Conference vmszoo::rc

545.0. "FAI notes." by BIGTOY::CHADD (Go Fast; Turn Left) Tue May 17 1988 01:26

I have just received my copy of the CIAM meeting held in Paris last month. I
have only included some highlights as it is about 30 pages long. If you have
any specific questions I have not covered let me know. 

For those of you who have not been involved in FAI events the CIAM is the
governing body of the international rules and regulations of aeromodelling. All
World Championships are run to the FAI Rules. 

All FAI events are numbered, you have probably seen in this notes file
reference to F3A and F3D, many others exist such as F1A through F1J (I think)
all of which are Free Flight events. The F2x range are control line events, the
F3 sequence are all radio events. 

	eg: 	F3A	RC Aerobatics
		F3B	Glider
		F3C	Helicopter
		F3D	Pylon
		F3E	Electric
		F3F	Cross Country

F4x events are Scale, F4A is Free flight, F4B is Control Line, and F4C is 
Radio.

Back to the conference. I will make bullet statements only:

	o World Championships for 1989
		- F3A, F3C, and F3D Virginia Beach USA 27-aug-89 to 4-sep-1989.
		- F3B France 11-aug-1989 to 20-aug-1989.

	o General Radio.
		- Handicapped competitors (ie. wheel chair) will be allowed an 
		  extra helper. This was passed in all but Pylon events. It is 
		  ironic pylon saw a problem as it was put up by myself for the 
		  benefit of a local contestant in OZ who flies Pylon from a
		  wheel chair. He needs an extra person to turn his chair. He
		  flies in our NATS with an extra helper which leaves him open
		  to a protest, however, nobody has ever seen fit to protest.

	o F3A changes.
		- Flight line to be now at 175m from the judges.

	o F3B changes.
		- Competitors are required to have 2 frequencies and can be 
		  called on by the organizers to use either with 30min notice.

	o F3D changes.
		- A cut is recorded if the the model is launched before the 
		  flag drops.
		- Semi finals and finals issue referred to the subcommittee.
		  The proposal came from Belgium but was incomplete. It would 
		  discriminate against the USA and Australia and no resolution 
		  could be seen. It will need some work to ensure it's defeat
		  next year.

	o It was also clarified that radio functions may be used in some free 
	  flight models.

Any questions?.

John

    John,
    Interesting. We have a local PYLON flyer who had a bad heart attack
    earlier this year. T doctors won't let him lift or bend over. This
    is more to keep his chest from comming apart than the heart itself.
    I guess it takes a long time to heal when they open your whole chest.
    
    Anyway we let his team use an extra person. He stands be the model
    ( he's calling in this case ). The third person pushes off. He then
    has to get back to the pilot to call. When he is the pilot a third
    person starts the engine. He can't leave the plane until the third
    person is done with the starting sequence and needle setting.
    
    If we had a person in a wheel chair I'm sure we would all chip in.
    Imagine if it happened to us.
    
    Bob

Just had the word that the FAI (The international governing body for all 
aviation) has increased the fee to list an event as an "Open International" 
from approx $20 to $2,000. Many open international events occur each year 
around the world; these include World Championships.

At present there are some 2,000 events listed on the FAI calendar as "Open 
International" modelling events, with this fee I suspect the number may drop to 
less than 20, with each country doing their own thing outside the umbrella of 
the FAI. In Oz we probably have 6 events per year, that number will now be 
zero. Australia has also put in a bid for the next Electric World Champs. The 
additional fee may make a difference to that offer.

In the US you have a strong ground swell of opinion that the FAI should be 
dumped because of a variety of issues. This latest money grabbing exercise is 
going to do nothing to help their cause internationally. 

John

I have the April 1990 CIAM conference minutes. If anybody has a particular
interest let me know and I will send you a copy of the section. 

John

    Hi John, I going to be involved in the F3b team trial this year.  They
    are going to be held in Denver this year.  Our Club and the Denver club
    will be co-hosting them.  I plan on being a pilot and shooting for a
    chance to go to Denmark in 1991!  Please send me a copy of the CIAM
    notes on F3b if you would
    
    Mark Antry
    CXO3-2/H12