FÉDÉRATION AÉRONAUTIQUE INTERNATIONALE

FAI BALLOONING COMMISSION (CIA)

CIA JURY BOARD NEWSLETTER
July 1999
Volume 4, Issue 1

Issued aperiodically by the CIA Jury Board. Distributed to all CIA jurors. Also available on the CIA Jury Board Web pages.

This issue compiled and published by
Hans Åkerstedt, Jury Board President

CONTENTS

1999 CIA JURY BOARD MEETING
For the first time the Jury Board met in the new FAI city, Lausanne, March 4. All members were present and at the end of the meeting we recommended, and the plenary later approved, the same crew for 1999 as we have had since 1996. Therefore Masashi Kakuda (Japan), Alex Nagorski (Canada), Les Purfield (United Kingdom), Jean Claude Weber (Luxembourg) and Hans Åkerstedt (Sweden) will continue to work for CIA and the CIA Jurors.

COMMUNICATION
During the last two years, the communication from the Jury Board has been on a very low level to put it mildly. I take the blame for that but one advantage is that any change will be a big improvement. Recently I sent out information about coming events and the names of jurors nominated by the organisers. I was able to reach about thirty of you by Email. Twenty-two got the information by fax and only four could not be reached by any of these means. In response I got some new Email addresses and together with the new Entry level jurors this year almost 75% of the CIA Jurors have Email.

Therefore the main means of communication will from now on be Email and the CIA web site on Internet. Whenever important changes or additions are made to the Jury Board pages on the CIA web site we will let you know through Email.

Information will be sent by fax to those who do not have access to Internet. If I need to send more than a few pages I will use good old snail-mail.

NEW JURORS
Five new jurors were approved by the CIA plenary upon recommendation from the Jury Board:

Thomas Fink, Germany. Over 1000 hours in each AA and AX! Competed in many Worlds and Gordon Bennett races.
Luc van Geyte, Belgium. Competed both at Worlds and Nationals and has been official at national events.
Torben Hansen, Denmark. Competed at Worlds and Nationals, several times official at all levels of events.
Hanne Hohmann, Germany. Competed at national events in both AA and AX. One full page of work as official, all levels.
Christer Ödman, Sweden. Competed at national events. Several times official at Worlds and at national level.

Welcome aboard, we need your experience.

UPGRADED JURORS
Dominik Haggeney, Germany and Risto Jalava, Finland, were both upgraded to Intermediate Level.
Don Cameron, Great Britain was upgraded to Senior Level.

I think they need no introduction but I cannot help quoting from Don’s upgrading application. He claims to have "some experience of various aspects of balloon and airship flying". Understatement of the year. (Sorry Don).

EVENT JURY SELECTION
First a reminder about the procedure. Quote from the Jury Handbook

- No Juror shall be appointed by the CIA to serve on more than two events during one calendar year.

- No Juror may serve on the Jury of more than one World or Continental Championship in the same FAI sub-class (all sub-classes in FAI classes A and B) in two consecutive events.

____________________________________

A few weeks before the CIA meeting, I was informed that some of the events had no jurors nominated and some nominations were made without the knowledge of the juror in question.

Therefore I sent a list of all events to all jurors that I could reach by email or fax. I sent the list for your information and to find volunteers for the events where we had no nominations.

Most of you understood me and I thank you all for your responses. Some of you had no time to respond and I realise that the information came quite late. It should have been available much earlier if organisers had been able to follow the correct procedures. I regret that a few of you may have misunderstood the purpose of the list. It was not the list of appointed jurors. It was the proposals made by organisers and also information about events where we had received no nominations.

EVENT JURIES 1999
As appendix to this Newsletter please find a list of the Event Juries finally approved by the CIA. This is the same as the list sent by email to you in March. There are some changes compared to the list that was approved at the CIA meeting and published with the plenary minutes and also on the CIA web.

Since the CIA meeting a few changes have been necessary. All changes have been made after consultation with the jurors concerned and all now listed have confirmed that they are available.

For some events we have listed alternate jury presidents. This way we do not need Bureau approval if we have to make any changes and the jurors in question will be present at those events anyhow.

Note also that some events are no longer on the list. The Sanction applications were withdrawn for these. It means that the events will take place but a CIA Jury is not necessary. The nominations for Sendai (now renamed Motegi) came very late before the CIA meeting. Many had volunteered but as you can see above the organiser nominations have priority, subject to the limits of other rules.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE HAD TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN YOUR PLANNING OR ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR ANY OTHER REASON.

I have already contacted some of you individually for clarifications and you are of course always welcome to contact me by phone, fax or email. Note my new fax number (since October 98) and Email address (back to the old address hans.akerstedt@mailbox.calypso.net).

CHANGES IN FAI AND CIA RULES
FAI Statutes and Bylaws: 1999 and 1998 respectively. Minor changes not affecting juror work

Sporting Code, General Section: 1999: changes to following paragraphs

3.6.4 team events.
6.8.4 also claimant may make a preliminary claim for World Records
8.1.3.6.1 Rights of representation, multiple nationality
9.4.1 Appeals hearing, only involved parties may be present
9.4.2 Tribunal decision is final unless new factual issues are revealed later

Sporting Code, Section One: No change

The new versions can be downloaded from the CIA web site, document page.If you do not have access to Internet your CIA delegate should be able to help. Your NAC is also responsible for keeping up to date FAI documents.

TRAINING QUESTIONS
Alex Nagorski has prepared a new set of training questions. They can be found on the Jury Board web pages and is also included with this Newsletter. Please use them to brush up your knowledge. They are not compulsory but are issued for training. Send your answers to Alex.

TEST 4 FOR SENIOR LEVEL JURORS
A few years ago the test questions for Senior Level were updated. Questions about check of scoring and calculations were added (Test 4, questions 19-25). Most of the present Senior level jurors were graded Senior before the new questions were added. The Jury Board has decided that all Senior level jurors must answer these additional questions. These questions will be sent in a separate letter to the jurors concerned.

JURY CASE HISTORY, PROTESTS
Five protests from 1998 were published on the CIA web site last year thanks to Alex Nagorski. A few more have been added recently and then we will continue to publish protests, as material becomes available. In most cases the documentation is hand-written or and has to be rewritten before publication on the web. This takes some time.

JURY CASE HISTORY, JURY REPORTS
Two very constructive Jury Presidents Reports are also included for information on the Case History pages of the CIA Jury Board web pages. Thanks to Debbie Spaeth and Garry Lockyer.

JURY CASE HISTORY, APPEALS
In the past a few protests at CIA events have progressed as far as an Appeal to the FAI from the Aero Clubs in question. In 1985 we had a case from the Hot Air Balloon Championship dealing with ground contact close to a goal and in 1994 there was a case at the European Championships regarding the individual launch position in relation to task rules in a multiple task flight. In the first case the decision was in favour of the appellant but the rules prevented results to be changed so the result was that the pilot placed second has more points than the champion does. Following this strange result of the appeal, the rules were later changed. In the 1994 case the appeal was rejected.

There were new cases after the 1998 European Championships regarding landing too close to a goal and on goal validity. In both cases the appeal was rejected.

The decision of the Appeals Tribunal is the final authority on rule interpretation and the Jury Board thinks it is of value to share this information with pilots and jurors. We are in the process of collecting documentation from the mentioned cases and information will be published on the Jury Board web pages when available

APPEALS PROCEDURES, changes

1. The deposit to accompany an Appeal against a Jury decision has been raised from SFR 500 to SFR 2000. (CASI)
2. Only CIA Bureau members or delegates will handle future appeals concerning ballooning matters. (Agreement between CASI President and CIA President)
3. All relevant involved parties may be present at the hearing. They must be given notice of the appeal in good time, and shall have the right to call witnesses. Their absence from the hearing shall not hold up proceedings. (GS 9.4.1)
4. Tribunal decisions are final unless major new factual issues are revealed later, which could affect the result. (GS 9.4.2)

It seems that past practise has been that if an Appeal is upheld (rejected) the NAC has then been "invited" to cover the costs of the Tribunal members. The intention with the increased deposit seems to be to assure that funds are available to cover expenses of members of the International Tribunals.

It is still not formally guaranteed that witnesses called by the Tribunal are reimbursed for their travel expenses. In a recent case the Jury President and the Event Director in question were invited to the hearing but did not attend as they had to pay their travel costs from their own pockets.

CASE HISTORY HANDBOOK
The Protests, Jury Presidents Reports and Appeals published on the web site will also be collected in a printed version. When sufficient material has been compiled, this will be sent to all CIA jurors. By the end of the year we should have enough to justify this version and additional pages will be sent as new cases are added to the collection.

WANTED
Anyone having interesting protest cases or any information on the Appeals cases that you want to share with the rest of us, please send it to the Jury Board. There may be cases that we are not aware of. If possible send electronic documents.

JURY HANDBOOK
An updated version of the Jury Handbook is being prepared. The format will be the same as other CIA documents and the changes decided in 1998 will then be incorporated. No changes were made 1999 but address page and application forms will be updated.

JURY TESTS
The Tests are being updated. Many thanks to all whom have sent in valuable suggestions.

JUROR INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE
Quote from the Jury Handbook

It is important that all members of the Jury always are and appear to be impartial. There must be no doubt about that. Regrettably there have been complaints from participants about jurors appearing to be part of the operational staff or appearing to be part of a competing team. I am convinced that these complaints are completely unfounded.

Nevertheless please remember to maintain impartiality when visiting the Competition Centre and when socialising with the competing teams, especially with teams from your own country. I am not suggesting that you should avoid socialising. On the contrary. You should be present and visible at all times and also talk to all involved. But make it a point to talk to as many as possible and not just the representatives from your country.

JUROR EXPENSES
Quote from the Jury Handbook

The organisers are expected to cover economy airfare from the place of residence to and from the event. If you require something else you have to negotiate that well before the event with the organiser. Note that in most cases economy fares require advance booking. The fares will be considerably higher if you make a late reservation.

You are expected to accept travel arrangements made by the organiser. They may have negotiated reduced fares with their local airline. It has happened that officials (not jurors) have rejected arrangements offered by organisers and caused very high extra costs. Organisers can not be expected to cover those.

Standard boarding means a single room with shower - normally at the same place as other competition officials. The standard may vary according to local conditions but luxury class hotel should not be expected.

The past two years I have not heard about any problems for jurors to get compensation. Please let me know if you have any problems in the future.

DEBRIEFING REPORT
After some events there has been a competitor debriefing where the pilots have discussed the event and the rules of the event. Sometimes also the operational staff have been present. In many cases valuable information has been exchanged, but then the information has not been passed on to the rulermakers and others who may have an interest and responsibility.

The Jury Board has therefore decided to ask Jury Presidents to seek to be invited to these debriefings and note pilots experiences of the event together with any suggestions for improvement that may result. Please then send these together with your Jury Report to the Jury Board chairman who then will send them on to the relevant subcommittee.

Please note that comments and suggestions may be valuable even if you yourself do not agree. After all, the pilots are the most important customers and their viewpoints are valuable to know.

EVENTS 1998. Summary of protests

1. Request to remove all (55) PZ’s and make them advisory areas. Protest rejected.
2. Request to invalidate two types of roads for goal selection. Protest rejected. Fee returned. Appealed to FAI.
3. Request to invalidate markers dropped after end of search period and score to landing position. Protest withdrawn as Director had reconsidered and agreed with protesting pilot. Protest withdrawn. Fee returned.
4. Request to penalise all who landed closer than 200 meters to a target. Protest rejected. Appealed to FAI.

1. Collision over target. Pilot requested compensation for disadvantage caused by other pilot. Protest rejected.
2. Not satisfied with penalty for collision for other competitor. Protest rejected. Fee returned (pilot raised valid points for future rules consideration).

Jury Report with recommendations for scoring, debriefing, rule corrections, pilot qualification check, Tomo-Hawk task.

1. Request to validate a task cancelled by the Director. Two pilots were denied take off permission on safety grounds. Protest rejected.

LIST OF JURORS 1999
See attached list of Jurors with E-mail addresses and fax numbers. This list will be used for information to jurors. Please check and update if necessary.

COMING EVENTS 2000 and beyond

ADDRESS UPDATE
In case you have changed address, phone number or E-mail address during 1998 or 1999 please let me or Neil Robertson know. Neil is keeping the CIA Directory and it is important to have it up to date.

JURY BOARD ADDRESSES

APPENDICES

1. Event Juries 1999
2. Juror E-mail and fax number list
3. Training questions 1999

1999 EVENT JURIES APPROVED BY CIA

JURORS LIST - 1999

Updated 09 March 1999

The 1999 CIA Plenary meeting approved the following CIA Jurors. Listed in country sequence within their approved level.

1999 Jury Refresher Test

This test paper is not part of the CIA Jury Board’s mandatory Juror qualifying test procedures. You are not required to take this test, you are invited to take it. Some questions relate to event situations and the new Jury Board procedures adopted at the 1996 CIA Plenary meeting and documented in the 1996 Jury Handbook and the 1996 Jury Board Newsletter, as well as the 1998 versions of the Sporting Code (General Section and Section 1).

1. According to the Sporting Code which is NOT an objective of a First Category Sporting Event?

a) To reinforce friendships amongst aeronauts of all nations

b) To determine the Champion Pilot, or two Champion Pilots in the case of a World Gas Balloon Championship.

c) To encourage competition within the host country.

d) To stimulate the development of aerostation by an international comparison of performance of pilots and aerostats.

2. During the task briefing, you as a jury member, notice a significant error on the task sheet. What do you do?

a) Put your hand up to tell the Competition Director about the error.

b) Alert the Jury President to the error suggesting he talk to the Director.

c) Approach the Competition Director yourself and tell him about the error.

d) Wait until after the briefing to tell the Competition Director.

3. As a jury member you are approached by a competitor who has seen another pilot contact the ground. He asks you what he should do. Your action should be:

a) Go with the competitor to see the Competition Director.

b) Ask him to write a report, give it to you.

c) Help him find an observer or scoring official that the pilot can report the situation to.

d) Call a meeting of the jury to discuss a plan of action.

4. When are doping control procedures implemented at CIA sanctioned events?

a) When imposed by the regulations of the host country

b) At each CIA sanctioned event

c) When approved at the CIA Plenary meeting

d) Never

5. Whose interests does the Jury look after?

a) Officials

b) Competitors

c) Competitors and Officials

d) CIA

6. Which statement about Category One competition rules is true?

a) Competition rules are provided to the CIA as information only.

b) Competition rules may be distributed to each competitor and official 30 days prior to the event.

c) Task rules must not be changed without CIA authorization.

d) Competition rules shall be approved in advance by the CIA and must not be changed thereafter.

7. The record of jury actions, the decision and the reasons for it, and copies of evidence shall be sent by the Jury President to:

a) The Competition Director and organizer

b) FAI Secretary General

c) CIA Jury Board

d) CIA Delegate

8. Can a steward attend a Jury meeting as an observer?

a) Yes

b) No

9. Which of the following is NOT considered unsporting behavior?

a) Dangerous or hazardous actions

b) Deliberate attempts to deceive or mislead officials

c) Violations of airspace

d) Repeated serious infringement of rules

10. At which point are entrants and competitors deemed to have accepted the Sporting Code, Rules and Regulations without reservation.

a) At the general event briefing when they answer roll call

b) Upon entering the event

c) When they receive the rules

d) At the event registration

11. If an organizing NAC wishes to proposed Jury Members for their event, how many should they propose?

a) Five

b) Three

c) Twice the number of jury members to be approved

d) None, let the Jury Board select them.

12. Under what Sporting Code - General Section paragraph can an individual appeal a decision directly to the FAI? _____________

13. List three ways you can obtain copies of FAI Sporting Code.

1. _____________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________

14. What are the last actions of the Jury at an event?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Please indicate your answers below and send this sheet only to the address at the bottom:

Your address: _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Alex Nagorski
5 Highvale Crescent
Sherwood Park, Alberta, T8A 5J6
CANADA

E-mail: alex.nagorski@ualberta.ca
Fax: +1-780-492-1729

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