FAI News 03/08

FORTY YEARS AT THE HELM - SANDY PIMENOFF RETIRES   Sandy PIMENOFF (FIN) brought to an end a remarkable 40 years as CIAM President at the FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) Annual Plenary meeting on 28 and 29 March in Lausanne. He successfully led the Commission through a long period marked by great changes.  

Delegates gathered on the Friday evening to celebrate Mr Pimenoff’s long reign, at which fellow retiree Dr Laird Jackson – also a veteran of over two decades at the head of the CIAM Control-Line Sub-Committee – recalled high points of Mr Pimenoff’s uniquely distinguished career of service. FAI President Mr Pierre PORTMANN presented Mr Pimenoff with a silver salver from his CIAM colleagues and a special FAI Diploma in recognition of his services to CIAM. Mr Pimenoff was also awarded the title of Honorary President of the Aeromodelling Commission.   Competitions: Several World and Continental Championships were awarded in the various disciplines of Aeromodelling for the years 2009 and 2010. Click to see the FAI Sporting Calendar for future Aeromodelling championships.   Elections: Robert SKINNER (RSA) was elected as the new CIAM President. David BROWN (USA), Gerhard WöBBEKING (GER) and Andras REE (HUN) were elected Vice Presidents. Click to see the current list of CIAM Officers and Delegates   Next Plenary Meeting 27 and 28 March 2009.  

FAI PRESIDENT VISITS CROATIA   The Republic of Croatia welcomed FAI President Pierre PORTMANN on his first official visit to the country since Croatia became an FAI member in 1992. The President of Croatia’s Aeronautical Federation Mr Tonci PANZA greeted him and introduced him to the representatives of Croatia’s air sports organisations. The primary purpose of the visit was to meet Assistant Minister of the Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development, Mr Damir VINCE. Mr Portmann explained the work of FAI so that Mr Vince could have a better understanding of the needs of Croatian air sports when drawing up aeronautical legislation. The FAI President was also able to spend some time with the President of the Croatian Olympic Committee, Mr Zlatklo MATESA, who re-iterated the committee’s support for the Croatian Aeronautical Federation and for air sports in general. Mr Portmann was pleased to be able to highlight this excellent relationship between an FAI member country and its national Olympic committee.  

FAI GENERAL CONFERENCE 2008   FAI Secretary General Max BISHOP and General Projects Manager Rob HUGHES recently made a planning visit to the picturesque town of St Vincent in the Valle d’Aosta (ITA), site of the 2008 FAI General Conference. Registration will begin in early May. Brief details can be found at http://www.fai.org/general_conference  

COMMISSION ON AIRSPACE AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS (CANS) INAUGURAL MEETING   The inaugural meeting of FAI’s newest technical commission took place in the historic surroundings of the Aeroclub de France in Paris. CANS will address the very serious threat to air sports of the continual world-wide increase in controlled airspace and the imposition of navigation and location systems such as transponders. CANS brings together experts from around the world to coordinate information on airspace issues for dissemination to FAI member countries. More information is at http://www.fai.org/airspace_navigation  

FAI AWARDS   FAI medals and diplomas give recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, especially in the field of sporting aviation. They are awarded each year at the Opening Ceremony of the annual FAI General Conference. Nominations for FAI general awards should be sent to the FAI Secretariat together wth citations not exceeding 250 words. The 2008 deadline for nominations is May 31st, more details can be found on the FAI website at http://www.fai.org/awards  

NEW WORLD RECORD CLAIMS   New world record claims received recently by FAI include: Ballooning, Rotorcraft, Parachuting, Gliders and Microlights. Class A (Free Balloon) Claim number : 14904 Size category: AX-01 Hot Air Balloons 250m3 or less Category: General Type of record: Duration Course/location: Le Locle (SUI) Pilot : DUVOISIN Pierrick (SUI) Date : 19.12.2007 Performance : 6hrs 20mins Current record : 2hrs 50mins (11.02.1995 Günter SCHABUS, AUT) Class E (Rotorcraft) Claim number : 14998 Sub-class :E-3a (Autogyros : take-off weight less than 500 kg) Category: General Group 1 : piston engine Type of record : Distance without landing Course/location : Palmers Island, QLD (Australia) - Townsville, QLD (Australia) Performance : 1 268 km Pilot : Wilhelm EWIG (Australia) Autogyro Europe MT 03 Date :09.03.2008 Current record : no record set yet Class G (Parachuting) Claim number : 15003 Sub-class :G-2 (Group jumps) Category: Feminine Performance / Team records Type of record : G-2-e1 : Freeflying, largest head-down formation Course/location : Eloy, AZ (USA) Performance : 20 Jumpers Pilot : … International crew (International) Crew : t.b.a. Date :21.03.2008 Current record : 18 parachutists (25.06.2005 - International team, International) Class D (Gliders) Claim number : 14905 Sub-class :D15 (15m Class Gliders) Category: Feminine Type of record : Speed over a triangular course of 1 000 km Course/location : Bitterwasser (Namibia) Performance : 121.5 km/h Pilot : Anja KOHLRAUSCH (Germany) Glider : Glaser-Dirks DG-800 A Date :28.12.2007 Previous record : 116.10 km/h (01.12.1999 - Hana ZEJDOVA, Czech Republic) Class RWL2 (Microlights : Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons) Claim number : 14936 Type of record : Altitude Course/location : Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Performance : 7321 m Pilot : Mark JACKSON (UK) Crew : Eve JACKSON (UK) P & M Quik GT 450 Date :19.01.2008 Current record : 6 876 m (23.07.2007 - Jan BÈM, Czech Republic)  

COMPETITIONS UPDATE (1st CATEGORY EVENTS)   (Aeromodelling) 25-31.05.08 FAI Asian Oceanic Championship for Model Helicopters (PHI) 27.06-06.07.08 FAI World Championship for Soaring Model Aircraft (TUR) 11-20.07.08 FAI World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft (POL) (Hang Gliding) 07-21.06.08 16th FAI European Hang Gliding Championship (AUT) 19.07-02.08.08 11th FAI Women’s World Hang Gliding Championships (ITA) 19.07-02.08.08 4th FAI World Hang Gliding Class 5 Championship (ITA) 19.07-02.08.08 17th FAI World Hang Gliding Class 2 Championship (ITA) (Paragliding) 30.06-12.07.08 10th FAI European Paragliding Championship (SRB) (Ballooning) 21-28.06.08 8th FAI World Hot Airship Championship (RUS) (Gliding) 06-20.07.08 30th FAI World Gliding Championship (ITA) (General Aviation) 13-20.07.08 18th FAI World Precision Flying Championship (AUT) 20-26.07.08 16th FAI World Rally Flying Championship (AUT)