2017 Plenary: What's Up With Software?

CIVL ‘vision’ and FAI projects, GAP and FS future, approved flight instruments requirements and procedures, accuracy scoring software...

The Plenary trusted CIVL Bureau to move forward on these matters for the best of the sport and take needed decisions (implementing Working Groups, contacting professionals, choosing partners...). All Bureau decisions will be submitted, as stated by our status, to the agreement of the next Plenary.

Open Meeting Report

Visa-Matti Leinikki explained current FAI IT ongoing work and projects and summarized the new partnership with Noosphere. Goran Dimikowski explained CIVL ‘Vision’. Stephane Malbos reported on current discussion with Naviter. Discussion followed.

Comments were made about the lack of common identification tokens for pilots in the different commissions and categories, and how that this is addressed now.

The main discussion point was around how to ensure organizers have access to update scoring software. The Bureau has started negotiations with Naviter, where the goal is for Naviter to produce a GAP scoring module for the Naviter software SeeYou, as a replacement for FS as mandatory scoring software in Cat 1 events. Naviter already provides the scoring version of SeeYou for free for organizers (but without the GAP formula), as well as the related infrastructure and API’s in form of Soaringspot. 

If Naviter can implement the GAP scoring in such a way that it is close enough to the scores produced by FS today, CIVL would propose to change the scoring software rule in S7 from FS to SeeYou at the plenary in 2018, with the rule effective from May 2018. A software Working Group should be appointed: it would be involved in the definition of our requests and in the follow-up of their implementation.

Naviter preliminary estimates that it would be possible to have a test version available around May 2017.

The details of the contract with Naviter is still to be finalized and approved, the newly elected Bureau should continue and complete this work.

Another discussion was what to do with FS as it is today. The contract with Flytec did not result in the expected progress with FS, and we currently do not have any proposals or real alternatives ensuring that the required work and progress with FS will happen. If the deal with Naviter works out, this is not a short-term problem, as FS works as it is and can be used for the coming events, Cat 1 or Cat 2.

Norway and Bulgaria suggested that the FS sourcecode should be released under an open source licence, effective immediately, to make sure that it’s available for developers who have interest in contributing and maintaining FS. This can be seen as a plan B in case the agreement with Naviter does not produce a working GAP scoring module, and we have to go back and continue the FS project.

The last discussion was about changing the distance formula from FAI sphere to WGS84, which is required by the FAI general section. This cannot be done on a general basis today for hang-gliding, as the majority of the pilots in the next Cat 1 event will still be stuck with older FAI sphere only instruments (Flytec 6030's), while it is viable for paragliding where the access to newer instruments makes this less of a problem. The timeframe for changing to SeeYou/GAP scoring from May 2018 would include the change to WGS84, and as such it should be a natural point to introduce this change for both hang gliding and paragliding in the rules regarding distance calculations. If possible, we could implement WGS84 as an option in FS in addition the FAI Sphere from now on, and this option could be used where appropriate in PG competitions with large turnpoints.

Roll Call: Amaral Fernando (POR), Askiru Niels (DEN), Belova Eugeniya (RUS), Brandelhener Thomas (AUT), Buntz Harry (GER), Cowley Andy (GBR), Dimikowski Goran (MKD), Dimov Daniel (BUL), Ellefsen Oyvind (NOR), Erzen Igor (SLO), Fernandez Antonio (POR), Kolar Andrej (SLO), Kowecny Kamil (CZE), Leinikki Visa-Matti (FIN), Mai Elsa (TPE), Malbos Stéphane (FRA), Kitano Masahiro (JAP), Mai Elsa (TPE), Masteikiene Violeta (LTU), Mathurin Didier (FRA), Nossin Marc (FRA), Oka Yoshiki (JAP), Ovuka Zeljko (SER), Rigg Gordon (GBR), Shelden Jamie (USA), Shipley Mitch (USA), Sonzoeni Barbara (ITA), Thomas Adrian (GBR), Ugljesa Jondzic (SER), Vilkuna Riikka (SWE), Weissenberger  Tom (AUT).