created by the Round the World balloonists to build a regular TV audience for air sport events.

And, probably in 2002, watch out for the "Great Balloon Race" - an FAI-sponsored round the world race for balloons, comparable to the Whitbread Trophy in sailing, with all balloons starting at the same time and place. That should be some spectacle. These are exciting times for air sports.

Max Bishop Secretary General FAI