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| FAI/CIVL press release, Paris, 22th June 1998 What and Who are CIVL ?It may come as a surprise to many to learn that CIVL (Commission Internationale de Vol Libre or the International Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission) delegates are first and foremost pilots, who are enthusiastic about advancing our wonderful sports in the international arena. They are all volunteers and as such are not paid for their time, work and knowedge which they give willingly for the benefit of all hang glider and paraglider pilots around the world. CIVL is part of the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale / International Airsports Federation) and is responsible for the international aspects of hang gliding and paragliding (classes 1, 2, 3 & 4). CIVL is headed by a 'Bureau' of elected officers, made up of the CIVL President, 4 Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. In addition there are various sub-committees and working groups including: Hang Gliding (class 1,2 & 4) competitions, Paragliding Competitions, Records and Badges, Flight verification, Safety and Training, Business, Sporting Code (Section 7), Youth Development, Scoring Systems, Class Definition, Ranking Systems, and World Hang Gliding Series. All CIVL Bureau members and chairpersons are well known and respected personalities in hang gliding and paragliding. Each FAI member country has the right to elect a Delegate and Alternate Delegate to CIVL. These delegates meet at an annual Plenary meeting to discuss the past, present and future state of the sport, evaluate and vote on bids for Championships, etc. However the Bureau, sub-committees and working groups work continually throughout the year both within CIVL and in close liaison with the FAI. The current 'Bureau' consists of: President: Olivier Burghelle (France) - Olivier has been hang gliding since 1982 and paragliding since 1991. He has been a competition pilot and an instructor. He retired as a sea Captain in 1986 and became more and more involved with the Fédération Française de Vol Libre (FFVL) - he has been Vice President, General Secretary and Treasurer as well as chairing the French Hang Gliding Competitions Commission and French delegate to CIVL. In addition he has been Meet Director at the 1994 European Hang Gliding Championships and the 1995 Class 2 World Championships. He is also President of the Paragliding World Cup Association, Vice President of Europe Airsports and Vice President of CASI (FAI - Air Sport General Commission). e-mail: olivier.burghelle@wanadoo.fr Vice Presidents: Dennis Pagen (USA) - started flying hang gliders in 1974 and paragliders in 1989. He has been previous U.S. world team member and national champion in hang gliding and flies paragliders purely recreationally. He is famous for his books on sport aviation having published 13 books and written over 400 magazine articles. Dennis has been one of the leading experts since the early days of hang gliding. He has been a CIVL Vice President for 5 years and is most interested in safety and competition matters. He is Chairman of the hang gliding competitions (classes 1,2 & 4) subcommittees and also President of the World Hang Gliding Series. e-mail: pagenbks@lazerlink.com Howard Travers (UK) - 37 years old and has just set up an Air Sport Promotion business. Howard has been flying paragliders since 1989 and learnt to fly hang gliders in 1997. Howard is one of the driving forces behind British paragliding. He has competed in the British Paragliding championships since 1991, has served 4 years as Chairman of the British Competitions Committee, been a member of several British Teams, as well as British Team Manager. In addition he founded the highly successful British Paragliding Cup. Howard is the UK delegate to CIVL and was elected a Vice President in 1995 and is Chairman for the CIVL Paragliding Competitions, Scoring systems and Ranking systems sub-committees. He is also treasurer for the World Hang Gliding Series. e-mail: Howard_Travers@Airsportpr.co.uk Riikka Vilkuna (Finland) - 34 years old, started her aviation career as a parachutist in 1985, and over the years has made 1200 jumps and competed in parachuting (style & accuracy). Then switched to hang gliding in 1991 when she started working for the Finnish Aeronautical Association having completed a degree in Russian. Her responsibnilties include hang gliding & paragliding, some parachuting matters and some youth work (camps etc.). Riikka flies an Airwave Klassic and is a member of Jämi Hang Gliding Club. She was elected to CIVL as the Finnish delegate in 1993, as a Vice President in 1998 and is Chairwoman of the Class Definitions sub-committee. e-mail: vilkuna@ilmailuliitto.fi Michael Zupanc (Australia) - has been flying hang gliders since 1981 and during that time has dabbled in paragliding, ultralights (both trikes and 3 axis control types) and sailplanes. He started competing on a serious basis with the 1987 pre-world championships in Australia, and finished his competition career with the 1995 world Championships in Spain. He has been involved in local and national administrative roles for many years and a board member of the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia for the last five years and a member of the Australian competitions committee for four years. He was elected as the Australian delegate to CIVL in 1997 and as a Vice-President in 1999. He is involved primarily in scoring systems, dealing with the RACE program, GAP formula and GPS flight verification. e-mail: zupy@ozemail.com.au Secretary: Noel Whittal (UK) - Started hang gliding in 1973 and still flies them, although he now concentrates on paragliders. Noel is an ex-chairman of the British Hang Gliding Association (BHGA). He has been Secretary of CIVL since 1986 and is also Chairman for the CIVL Sporting Code (section 7) sub-committee. He has published several excellent books on hang gliding and paragliding and has two sons (Robbie and Matthew) who are very heavily involved in the sport. e-mail: noel.w@zetnet.co.uk Treasurer: Jim Bowyer (UK) - has been flying hang gliders for 23 years and still feels as enthusiastic about the sport as he did when he started in 1975. For most of these years he has been professionally involved in the sport either as an instructor, manufacturer or test pilot and several years as meet director for the British Hang Gliding League. "During my flying career I have flown a wide variety of aircraft but have always decided that hang gliding was the most fun. I have tried Class 2 but disliked the complexity, Class 3 I tried too early and scared myself on some of the less stable machines of that era." Jim is the UK's Alternate Delegate to CIVL and a member of the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Associations Executive Council with special responsibility for competitions. e-mail: Jim@pccltd.co.uk CIVL PR Co-ordinator and Media Consultant: Sarah Fenwick - is employed by CIVL and works closely with the Bureau. Sarah has been flying hang gliders since 1985, and paragliders since 1990. She has held three PG World Records and been a member of the British PG team at World and European Championships (1992-1994). She has also served three years on the Executive Council of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and been a member of the British Paragliding Competitions Committee. Sarah worked for Airwave Gliders as Sales and Marketing Manager until 1993, when she left to set up her own Public Relations and Event Management business. She has also been a director of a hang gliding and paragliding equipment distribution business. She is currently studying for a degree in Sport Psychology. Sarah has worked with CIVL as PR Co-ordinator since December 1996 and was appointed to the FAI Media Group in February 1999 as the CIVL Media Consultant. e-mail: civl@ukonline.co.uk
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