Paris, 26th April
1996
WORLD AIR GAMES
The preparations for the World
Air Games (Turkey, 5-21 September 1997) have now
reached an intensive publicity stage. After a
successful public launch in Turkey, the
organizing team participated in MIP-TV 96
(International TV Programme Trade Fair) in
Cannes, France. This Fair is a world media
show-case which gave FAI and the Turkish Air
Association unparalleled opportunities for
sensitizing and informing media decision-makers
about the World Air Games project. The next stop
is New-York, where the Turkish organizing
committee is planning to hold a major press
conference.
NEWS FROM FAI AIR SPORT
COMMISSIONS
Eight of the FAI Air Sport
Commissions and Technical Commissions held their
annual meetings in the early months of the year.
All confirmed their full support for the World
Air Games project and made final decisions about
the championships which would be held in Turkey
next year. Several decided to organize full-scale
trial competitions this year on the sites and on
the dates scheduled for the 1997 World Air Games.
- International Parachuting
Commission (IPC)
The
1st World Championships in "
Freestyle " sky-diving, a discipline
approved by the IPC last year, and
Skysurfing, accepted as a FAI discipline
only this year, will both feature on the
World Air Games programme in Turkey,
together with events in Formation
Skydiving and Style and Accuracy. These 3
disciplines are also on the programme of
the World Games at Lahti (Finland, 7-17
August 1997), an event open to sports
recognised by the International Olympic
Committee, but not yet on the Olympic
Games Programme. Mr. Eilif Ness, FAI
President, believes that these two 1997
events, in Turkey and in Finland, will
have a decisive influence on the future
development of competitive air sport.
- International Gliding Commission
(IGC)
The IGC
decided that the 1st " World Class
" World Championships would be held
at the World Air Games in Turkey, to take
advantage of the anticipated extensive
media coverage. Following this decision,
the well-known leading German pilot Bruno
Gantenbrink immediately placed an order
for a PW-5 World Class Glider, and
announced that he would participate in
the 1st World Championships. Sales of the
World Class Glider are progressing well :
26 were sold in the launch year, 1995 and
the production target for 1996, 86 (total
112 gliders).
- International Hang-Gliding
Commission (CIVL)
- The definitions of Class 1, 2 and
3 hang-gliders were reviewed and
clarified in the light of recent
technical developments, so as to
remove all ambiguities. In
particular, it was decided that
hang-gliders had to be
foot-launchable and foot-landable
in nil wind conditions (i.e. less
than 1 m/sec.).
- The Commission is proposing a new
" Open Class " of
hang-glider for aircraft
requiring higher wind velocities
to launch safely. However, since
this proposal would involve a
change in the definition of
" hang-glider ", this
is subject to approval by the FAI
General Air Sport Commission
(CASI).
- 1996 sees the first season of the
FAI World Hang Gliding Series,
with five events featuring on the
calendar.
The increasingly close
cooperation between the FAI/CIVL and the
Paragliding World Cup (PWC) has been
further reinforced. The respective
presidents have reached an agreement
allowing the PWC to operate within the
framework of the FAI, whilst preserving
its separate identity. They also agreed
to cooperate on certain specific
projects.
- International Aerobatics Commission
(CIVA)
The rules
for the FAI World Grand Prix of
Aerobatics have been reviewed and it has
been decided that the competition will
take place over a 2-year period, between
World Aerobatics Championships. This
arrangement will be convenient for pilots
and will help to attract sponsors. The
start of the first Grand Prix will
therefore be after the Oklahoma City
World Championships, with a first round
in Asia in October 1996. The Grand Prix
will finish before the 1998 World
Championships.
- Environmental Commission
This new Technical
Commission held its first annual meeting
recently. Its objectives were defined as
:
- to evaluate the influence of air sports
on the environment ;
- to develop a FAI policy aimed at
maintaining and improving conditions for
the development of air sports while
respecting realistically demonstrated
environmental interest ;
- to advise Council and air sport
Commissions on environmental matters
affecting air sports.
The Commission has already started work,
in conjunction with ICAO and ISO
(International Standards Organization),
in the area of noise, aiming to
"reduce noise whilst increasing
activity".
NEXT CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Parachuting : 6th World
Championship for canopy formation Lido Lakes,
Bogor, Indonesia - 14/26 June
- Microlight : 5th World
Championship Cato Ridge Nr Durban, South Africa -
4/10 August
- Rotorcraft : 9th World
Championship Salem, Oregon, USA - 14/19 August
- Aerobatics for powered aircraft
: 18th World Championship Oklahoma City, USA -
18/30 August
- Aeromodelling :
World Championship for scale models, F4B, F4C
Perigueux-Basillac, France - 21/28 July
World Championship for control line, F2A, F2B,
F2C, F2D - Norrkoping, Sweden - 22/28 July
World Championship for indoor models, F1D -
Kibbie Dome, Moscow, Idaho, USA - 5/8 August
World Championship for R/C F5B, F5D (Seniors
& Juniors) - Benesov, Czech Rep. - 16/25
August
World Championshiip for free flight for juniors,
F1A, F1B, F1C - Cracow, Poland - 17/23 August
- Ballooning : 9th World Gas
Balloon Championship Bitterfeld, Germany - 27
August / 3 September
Contact:
Jocelyne Rébillard, FAI Press Officer - Email: rebillard@fai.org
|
