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The spring season of annual FAI Air Sport Commission meetings came to an end on 24 April with the meeting of CIACA, the Amateur Built Aircraft Commission (strictly speaking, a Technical Commission). Delegates decided to participate actively in the 2nd World Air Games in 2001 with a mass "fly-in" and probably with a demonstration lasting several days, in a public shopping mall, of how amateur builders assemble an aircraft. A few days previously, the Astronautics Records Commission (ICARE) had met and welcomed two new delegates - Jeffrey Hoffman (USA) and Jean-Pierre Haigneré (France) - respectively an astronaut and a cosmonaut. M. Haigneré left the meeting to return to Star City in Russia to enter training for his next mission to Mir. ICARE gave its support to cooperation between FAI and the "X-Prize Foundation". This is a body that is offering a $10million prize to the first team capable of repeatedly launching a re-usable, privately financed space vehicle, capable of carrying 3 humans, into sub-orbital space flight. The intention is to stimulate space tourism. FAI will arrange for the attempts to be certified, and study whether new record categories can be introduced for such flights. The Ballooning, Gliding, Hang Gliding and Aeromodelling Commissions all met in March and discussed the 2nd World Air Games, and how competition rules might be developed to bring about competitions that were more attractive to TV. The line of demarcation between the areas of responsibility of the Gliding and Hang Gliding Commissions is becoming increasingly blurred. Happily, far from being a source of conflict, this is leading to increased cooperation between the two Commissions, which are working together in particular on the use of GPS dataloggers for the evaluation of soaring records and competitions. At stake is whether or not certain relatively heavy hang-glider types like the "Carbon Dragon" satisfy the definition of "hang glider", that is, are capable of being foot launched and landed. Whether or not they are true hang gliders, these types certainly satisfy the IGC definition of "ultralight glider", and some hang glider pilots are now attempting FAI World Records under International Gliding Commission rules. Another interesting issue relating to World Records was raised at the Ballooning Commission meeting. The rule that requires the pilot to land with the balloon was challenged. It was suggested that certain altitude records could only be broken by balloons so large in volume as to be unlandable, and that therefore pilots should be able to use parachute escape systems to return to Earth. The Commission rejected this motion. Balloonists must remain just that, and not double as sky-divers. One of the most highly technical of FAI Commissions is the Aeromodelling Commission. For example, in Class F3C (Model Helicopters) the technology is becoming so advanced that the CIAM had to introduce a new rule banning " automatic stabilisation devices that use external references ". The Commission was also asked to take under its wing model hot air ballooning, a discipline that is increasing rapidly in popularity in some countries. So far, no agreed way forward has been found on this topic. So model hot-air balloons join kites, solar powered aircraft and Remotely Piloted Vehicles as flying objects which should have their place in FAI and for which an appropriate home needs to be found. The FAI Council meeting on 28/29 May will see several important decisions, including the choice of site for the 2001 World Air Games. Watch for news in the June issue of Air Sports International.
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