President Report - 1996 FAI General Conference

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE FAI PRESIDENT,
MR EILIF NESS TO THE 89th FAI GENERAL CONFERENCE
IN BLED, SLOVENIA, 18 OCTOBER 1996

MAJOR PROJECTS OF 1996

The major projects that the FAI has worked on during this year are part of a determined effort to develop new sources of revenue, not only for FAI centrally, but for FAI Members on the national scale and for the International Air Sport Commissions in their different fields. This work is long term, and the results will not show up overnight; persistent development efforts are needed, which may include disappointments and failures, but which I am convinced will prevail in the end.

THE FIRST WORLD AIR GAMES

This greatest of FAI endeavours overshadows most other activities. The Turkish preparations are proceeding according to plan, and have recently passed their most important milestone: the Test Games. Commencing with parachuting's four events, accuracy & style, formation skydiving, freestyle and skysurfing, all held in Efes in the first week of September, through gliding at Inonu, hang gliding and paragliding near Denizli, aeromodelling in Ankara (including free-flight, radio controlled and space models) and ballooning over the fascinating countryside of Capadoccia, to Air Rally at
Antalya, all 12 test events were successfully completed.

The objectives of the Test Games were several: to let an international group of competitors test the venues and local conditions, to check the functioning of the infrastructure and the efficiency of the organisation, to create publicity, and to provide production material for television. I had the privilege of being the guest of Turk Hava Kurumu (the Turkish Aeronautical Association) at six of these test events in September, which gave me the opportunity to see the action first hand and to talk with competitors, officials and FAI experts in each event. Their comments and reports were enthusiastic both as regards venues, meteorological conditions and organisation. I can tell you unequivocally that the Turk Hava Kurumu has passed the acid test with flying colours. Anyone who experienced these Test Games knows that any doubts that anyone held are now dispelled: the World Air Games are feasible, the THK can organise them, Turkey is a superb venue, and the World Air Games will happen in September 1997!

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

The World Air Games Co-ordinating Committee (WAGCC) and the FAI Officers have worked hard to develop a complete list of entry fees and accommodation offers, covering all events. FAI Rules on Advertising in the FAI World Air Games have been published, in order to protect the interests of both the participants and the Organiser.

WAG PARTICIPATION IN 1997

The FAI World Air Games holds promise of generating significant new income for the air sports community, because it will elevate air sports in the eyes of the public to levels where they become valuable to media and thus to sponsors. The World Air Games is the only process with the potential to achieve this over which the FAI Members have some sort of control. Another way to achieve the same goal is by gaining access to the Olympic programme, but that process, as has become clear over the past decade, is something over which we do not have control.

These perspectives constitute a powerful reason for all of FAI to join in the World Air Games. Not only do the Games offer an outstanding opportunity for aerial athletes of all countries to harvest honours and to project positive images of their home countries. But the potential of the World Air Games to create, over time, increased media attention and thus sponsor income, offers other opportunities that should further motivate us all to join the effort. It is difficult to see any stronger motivating factor for NACs to send their best athletes to the World Air Games in Turkey next September than making the World Air Games a gigantic success. This is an investment today for better air sports tomorrow!

WORLD GAMES, LAHTI 1997

Of great importance, even if somewhat overshadowed in the FAI context by the World Air Games, are the World Games which are due to be held in Lahti, Finland in August, 1997. These games are "The Non-Olympic Games", the forum for those events that are not part of the Olympic Programme. The main objective of the World Games is to demonstrate the non-Olympic sports in a live, competitive environment, in order to show their potential as candidates for the Olympic Programme itself.

Following acceptance of FAI as a member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and subsequently of the International World Games Organisation (IGWA), FAI's Olympic Co-ordinating Committee concentrated on securing FAI participation in the Games, and succeeded late last year when parachuting was accepted in the 1997 World Games Programme with four disciplines: accuracy, formation skydiving, freestyle and skysurfing. FAI Olympic Coordinating Committee President Mr. Roland Hilfiker and Mr. Olli Luoma of the Suomen Ilmailuliitto, the FAI Member for Finland have developed an ambitious parachuting programme involving instant judging and results, and continuous air-to-ground video transmissions that will be shown to spectators live on closed-circuit television, and retransmitted on television around the world.

This event is one more step towards parachuting taking its rightful place on the Olympic programme. The FAI Olympic Co-ordinating Committee is working as hard as ever to this end, and has succeeded in placing the parachuting events in a key position to contribute to a successful World Games and to recognition of air sports. The number of competitors in Lahti is limited, and only the world's top parachutists, selected in competitions in 1996, will show the world their skills in Lahti next year. For FAI Members, Lahti 1997 is an investment for a better future.

FAI WORLD GRAND PRIX OF AEROBATICS

The process towards building a new spectacular event for aerobatics is advancing well, and the FAI World Grand Prix of Aerobatics has two events programmed for this year, in Tajima, Japan and in Zhouhai, China. At both events, a large majority of the worlds top aerobatic pilots will participate, ensuring top quality events. Several competitions are lined up for 1997, the first in February in Melbourne, Australia.

THE WORLD HANG GLIDING SERIES

The FAI Hang-Gliding Commission has adopted the World Hang Gliding Series which incorporates the new hang gliding competition concept of speed gliding. FAI has signed a contract with the WHGS Organisation which secures that a substantial part of the gross commercial income generated goes to FAI. The competitions under this arrangement are under way, with three major contests having been completed in 1996.

THE BELARUS TRAGEDY - SHOOT-DOWN OF GAS BALLOON

• SANCTIONS
  Several FAI Members proposed that FAI introduce sanctions barring the National Aeroclub of Belarus from participation in FAI events. In the light of the frustrations caused by the atrocity committed by the Belarus Air Force, these demands are understandable. Sanctions of this nature, however, would affect a large number of people whose only guilt is their citizenship.
  The best way for both FAI and the next-of-kin to achieve satisfaction is to pursue the actual culprits by legal means and contribute to their proper punishment.
   
• AIR SAFETY
  However, FAI must take action in the interest of air safety. Therefore, until such time as evidence has been received by the FAI that adequate remedial action has been taken by Belarus authorities to ensure that aeronautical activity can be conducted safely in Belarus airspace, FAI shall not approve any event under FAI auspices which includes use of Belarus airspace.

FINANCES

In these days of financial pressures, several FAI members look to FAI as one of the areas in which to reduce their expenses.

One particular problem stands out among others: reductions in government funding. This recurring problem hits some harder than others; but whenever public funding is reduced or even completely withdrawn, it creates acute income shortfalls.

FAI Members often fill a useful role in maintaining air safety and simplifying governments' tasks, and in these cases it is appropriate that they should be financially compensated. Such financing needs to be formalised by written agreements defining the reciprocal contribution made by the NAC. It is FAI policy to promote devolvement of responsibilities from governments to national air sport controlling bodies.

I express my admiration to those FAI Members who only a few years ago were totally government funded down to the last athlete, and who had to go through the agony of losing it all almost overnight. That they still not only exist, but also manage to keep up their participation in international events, defending their long standing records of athletic excellence, is a source of inspiration to us all.

FAI's projects can only be successful if we are able to assert our ownership rights through representative strength, and if the Membership at large supports, promotes and actively participates in projects such as the World Air Games.

DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGIES

Solar power for aircraft use has been in existence for some time, but has gained new importance recently. Many will have seen the video of the solar powered aircraft demonstrated at the Berblinger Trophy in Ulm in June 1996. FAI Commissions have already started addressing the questions of new aircraft classes for electric powered aircraft and for solar power.

Several regulatory projects are in hand aiming at integrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations in controlled airspace. The definition of the borderline between UAVs and remote-controlled aeromodelling may be affected, with consequences for aeromodelling activities. This necessitates close monitoring of the situation by FAI.

FINAL WORDS

I have recounted a number of events that have been dealt with during this past year, events which are full of challenges politically, organisationally, technologically and financially. FAI must always be ready to meet the challenges without hesitation. Some of them fall by the wayside, others prove to be of vital importance to our future. The role of FAI has changed over the years, but we remain "the sole world body in control of flying and air sports". To maintain this position, FAI must keep the initiative and be in the lead.

FAI must maintain the ability to separate the durable from the transient; we must be able to tell what is gold and what is mud. New activities that we believe to belong to the future must be helped to develop in a sound manner, all the time adapting to new developments on one hand while we preserve our accumulated knowledge and inherited values on the other.

Eilif NESS
FAI President
October 1996