FÉDÉRATION AÉRONAUTIQUE INTERNATIONALE
FAI BALLOONING COMMISSION (CIA)

ANNUAL CONFERENCE - Thessaloniki, Greece, March 2000

Appendix 9

Meeting held in Thesseloniki, Greece, at the Mediterranean Palace Hotel

on Thursday March 2nd 1999 from 10:30 to 16:00

1.    1999 RSC Minutes.

1999 RSC Minutes were approved

2.    RSC-Working Group’s summary of recommendations.

1. AA/AM-WG summary of recommendations.

That the rules for 2000 Gordon Bennett be approved. Note that there will be no Observers and that electronic verification will be used.

2. AX-WG summary of recommendations.

(i) That the following rules be approved with the amendments as submitted.

• Mobilux Trophy 2000Luxembourg
• 12^th European Hot Air Balloon ChampionshipLuxembourg
• World Air Games Cup 2000Spain
• Tisza Cup 2000Hungary
• 2000 Motegi International ChampionshipJapan

Note: The Event Organisers have agreed to incorporate the proposed changes to the MER’s if approved by the Plenary.

• 9^th Akwawit Cup and 11^th Ladies CupPoland.No Rules submitted, to use MER’s

(ii) That the following AX MER rule changes be approved.

2.3.2	rewording of flight crew and passenger nationality
3.8	crew vehicles to be marked on opposite sides, trailer marking deleted
3.10	100m goal distance, observer may allow marking of marker position
5.2.7	clarification on complaint time in the matter concerned
5.6.4	shortened time limits on last day are 1 hour in any case
7.2	clarification on "no result" for markers "out of bounds"
8.7	no more time check in task briefings
8.12	official time is GPS time
9.2.3	inflation in individual launch area (no carrying away)
9.6.2	Use of quick-release recommended in individual launch area
9.17.1	"On my sign, number ... ready to take-off"
9.20	definition of valid take-off
9.22	re-entering launch area allowed after last balloon has taken off
10.14	rule prohibiting flying after sunset deleted
12.17.4	scoring after sunset leads to "no result" (scoring period !)
11.1.3+11.3.2	ground handling allowed after contest landing
12.10+12.11	penalty added to the result
13.3	Penalty only for greater infringement of landing too close to the marker and landing too close to the goal/target, penalty on "Race to an Area", "Land Run" and natural set boundaries established
4.5.5	formula 3: "detractor" changed from 100 to 200 points
14.5.7	Definition of score in case of all "no result"
16.1	Provisional task: Angle Task

(iii) That Chapter 14 of the AX MER’s be amended in line with the Scoring Working Group recommendation.

(iv) That the following rules be deleted from the AX MER’s

The WG propose that the following rules should be deleted from the rules book as not dealing with competition matters:

2.3.2	invitation of international competitors
4.3	nomination and nationality of international jury
4.5	absence and replacement of a jury member
5.10.3	majority for jury decisions

(v)    That the AX MER’s be sub divided into Event Details, Competition Details and Rules.

The AX-WG decided to follow on with the idea of subdividing the resent MERs into Rules, Competition Details and Event Details. This would allow for the Rules to be used without changes and without the need to be reprint for every event.
Clarifications, Definitions and all data required for a specific event would then be published in the Competition Details and Details which reduces the paperwork to be printed by the organisers and to be reviewed by competitors and observers to some pages only.

c.    BX-WG summary of recommendations.

(i) World Championship 2000

The WG recommend that the rules for the World Hot Air Airship Championship be approved with the amendments as submitted

That the rules for the event should be distributed to competitors with the entry form. This is to ensure all competitors are aware of the entry qualification requirements etc. before submitting their entry forms.

That the entry form be extended to include pilots qualification requirements.

(ii) World Air Games 2001

The WG members nominate David Rapp (USA) as Event Director and Ted Moore (GBR) and Deputy Director for the WAG Hot Air Airship Championship 2001

d.    Scoring-WG summary of recommendations

(i)    Scoring Formulas

Medium rank tie: The SWG will further study this minor scoring problem and will advise directors of this potential problem in the Competition Operation Handbook (COH).

(ii) The SWG recommends the following scoring related changes in the AXMER.

1. To define the words RESULT and SCORE and use them consistently thereafter.
2. To change the "detractor" in Formula three from 100 to 200.
3. To redefine the paragraph "PRECISION" and "TIED RESULTS"
4. To define the publication status of SCORE SHEETS.
5. To add a checksum to task score sheets and total score sheets to facilitate comparison
6. To define the formula used in tasks where no competitor scores.
7. To clarify the distance infringement penalties.

Note: The a.m. recommendations have been passed to the AXMER WG for adoption.

(iii) The SWG recommends mentioning relevant CIA documents (COH and others) in the AXMER.

(iv) The SWG will publish the size of basket banners in the COH (height=70, width up to 100 and number height 27 cm).

(v) The SWG recommends that Masashi Kakuda further studies and makes available example scores for the purpose of checking scoring program software.

(vi) The SWG recommends to standardise the layout of task data sheets and that this layout strictly follows the order as laid down under TASK DATA in the AXMER (and to include this in the COH.)

e.    Statutes, By-Laws and Sporting Code-WG summary of recommendations

(i) Amendment Documents: An amendment page will be published containing any Section 1 amendments which are designated by the CIA as being in effect now.

In addition a working document will be prepared which will contain all amendments which have been approved, including those and which will become effective only on reprinting (planned for January 2003). It will also contain all proposals received for consideration at the following CIA plenary.

(ii) Simplifications, Deletions and Improved Definitions: postponed until next year – to be added to the working document.

(iii) Feminine Category: postponed until next year – to be added to the working document.

(iv) CIA Appeals: Introduction of regulations decided against for the present.

(v) Chapter 7: It was agreed that a review of Chapter 7 is appropriate. A proposal is awaited.

(vi) WAG Selection Procedure: Awaiting proposal.

(vii) No Show Regulations: Decision referred to the full Rules SC.

(viii) AX Working Group Proposals: A number of proposals have been received from the AX Working Group which, being non-urgent, will be incorporated in the working document for consideration in next year’s agenda.

(ix) Internal Regulations: It is proposed that the revision of the CIA Internal regulations prepared by Neil Robertson and detailed at Appendix 9(a) be adopted with the exception of:

6.1.5: to remain unaltered,

6.2.6: to delete entire regulation and to substitute the word "aerostation" in place of "ballooning" where appropriate.

3.    Actions from Plenary Meeting March 1999. Lausanne, Switzerland

21.10 That the Scoring WG develop qualifying criteria and scoring formula for an AX world ranking list of international pilots.

The SWG recommends that an initial World Ranking List (WRL) will be published using the formula for average score calculated by the SDV method. Qualifying events for the WRL will be CIA Sanctioned World Championships and the list will also include the top 20 ranked pilots nominated from each NAC. Note: This ranking system will not be used for any CIA qualification purposes

Besides that, further study will be made of more appropriate means of comparing competitions.

The SWG recognises the work done by Uwe Schneider and proposes that the Competitor's Committee (if approved by the Plenary) establish a Working Group to further develop the present WRL and its qualifying criteria.

25.1	That the Statutes, By-Laws and Sporting Code WG propose revision of General Section, 6.8.1 and 6.8.2, to specify that approval authority for extension of time limits to be assigned to the Air Sport Commission concerned. This proposal was submitted to CASI for consideration at their meeting but because the CIA had declined to be present the proposal was not discussed.
25.2	That the Statutes, By-Laws and Sporting Code WG propose definitions for cubic capacity in Section 1, 2.1.3 and 2.2.3 for elastic balloons. Coal Gas Equivalents: A study has been carried out to simplify the AA category rule, but difficulties have been found because some records would be lost if a simple geometric volume were used as in the other sub-classes. The matter was referred for further discussion to the Records Review Subcommittee.
25.3	That the Statutes, By-Laws and Sporting Code WG revise the Record Claim form in Section 1, Annex 1, to include boxes for Observers printed name, address and contact numbers. This modification has been approved as being Non Urgent and will be included in the 2003 reprint of Section 1.

4. Treatment of "NO SHOWS" at FAI Cat 1 Events (Agenda Item 20, Appendix 10)

The Sub Committee discussed the proposal and a motion was proposed to delete Para 5.6.6.4 (3 for, 1 against, 1 abstention.)

The RSC therefore support the proposal with the deletion of Para 5.6.6.4.

5. Proposal for Competitions without Observers.

Deferred for discussion during the next year

6. Summary of motions to the CIA Plenary

Motion 1 That the rules for the following Category 1 Events be approved.

• Mobilux Trophy 2000Luxembourg
• 12^th European Hot Air Balloon ChampionshipLuxembourg
• World Air Games Cup 2000Spain
• Tisza Cup 2000Hungary
• 2000 Motegi International ChampionshipJapan
• 44^th Gordon BennettBelgium
• World Hot Air Airship ChampionshipAustria
• 9^th Akwawit Cup and 11^th Ladies CupPoland

Motion 2 That the AX MER rule changes (Item 2. b. (ii)) be approve

                (Download MS Word file with AX MER changes highlighted)

Motion 3 That Chapter 14 of the AX MER’s, amended in line with the Scoring Working Group recommendation (Item 2. b. (iii)) be approved

Motion 4 That the AXMER rules be deleted (Item 2. b. (iv)) be approved

Motion 5 That the AX MER’s be sub divided into Event Details, Competition Details and Rules (Item 2. b. (iv)).

Motion 6 That the revision of the CIA Internal regulations Appendix 9(a) be adopted with the exception of:

6.1.5: to remain unaltered,

6.2.6: to delete entire regulation and to substitute the word "aerostation" in place of "ballooning" where appropriate

Motion 7 That the SWG recommendation that an initial World Ranking List (WRL) will be published using the formula for average score calculated by the SDV method. Qualifying events for the WRL will be CIA Sanctioned World Championships and the list will also include the top 20 ranked pilots nominated from each NAC. Note: This ranking system will not be used for any CIA qualification purposes