1) Minutes of March 2000 were approved.

2) At last meeting three changes to the Sporting Code were recommended. The Chairman of the Rules Subcommittee confirmed that two of these changes, elastic balloons and airship altitudes are now in effect, and the third, Equivalence of Gases, will take effect at the next printing of the Sporting Code.

3) The Records processed during the year were reviewed and accepted.

4) BADGES: Two Silver Sporting Badges were issued during the year to the UK pilots, Derek Maltby and Neal Parry. The Sporting Badge program supposedly offers an incentive to pilots to increase their ballooning skills; however, it is not an effective program. As a remedy, more publicity for the program is suggested. The following actions, to be co-ordinated with the appropriate FAI and CIA offices, are recommended:

a) List of all badge holders on the FAI website

b) List of all badge holders in each issue of the CIA Newsletter.

c) Diamond badge winners listed in Register of Notable Flights.

d) "1 meter drop" competitors be recognised at the event award ceremony an be issued a "One-Meter" drop certificate by the CIA.

e) Lists of Badge holders be distributed to other Ballooning media.

Other suggestions included eliminating the Badge requirement for a competition one-meter bag drop since many-balloonists are not interested in competition. However, such action would dilute the objectives of the badge program. Therefore, we think proper publicity is the best way to stimulate interest.

5) REGISTER OF NOTABLE FLIGHTS:

Hans Akerstedt has made considerable progress in assembling information on notable flights, and we have reached the point where an official status and definition of the Register should be established.

***For this purpose, Appendix A to these minutes is proposed as a Chapter for the CIA Internal Regulations. Appendix B is a sample of recent additions to the Register.

 6) RECORD CLAIM TIME EXTENSIONS:

a) The Sporting Code General Section, Paragraph 6.8.2 specifies that the claim file must be received by the FAI Secretariat within 120 days of the attempt. There is no provision for a time extension. ***It is proposed that a recommendation be made to CASI to add words to the effect that an extension of time for exceptional circumstances may be granted by the President of the Air Sport Commission concerned.

b) The Sporting Code General Section, Paragraph 6.8.4 specifies that a preliminary claim for a World Record must be received by the FAI within 7 days of flight completion, but in exceptional circumstances the President of CASI may grant an extension. The s subcommittee believes that the President of the CIA would be better qualified to make this decision in the cases of balloon or airship record claims. ***It is proposed that a recommendation be made to CASI that in Paragraph 6.8.4, the words "President of CASI" be changed to "President of the Air Sport Commission concerned".

7) SUBCOMMITTEE GENERAL COMMENTS

The subcommittee notes a great variation in World Record Observer qualifications which becomes evident in our Record reviewing process. It is recommended that Ballooning Federations set up qualification requirements for World Record Observers which would include technical competence, ballooning experience, and knowledge of pertinent regulations.

* * END * *

Note: *** - Formal proposal to the CIA Plenary meeting.

8) NOMINATIONS FOR SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR 2001

Karl Stefan (Chairman)
Hans Akerstedt
Don Cameron,
Sabu Ichiyoshi
Norman Pritchard
Kevin Uliassi  

Proposal by the CIA Records Review Subcommittee for addition to CIA Internal Regulations regarding definitions and rules for the CIA Notable Flight register.

 CHAPTER XX - CIA REGISTER OF NOTABLE FLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS NOTABLE FLIGHT DIPLOMAS

XX.1 REFERENCE

In 1996 the CIA plenary decided to maintain and publish a register of notable flights and achievements. The CIA Records Subcommittee will maintain the register and the rules concerning the register.

XX.2 PURPOSE

To save for the future reliable references to flights or activities that for historical reasons are regarded as significant achievements.

To avoid claims for an achievement that has already been accomplished.

XX.3 DEFINITION

A Notable flight or achievement may be any of the following:

• A significant historical event, achievement, performance or invention
• A significant "first' of any kind
• A flight to or over a significant geographical feature
• A flight between two significant geographical features
• A significant performance regardless whether the flight established a new world record or not

XX.4 ENTRIES

Any person may propose an entry to the Notable Register. The proposal shall be sent to the CIA Records Subcommittee together with as much details and evidence as possible. The Records Subcommittee may also make entries to the register on its own initiative. The details and merits of the proposal will be examined by the Records Subcommittee according to the guidelines of these rules.

To maintain the historical value of the list entries will be made regardless of the status of the event.

XX·5 CERTIFICATES

Certificates of entry in the register may be issued upon application

Notable Flight Diplomas for flights and achievements 1995 to 2000.

1995-02-22 J. Steven Fossett, USA
First solo flight across the Pacific. Seoul, Korea, February 17th to Mendham, Canada, February 21st.
Absolute World Distance Record.

1995-05-01 Gintaras Surkus and Valery Machornilov, Lithuania
First crossing of the Baltic in a Hot Air Balloon. From Kalmar, Sweden to Latvia.

1995-11-12 Karl-Gustav "K-G" Silverstolpe, Sweden
First balloon flight over Borneo. Flight from Danum Valley to a logging camp. Photo safari over rain forest. Free flight preceded by tethered flights a few days before

1995-xx-xx Hiro Takamoto, Japan.
First flight in Mongolia by hot air balloon

1996-04-21 Franz Josef "Jojo" Maes, Germany.
1111 flights in gas balloon as commander of the balloon. (Also 1075 hot air balloon flights)

1996-04-21 Ivan Andre Trifonov, Austria
First solo flight at the Geographical North Pole by Hot Air Balloon

1997-01-20 J. Steven Fossett, USA
Around the World attempt. First over three continents. First to make 2 Atlantic crossings. St Louis,
USA to Varanasi, India. Lost time avoiding Libyan airspace. Absolute World Distance and Duration Records.

1997-02-01 Don Piccard, USA
Free Balloon Pilot licence holder during 50 years

1997-05-22 Eduardo Vaques Correa, Argentina
First wedding in a Hot Air Balloon performed by the balloon pilot. Pilot authorised by law 17.285

1998-01-05 J. Steven Fossett, USA
First to make 3 Atlantic crossings. St. Louis, USA to Krasnodar, Russia. Total track dist. about 11500 km

1998-03-01 Nini Boesman, Holland
Gas Balloon Pilot licence holder during 50 years

1998-08-16 J. Steven Fossett, USA
Around the World attempt. First South Atlantic crossing, first Indian Ocean crossing. Mendoza,
Argentina 7 Aug to Chesterfield Reef, Coral sea 16 Aug.
Absolute Distance Recdrd. Ditched in Coral Sea due severe weather
2000-01-08 Ivan Andre Trifonov, Austria and Anulfo Gonzalez, Spain

First flight at the South Pole
2000-02-04 Dick Smith and John Wellington Australia
First flight across Tasman Sea. From Kaitaia, North Island, New Zealand to Iluka, NSW, Australia
Track distance 2286 km/1420 SM. Note that prevailing winds are from west

2000-06-03 David Hempleman-Adams, UK
First flight to the North Pole (and back). Took off Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen May 28 at 16:05. Landed
81 .30N 021 E June 3 at 04.27 UTC. Was at 89.9N. Track distance 2 222 km.
    Hans Akerstedt