The Sailplane Grand Prix Expert, Mr Roland Stuck, gave a short report on the preparation of the 1st World Sailplane Grand Prix which will take place in Saint Auban (France) from 2 to 11 September 2005. The competition will be run in the 15-meter class and the entries will be limited to 20. The deadline for preliminary entries is 31 March. The specific rules for this event have been approved by the bureau and are available on the Grand Prix website: www.cnvv.net/wsgp
The organisers will use the Norwegian Vpos tracking system and have ordered 10 tracking units. During the last week end of the competition (10 and 11 September) the Grand Prix will be combined with the "Salon de Saint Auban", which will be an European open air gliding exhibition with an airshow integrated to the Grand Prix.
After a short discussion the meeting agreed that this 1st World Sailplane Grand Prix will be an FAI class 1 event, and that the winner will be awarded World Champion in Grand Prix Racing.
Mr Stuck also informed the Plenum about plans to run National SGP in 2006 and the Second World SGP in 2007.
The meeting empowered the Bureau to receive bids for National Grand Prix which will be open to international participation and qualifying for the next World Grand Prix. All these GP will be run according to the same rules but the organisers will have the choice of the class. The National Grand Prix will be category 2 events. Bids should be received via the NAC’s before 1 October 2005. It should be noted that the Plenum preferred the term “Qualification Grand Prix” to the name National Grand Prix.
Since no bid has been received for the Second World Grand Prix to be held in 2007 yet, the Bureau was also empowered to receive and select bids for this event. Bids must be received before 1 October 2005.
The report was unanimously endorsed.
Mr Stuck showed a short video promoting the 1st SGP.
The Licensing expert, Mr Peter Eriksen reported from the last meeting in ICAO, and explained why it was necessary to have an IGC licensing policy.
Some debate took place on the issue, especially with regard to the actual wording on the medical part, that some delegates found to be a step in the wrong direction for their country. Also the fact that commercial licenses are addressed by the policy created some debate.
Mr. Eriksen replied that the policy on the medical issue was not intended to increase the requirements in any country, and that the commercial license question from ICAO’s point of view should remain a national issue, as no cross boundary activities were known.
Item 1 of the policy was changed to read: IGC is in favour of defining standards for an ICAO Glider License.
Item 2 of the policy was changed to read: IGC does not object to there being a national professional glider license.
The policy was then unanimously adopted by the meeting.