12th World Helicopter Championship (2005 – Rouen, France)

Report of the Jury President

According to Rules and Regulations, the Jury was duly appointed by CIG: Alfred-Pierre Herbert (President), David Hamilton and Konrad Geissler as members. The Jury met in Rouen three days before the opening and was formally declared operative.

We inspected all facilities together with the Chief Judge Wolfgang Perplies and the Organizers and found them to be up to the required standards.

Before and during the Championsip, judges were thouroughly and daily briefed as to their assignments. On Navigation-Day, the navigation course was checked by two members of the Jury.

The work of Wolfgang Perplies (Chief Judge) - together with his assistant Irina Groushina (Assistant Chief Judge) – was outstanding at all times. Pilots and Judges were left without doubts as to their tasks. Jury members were at all times, before, during and after competition flying at the competition side.

The Chief Judge dealt with a couple of complaints and was able to clear them all with the parties concerned. The Jury had no protests during the whole Championship.

According to Rules and regulations, the Jury President is also co-involved in assuring the payment of sanction fees be the organisers “before” the opening of the WHC. However, the contract signed between FAI und the organisers stipulates payment of such dues clearly “30 days after the Championship”. By the Organisers handing me a cheque over roughly 7000 Euro, we were able to avoid any conflict of interpretation. However, this needs to be clarified for future Championships. The cheque was duly handed over to the President of CIG, which in turn passed it on to the Secreary General FAI for crediting the CIG-account.

The Jury was duly dissolved at the end by the Jury President.

I have three matters of great concern that it is my duty to point out:

1. The quality of some of WHC International Judges had deteriorated. In some cases it is getting close to sub-standard. CIG Bureau and Commission are recommended to act swiftly to correct this unsatisfactorily situation. The commission must ensure that the countries themselves (NACs) stop presenting yearly lists of Judges that are not qualified or have lost their qualification by not judging regional, national or international competitions for years.
   CIG should develop a system whereas the NACs themselves train and check their Judges and report their qualifications and actual training to CIG together with their application for judges-approval at the yearly CIG spring-conference.
    
2. It has become obvious that crews have continued to carry mobile telephones with them during competition flying contrary to the Rules. There were and continue to be complaints. I recommend that the WHC Rules be amended to prohibit the carrying of mobile telephones during the Navigation Event. If a crew is found with a mobile telephone or seen using one then the entire national team should face disqualification from the whole Championship.
    
3. The appointment of a Deputy Chief Judge was an excellent step to take. Championship Rules should be amended to include the mandatory appointment of a Deputy Chef Judge.

Alfred-Pierre Herbert
President of Jury,
12th WHC 2005 Rouen/France

6th September 2005