Notes and decisions from the IGC Bureau meeting 2005/2

Paris 10-12 October

Participants:

Bob Henderson, president
Eric Mozer, 1st vice-president
Vladimir Foltin, vice-president
Axel Reich, vice-president (Tuesday)
Brian Spreckley, vice-president
Roland Stuck, vice-president
Peter Eriksen, secretary (Monday)
Tor Johannessen, president of honour (Monday)

Apologies:
Arild Solbakken, vice-president

Working session 1, IGC Management and Structure

1.1 Presidents report on FAI activities including preparation for the 98th FAI Annual Conference, CASI meeting and Regional and World Air Games.

Tor Johannessen was nominated the accredited IGC representative in the Air Sports General Commission (CASI) meeting in Paris 11 October 2005.

The discussion about the classification electrical aircraft agreed that aircraft could compete on Championships and achieve records as long as they complied with the Sporting Code.

It was agreed that it was not appropriate for a technical committee like CIACA to host competition events; these should be under the appropriate sporting commission.

With regard to the issue on world records, it is a problem that has to be addressed by the World Record Review Committee. How do we tackle two or more pilots flying together, or pilots getting support from the ground, etc.

The problem of official observers and conflicts of interest was discussed. FAI already has quite clear rules on this.

It was agreed that Bob would raise this issue with the other Sports Commission Presidents. There is a need to clarify what is acceptable, and what is not, from a sporting point of view.

An issue of records was brought up by Roland: Should it be possible to set two-seater world records with teams of mixed nationality, in which case the Sporting Code General Section has to be changed, as it requires that a record, in order to become a world record, also is a national record. But many countries only accept national records if the entire crew is of that nationality. Bob will raise this with the FAI.

1.2 Confirm Structure of Committees and Specialists

Nothing to report

1.3 Finance, 2005 Status and 2006 Budget

The draft IGC budget reported to FAI was discussed briefly. The need for sanction fees was agreed as being necessary to provide IGC with funds. Brian requested that 50% of the annual ranking list subscriptions, from 2006 onwards, be set aside to fund future administration of the Ranking List.

The Business Development Group (BDG) need to identify long-term IGC funding requirements. Bob to re-establish the BDG with Arild, Brian and Eric as members.

1.4 Discussion on IGC Strategic Improvement Actions

It was agreed that the action paper is the right way forward, but we have to carefully prioritise our actions. Peter will update the actions together with Bob and Eric and then circulate to the bureau. We then have to assign the actions.

1.5 Communication and PR

Bob to advise Reiner Rose and request payment of CHF 1000 rights fee for Jun 04 to May 05 and to instruct Dick to pay CHF 500 to the OLC.

1.6 Discussion about last Plenum meeting to further improve form and structure of the 2006 meeting

Peter to send out reminders to Committees and specialists, prompting them to start working on their reports.

1.7 Plan the 2006 Plenary Meeting, including deadlines, invitations, uploads to web-site etc.

As per deadlines stated by the Secretary at the end of the 2005 Plenary. Sir John Allison, President of Europe Air Sports confirmed as guest speaker.

Working session 2, Championships

2.1 Review of 2005 Championships to identify issues and take actions

Overlap of competitions was a problem in 2005. Overlap exists in 2007; year two proposal for 2006 to require events to have minimum time period between. Overlap creates problems for Team Captains and equipment. Eric to contact organisers to seek changes as required.

Eric to contact organisers of Multiclasses 2008 to avoid overlap of events. The priority is to avoid overlap of competition periods.

Husbands Bosworth accident – management of spectators by organisers is required to minimise risk factors. Eric to advise Chief Stewards of need to reinforce safety.

2.2 Review of coming Championships
WGC 2006
Number of competitors

Bid of 5 per NAC plus 1 reserve, with a maximum of 2 per class, up to 120 total entries. Eric to advise Sweden to use the Country Ranking from the ranking list to determine priority of selection of reserves and that the Bureau expects Sweden to use this up to maximum of 120 entries.

Proposal no 9 (non finishers)

Axel to revise Distance points as Annex A Year Two proposal in 2006

2.3 Review received bids for coming Championships (2009 Women’s, Junior’s, and possible other regional competitions)

Womens, no bids to date for 2009. Eric to follow up to NACs and Delegates with close off date of 15th December

Juniors bid for 2009 from Wiener Neustadt and Finland

Axel to propose that Continental Championships be 10 days in length as Year Two proposal.

2.4 Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP)

• Feedback from 2005 St Auban.
  Roland Stuck presented the report from the competition, which shows that there is a lot of potential in this concept.

• Future Grand Prix including FAI Regional Air Games and World Air Games
  Decisions re dates and close-out and future approvals of the Qualifying Grand Prix (QGP) and the World Grand Prix (WGP)

  QGP closing date 31st December 2005 – one bid per country – max entries of 20

  NACs must endorse bids for QGP and WGP.

  Eric to inform potential bidders; Bob to advertise close-off date through Newsletter.

  Rules for QGP 2006 ready by 1st December 2005

  Roland, Brian and Vladimir to review proposals from St Auban. The revised rules will then be submitted to the Bureau for approval per e-mail (needs to be done before the NZ Qualifying GP).

  Approvals for SGP 2007 by Bureau.

  Approvals for SGP 2009 to be bids by Dec 2007 and Plenum will decide in 2008

  Plenum in 2006 to be asked if they wish to retain authority to approve SGP events. Bob to draft proposal for Plenary

  Approval process for 2007 – circulate bids at beginning of November.

  QGP must be open to international competitors; pilots may fly as many QGP as possible

2.5 New procedures for reimbursement of costs for Jury and Stewards directly by IGC

Discussion on excel spreadsheet modelling of costs and potential pilot sanction fees took place. Bob and Eric to develop Year Two proposal to support funding through pilot fees for Chief Steward and also Jury President for action in 2007.

Bob and Eric to develop Year One proposal to better define powers of Chief Steward and relationship with IGC for implementation in 2008.

Complimentary work required to develop an IGC accredited scoring program for official use by IGC. Axel to develop proposal for accrediting scoring programs.

Working session 3, FAI, OSTIV, Ranking

3.1 OSTIV Related

• FLARM
  The use of FLARM is expanding; protocols allow transmission of vertical and lateral motion speeds between aircraft; Annex A paragraph not to be changed. FLARM can be selected OFF to avoid being seen. No action required.

• Accident Statistics
  EGU collecting statistics to identify relevant issues to EASA authorities. No reason to change regulations for maintenance or medical. Accidents are due to spinning and mid-air collisions. 22,000 registered gliders the 16 EGU member countries.

• Status on CS-22 Study Group
  CS-22 working under jurisdiction of EASA but not functioning continuously and the OSTIV is no longer involved automatically. OSTIV and EASA meeting to seek a solution for OSTIV to become again spokes-group for gliding matters.

  Microlights –motorgliders built according to microlight specifications (MTOM 300Kg for a single seater and 450 kg for a two seater min speed 65 km/h) are becoming more and more popular in some countries. This is because these aircraft are regulated at national level thus benefiting from more relaxed rules than gliders (for example in France microlight pilots need no medical etc). There is a risk that the gliding movement will loose members to the profit of the microlight movement. FFVV to make a proposal to the 2006 Plenum to define microlight motorgliders class the same as for microlight aircraft

  A proposal from the EGU to allow light gliders ( built to the specs of microlights) to be treated the same as microlights has been declined by EASA. This is being disputed. As an alternative, OSTIV may prepare a certification standard for light gliders. Bob to take supporting action as requested by OSTIV.

3.2 Licensing

As per written report. No action required.

3.3 Maintenance and Operations

Part M proposal for gliders to provide continuous maintenance - expensive and bureaucratic option. EGU is heading an EASA working group, which has recommended changes to reduce costs and bureaucracy. EGU still attempting to move gliders away from continuous maintenance to annual inspections.

3.4 EGU matters

Airspace paper developed to argue for protection of airspace. Co-operating with Europe Air Sports to support administration and management. Cost of EGU membership is rising rapidly with too little benefit to EGU.

3.5 FAI Centenary update

Total kilometres updated to 2,657,145. Absence of reports noted on the IGC and FAI websites for gliding weeks and Grand Prix. Diplomas yet to be provided by FAI. This style of competition could be extended to an annual competition. Eric to develop proposal for annual event.

3.6 IGC Ranking List

New features - Any changes to position on the ranking list cause an automatic notification to be sent to those pilots who change positions; this could be extended to notifying all pilots. Not all pilot details and photos are provided; competition organisers need to assist with this feature. Eric to ensure Chief Stewards are aware of this requirement.

Finance – Support from Keith N to continue for another year, waiting for BDG. Suggest 50% of ranking list income be allocated as expenditure for ranking list administration from 2006.

Ranking List is part of the website, these needs to be integrated together. Need to work towards an integrated website with a website manager. We are working towards providing a section on website for organisers to download results to automate the site. Invoicing will become automatic; copies of invoices to go to IGC Treasurer. The rules are being reviewed. Bob to investigate establishing webmaster support.

Working session 4, FAI Sporting Code Section 3D and Records and any other business

4.1 Short debate on the issue of separation of records (thermal/other)

Is there an option to create Continental Records? Bob to follow-up with FAI Office.

4.2 FAI Sporting Code Section 3D
Proposal from Ross.

Double-seater class to be 20-m handicapped, with two crew.

Bureau agreed that all pilots to hold an FAI Sporting Licence, all pilots to be pre-nominated, and that no specific limit should be set on the number of pilots to maximise opportunities. Also the suggested Maximum Take-Off Mass of 750kg was challenged as to whether this be 850kg? The wing-span limit of 20 meters was also challenged. Axel to take Bureau suggestions to the Sporting Code committee for consideration.

4.3 Discussion on Microlight gliders (WP 6)
See above at 3.1.

4.4 Media and TV rights

Bob to coordinate rights issues with the FAI General Secretary.

4.5 Any Other Business

• Simulators
  NZ proposal – there is already an Austrian full-motion commercial simulator in use and also a French product. UK visual simulator is use. Slovenia producing a new simulator software (Condor). Bob to discuss with New Zealand.

• COTS
  Vladimir to review current e-mail round and to coordinate progress with GFAC

• FAI Competition Seminar
  No attendance by IGC. No further info from FAI. IGC to concentrate on training Chief Stewards and, possibly, competition directors. This could be achieved with a training day immediately prior to or during the IGC meeting in March. Sessions to focus on how to manage the relationships at the events. Eric to coordinate Chief Steward training session at Plenary meeting in March 2006.

• Annex A
  IGC Handicapping List reference weights being revised to correct errors. Axel to provide updated list will to the 2006 Plenary meeting.

  Handicapping committee to review the IGC Handicaps to see if an adjustment factor could be used to take in account different weather conditions. Need handicap list for microlight motor-gliders. Axel to action with handicapping committee.

  Transfer of .igc files by email at championships is acceptable. Axel to advise championship organisers.

  Allocation of "minimum distance" on Speed tasks may cause devaluation of the day when the minimum distance on an AAT is less than 250km. Axel to get Annex A committee to review.

  Annex A changes actioned in 2005:

  • 5.3.1b Anti-collision devices modified.
  • Simplified scoring system to be added.
  • Handicap – lowest performance glider has a handicap of 1.0, lesser performance gliders have a handicap of <1.0.
  • Penalty for missing of the turnpoint area to be for less than 500 metres.
  • Explanatory note to be added for Club Class maximum take-off mass.
• WRRR Follow-up

  Bob to follow up with GFAC on WRRR proposals from Plenary meeting

• Open Class Weight
  Championships prior to 2007 must comply with certificate of airworthiness and current Annex A "Bayreuth Rule". Eric/Axel to advise appropriate organisers and Chief Stewards.
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