6.1 Sub-Committees

6.1.1. Business Development Committee Report

Mr Bradley, chairman of the Committee apologised for not providing a report before the meeting. The report will be published on the web immediately after the meeting.

The president reminded the plenum that we all are working on a voluntary basis, and although we try to work to strict deadlines, we sometimes have to accept that professional activities or personal matters get higher priority than IGC.

6.1.2. Communications and PR and Web specialist’s Report

Mr Henderson added to his PR report that we were in a phase of rapid development of the communications plan, something that we should try to exploit to support IGC.

Mr Tor Johannessen is working with Prof. Piero Morelli and Mr Fred Weinholtz on the history committee to identify and classify historical documentation. Some material is missing and the Committee will now work with the NACs to retrieve the missing material. In particular the DAeC, BGA and FFVV are expected to have interesting material and will soon be contacted.

The IGC Web Specialist Peter Ryder reported that FAI has a new context management system in place. This will make it easier for us to manage the information.

The web has also been redesigned with a new lay-out. The Web Specialist asked for comments about the lay-out and content of the web.

We will establish a policy for the content and updates of the web, meaning that we hopefully will have regular updates.

The Membership challenge report from Mr John Roake was distributed to the delegates, and can be found on the FAI web. This very important statistical material shows that we unfortunately still have a negative trend.

6.1.3. Competition Development and Quality Control Report

The chairman, Mr Eric Mozer had submitted the report before the meeting. The committee is a new development of the Bureau, tasked to look at the quality of our competitions. Mr Mozer will recruit more members to the group.

A paper on the development of the Microlift Glider had been developed by Prof. Morelli. This was not part of the agenda. The paper is published on the FAI web site.

6.1.4. FAI Centenary 2005 Report

Mr Mozer reported that the Southern Hemisphere Gliding Week was completed. Statistics would be made available later in the meeting during the On-Line Contest presentation. It was agreed that the publicity for the Southern Hemisphere Gliding Weeks was inadequate, and Mr Mozer promised that the competition would be more visible for the Northern hemisphere gliding week which takes place in the period 9th to 24th July.

There will be a press release just after the IGC meeting summarising the results of the Southern hemisphere asking pilots to be very active during the Northern hemisphere weeks.

6.1.5 Championships Management Committee Report

Mr Mozer explained that this Committee is dealing with the structure of the championships and looking after the bids. Most of the activities in the previous year had been related to the many bids that will be presented later in the meeting.

6.2 Specialists

The specialist reports were made available on the FAI web-site before the meeting. The Specialists did not go through their reports, but were available for questions.

• Baron Hilton Soaring Cup Report
  
  Mr Hannes Linke added to the written report that no flights were received from Japan and New Zealand. The 2005 event will be during the centenary week, and he confirmed that the Baron Hilton flights will be registered as Centenary flights.

• CASI Report (Air Sports Commissions)
  
  Mr Henderson had nothing to add to the written report.

• Environmental Commission Report
  
  Mr Bernald Smith tabled the report during the meeting and noted that Europe is way ahead of the rest of the world on environmental protection. It was noted that the FAI Environmental Commission had requested financial support from the FAI.

• On-Line Contest Report
  
  Mr Axel Reich apologised for the absence of Mr. Reiner Rose, who was sick and therefore unable to attend the meeting, and give the presentation on the German OLC as scheduled. The presentation would be given by Mr. Oliver Rennert, who also works with the OLC. Mr. Reich mentioned that it would be useful to share web addresses between the many national on-line competitions.

• Simulated Gliding Report
  
  Mr Roland Stuck mentioned Silent Wings, a new programme that was one of the best simulations he had seen so far.
  
  
  Mr Mogens Hansen, Danish delegate, asked if we have any evidence that simulated gliding brings new members. Mr Stuck answered that no statistical information existed, but there are clubs in e.g. France that attract very young people with simulators, for instance at exhibitions. Prof. Ryder mentioned, supported by several delegates, that they had positive experiences that glider simulators can create interest for the real sport.
  
  
  It was proposed by Mr Henderson to install simulators in an old fuselage to create an even more realistic environment.
  
  
  BGA has one simulator used for exhibitions and will build a second one.
  
  
  Mr Bruno Ramseier reported that Ireland had succeeded in bringing simulator pilots into real gliders.
  
  
  Mr Hansen proposed an action to formalise this. How do we get sim pilots in the air? This was agreed as an action for the specialist.

• IGC Ranking List Report
  
  Mr Brian Spreckley reported that more and more competitions were part of the ranking system, and that visits to the ranking list web site were 12 % higher in 2004 than the previous year.
  
  
  A couple of important competitions are still missing. We would like to have them on the Ranking List. Mr. John Coutts, presently no 1 on the IGC Ranking List, was present at the meeting, and Mr Henderson told the delegates that Mr Coutts receives support from the New Zealand government due to his 1st place ranking.
  
  
  Junior competitions can be entered for free, so they should all be there, Mr Spreckley said.
  
  
  Mr Reich explained that many German gliding clubs have difficulties seeing any added value from the list, and therefore do not enter their competitions.
  
  
  Mr. Vladimir Foltin said that in Slovakia they strongly urge clubs to enter competitions on the IGC Ranking List.
  
  
  Mr Spreckley asked the NACs to more actively support the Ranking list.

6.3 Past & Future Championships (E. Mozer)

In the future, the report from past championships will be the report of the Jury president. Organisers will not any longer be asked to provide a report. Future Jury presidents are asked to take note of this.

• 3rd FAI World Club Class Gliding Championship, 2004, Elverum, Norway
  
  The Jury president’s report was published before the meeting. The Championships director Mr Arild Solbakken added that they had very bad weather during the event, only 5 days flying being achieved. SeeYou scoring without on-site support gave some problems.
  
  There had been good media coverage from newspapers, radio and TV.
  
  A member of the royal family, His Royal Highness Kronprins Haakon visited the competition.
  
  The balance sheet was positive, and Mr Solbakken hoped that all went home with a positive experience despite the difficult meteorological conditions.

• 12th FAI European Gliding Championships, 2004, Pociunai, Lithuania
  
  A verbal report was provided by the organisers. The Jury president Mr Waldemar Ratajczak added to the report that he was very satisfied with the organisation of the competition.
  
  Prof. Ryder, Chief Steward for the competition, reported that there were too many problems with scoring systems. He invited the IGC Bureau to find a permanent solution for competition scoring systems. Prof. Ryder also suggested that there should be a possibility to graduate penalties differently for airspace infringements. Finally Prof. Ryder suggested that the stewards should work closer with the competition organisers before the competition.
  
  
  This was noted by the IGC president, who responded that the system with Chief Stewards was intended to allow for more support, and changes to the assignment of stewards will take place in the near future.
  
  
  Mr. Hansen asked the bureau to seriously work on this as soon as possible.
  
  On behalf of the Annex A group, Mr Reich proposed a management system for scoring software, and suggested that only well proven versions should be used at important competitions.

• 13th European Gliding Championships, Club, Standard and 18 Meter Class, 2005, Nitra, Slovak Republic
  
  Mr Vladimir Foltin reported that the preparations were ongoing as scheduled. A training competition, Pribina Cup will take place during spring 2005.
  The website of the competition is: www.nitra2005.sk

• 13th European Gliding Championships, 15M and Open Class, Räyskälä, Finland
  
  Mr. Visa Matti Leinikki asked participators to book ferries and accommodation as soon as possible, as the competition will take place in the holiday season. It is possible to practice in the 2nd week of June during the Finnish Nationals, and before the competition as usual.
  
  The web site for the competition is: www.egc2005.fi
  • 4th FAI Juniors’ World Gliding Championships, 2005, Husbands Bosworth, UK
  
  The UK delegate Mr Brian Spreckley informed that 80 entries had been received. The competition director Mr Ron Bridges had circulated Bulletin no. 2 in January. Local procedures would be circulated very soon.
  
  Negotiations to get enough radio frequencies were still undergoing. Participants were requested to bring certificates for radios, also ground stations.
  50% of the target for sponsorship was achieved, the action was still ongoing.
  
  The website for the competition: www.worldgliding2005.com

• 3rd FAI Women’s World Gliding Championships, 2005, Klix, Germany
  
  The German delegate, Mr Axel Reich reported that the preparations were on time. A paper providing further detail was distributed by the competition director Mr Hans Obermayer.
  
  Countries having problems raising enough money to participate were invited to contact the organisers. It may be possible to obtain sponsoring.

• 29th FAI Multiclass World Gliding Championships, 2006, Eskilstuna, Sweden
  
  The Swedish delegate, Mr. Goran Ax reported that due to the change of airfield from Uppsala to Eskilstuna, the preparations were behind schedule. The problem with the original site was that the military not stopped their activities as planned.
  Viking Glide 2005 in Eskilstuna will be limited to 85 participants, the field will then be enlarged to accommodate 120 pilots for the WGC in 2006.
  
  Finally it was expected that the conditions will be better in Eskilstuna than they would have been at the original airfield in Uppsala.
  
  The website of the competition is www.wgc2006.se

• 5th World Class and 4th Club Class World Gliding Championships, 2006, Vinon
  
  The championship director Mr Regis Kuntz could not be at the meeting due to bad weather in France. The French delegate Mr Roland Stuck reported that the preparations were ongoing as planned. The infrastructure in Vinon is right now being improved.
  
  
  10 tracking units (the Norwegian Vpos system) have been ordered by the FFVV to provide real-time tracking of selected gliders during the competition.
  
  
  The issue of hiring enough PW5s was not yet solved. The organisers are looking for more aircraft. According to the manufacturer, 6 PW5s will be delivered directly in Vinon for the competition.
  
  
  The website of the competition is www.wgc2006.fr

6.4 Approval of Competition Officials

The following Competition Officials were approved by the meeting

• FAI WGC 2006: Open/18m/15m/Std – SWE
  
  Jury President - Tor Johannessen (NOR)
  
  Jury Members – Roland Stuck (FRA), Peter Eriksen (DEN)
  
  Chief Steward – Jacek Dankowski (POL)
  
  Stewards – Arild Solbakken (NOR), plus One

• FAI WGC 2006: World/Club – FRA
  
  Jury President - Tor Johannessen (NOR)
  
  Jury Members – Roland Stuck (FRA), Ross Macintyre (NZ)
  
  Chief Steward – Robert Danewid (SWE)
  
  Stewards – Petras Beta (LIT), plus One

• FAI WGC 2005: Juniors – UK
  
  Jury President – Bruno Ramseyer (IRL)
  
  Jury Members – Ross Macintyre (NZL), Joyce Borgman (NED) [note now Russell Cheetham (GBR), approved by the Bureau]
  
  Chief Steward – Dick Bradley (RSA)
  
  Steward – Jaroslav Vach (CZE)

• FAI WGC 2005: Women– GER
  
  Jury President – Janusz Szczupak (POL)
  
  Jury Members – Herbert Maertin (GER), Gill van den Broeck (BEL)
  
  Chief Steward – Roland Stuck (FRA)
  
  Steward – Tadeas Wala (SVK)

• FAI EGC 2005: 18m/Std/Club/World – SVK
  
  Jury President – Fred Gai (GER)
  
  Jury Members – Jaroslav Vach (CZE), Tadeas Wala (SVK)
  
  Chief Steward – Waldemar Ratajczak (POL)
  
  Steward – Petras Beta (LIT)

• FAI EGC 2005: Open/15m – FIN
  
  Jury President – Peter Ryder (GER)
  
  Jury Members – Patrick Pauwels (BEL), Visa-Matti Leinikke (FIN)
  
  Chief Steward – TBD
  
  Steward – Ritz Schuit-de Luij (NED)