HGFA Competitions Committee Meeting Minutes
Rydges hotel Camperdown  - Sydney

Meeting Commenced – Saturday at 9.15 a.m. recessed at 6.40 p.m.

Recommenced - Sunday at 8.20 a.m. and closed at 1.00 p.m.

 Attendees
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Michael Zupanc  - CIVL Delegate
Tim Cummings    - HG Rep
Stewart Dennis   - PG Rep
Karl Texler    - PG Rep
Tove Heaney     - Women’s Rep
Craig Worth  -  HGFA General Manager

Apology
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Peter Bowyer – PG Development Rep

Appointments
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Minute secretary – Tim Cummings

Competitions Committee convenor – Mike Zupanc

Competitions Manual editor - Mike Zupanc
Competition Organisers Handbook editor – Karl Texler
Hang Gliding Ladder editor - Mike Zupanc
Paragliding Ladder editor – Ian Ladyman + David Worthington

Trophies Officer – Stewart Dennis

HG Competition Calendar Coordinator – Tove Heaney

PG Competition Calendar Coordinator – Karl Texler

Documents to be Tabled
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Sanction Applications

HG Sanction Application – (Canungra) St Bernard’s Hang Gliding Classic 2003

HG Sanction Application - Canungra Sunday Summer Series 2003
HG Sanction Application - Canungra Sunday Winter Series 2003

HG Sanction Application – Dalby Big Air Competition 2003

PG Sanction Application – Canungra Cup 2003  

Abbreviations used in these Minutes

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CC  -  Competitions Committee

CCC – Competition Calendar Co-ordinator

DQF – day quality factor

HG  -  hang glider

PG  -  paraglider

WM  -  weightshift microlight

 Minuted items are not necessarily shown in chronological order. 

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1. MINUTES LAST COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE MEETING AND BUSINESS ARISING
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All action items from the last CC meeting were completed other than those listed.

 Action 03.01:  Active Australia project funds for local competitions. Craig Worth is to check budget levels of the Active Australia fund and advise any clubs if funding is available.

 Action 03.02:  Automatic FAI Sports Licence.  The HGFA membership form should say that all members automatically get a sporting licence.  A check box should be on the form so that international pilots can say if they already have a sporting licence for another country.  The HGFA web site can have further explanations about requirements for an FAI card when setting records or competing overseas. 

Action 03.03:   Karl Texler to obtain Access database of PG ladder and send to Tim Cummings who will insert fixed total validity calculations to calculate a trial ladder and send back to Karl Texler for publishing.

 Action 03.04:  Badges.  HGFA Web Site already has badge application forms.  Karl Texler to investigate the availability of altimeter/barograph calibration in Australia and what is required to approve such a facility.  Michael Zupanc to determine FAI requirements for calibration of altimeters for badge flights.  When an Australian facility is available, Stewart Dennis will begin promotion of badges in Australia.

 Action 03.05:  Competition Organiser’s Handbook.  Karl Texler to send electronic copy to Michael Zupanc for publishing on HGFA Web site. 

Action 03.06:  Helmets.  Michael Zupanc and Karl Texler.  The Competition Manaul and the Competition Organisers Handbook to include identical words regarding helmets to the Operations Manual 9.1.4. 

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2. CIVL MEETING – DELEGATE REPORT
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 Serial Class Championships

 The Nordic proposal for a PG Serial Class Championships failed 10 for, 13 against.  The HGFA Competitions Committee discussed the pros and cons of the proposal and agreed to wait and see.  If Michael Zupanc had been allowed to the CIVL meeting, then the vote would have gone 12 for, 13 against.

 Turnpoint Cylinders

 The CIVL Section 7 have made a rule that mirrors the HGFA rule regarding only scoring the minimum flyable distance rather than the distance to centre of the turnpoints.  Race 2003 automatically takes this requirement into account.

 Task Stopping 

For PG with a race to goal, one pilot is required to make goal before a task can be stopped.  Otherwise the task must be cancelled.  For PG with elapsed time tasks, a “local rule” specified number of pilots must make goal (recommend 20% of the field) before a task can be stopped.   

Asian Continental Championships

 Entry qualification requirements have been dropped to allow pilots who have not competed in Cat 2 comps to compete.

Action 03.07:  Michael Zupanc for Competition Manual.  A default close of entries date should be specified in 3.4.1, after which the listed priority of accepting entries no longer applies.  The rule regarding International Pilots should  remove “wishing to enter”.  Entry deadlines specified by the competition organiser and approved by the competitions committee shall be enforceable.  The default close of entries will occur four weeks prior to the first scheduled flying day. 

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3. COMPETITIONS, CALENDAR AND SANCTION APPROVALS
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Competitions

 No application was received for HG Bogong.  The concept of running Bogong as two competitions AA and A was discussed and it was decided to be approved if the pilots want it.  The minimum number of pilots required to get the dual sanction are to be decided by the CC

 HG Pre-worlds dates (Entry Fee US$500)

Practice days 6^th – 7^th January 2004

Flying days 8^th – 20^th January 2004 (13 days)

Closing ceremony 21^st January 2004

HG Worlds dates (Entry Fee US$500)

Practice days 6^th – 7^th January 2005

Flying days 8^th – 20^th January 2005 (13 days)

Closing ceremony 21^st January 2005

 James Freeman is wanting to use an end of speed section prior to goal.  He also would like to disable departure points during the competition.  These decisions do not violate any rules in the Competitions Manual.  The CC will evaluate the results of the Preworlds at next years CC meeting.  The OzGap scoring system has been approved in FAI Section 7 for use in Category 1 competitions. 

 Motion 03.01:  The Preworlds not be given AAA sanction if the entry fee is US$500 (the entry fee in the initial bid documents) for Australians.  An entry fee within the range US$200 to US$250 is currently specified in the documents on the Dynamic Flight website state. If this range of entry fee is maintained, the AAA sanction will remain.

Moved Tim Cummings  Seconded  Michael Zupanc Passed 

Recommend that the Preworlds have a computer in the tow paddock for determining task coordinates.

 The PG Corryong Cup has been cancelled as it coincides with the Man From Snowy River festival and accommodation has been fully booked out.

 Competition Calendar

 The following calendars were drafted for circulation and discussion.  It was agreed to ask all organisers to verify their intentions by addressing the criteria for assessment of sanction laid out in the Competition Manual Section 3.2.4. 

Action 03.08:  Mike Zupanc to post draft calendars on the HGFA website.

Action 03.09:  Tove Heaney (HG) and Karl Texler (PG) to coordinate email communication with competition organisers and finalise next season’s calendar.

Action 03.10: Competition Manual 6.5. The ranking will be calculated after Easter each year.  The official ranking will remain unchanged until the ladder is recalculated. 

Next season’s PG sanctions awarded and event calendar (preliminary) 

 Required GAP Parameters – Paragliding 

 Next season’s HG sanctions awarded and event calendar (preliminary) 

 Required GAP Parameters – Hang Gliding 

 Sanctions – CIVL Category 2 events

 It was agreed that all AAA and AA Competitions should apply for CIVL Category 2 sanction.

 Action 03.11:  Craig Worth to ensure that all next season’s AAA and AA competitions are invoiced for one competitor fee.

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4. TEAM SELECTION & FUNDING
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HGFA funding of national teams entry fees

 HG World Championship in Brazil entry fees will be US$450.

 PG World Championship in Portugal entry fees will be EU400.

 Motion 03.02:  That HGFA financial support for National Teams competing at FAI category 1 events nominated by the CC be to pay their entry fees and provide team uniforms.

Moved:           Karl Texler           Seconded:      Tim Cummings           Passed.

 Action 03.12:  Craig Worth to pass the CCs request on to the HGFA Management Board for consideration.

 Team Selection Panel

 Action 03.13: Competition Manual 8.2.2 needs to be rewritten.  Remove “All pilots eligible for selection…as an automatic challenge for a non-firm position.” As PG selection has moved away from challenges to applications for a team position.  All pilots, even those at the top of the ladder, should address the selection criteria in 8.4. in their application. 

 Action 03.14: The new antidoping policy details should be put on the contracts to prospective team positions. 

Letters will be sent to top 20 on PG Team Selection Ladder and  HG Ladder

 PG  -  Letters will be sent to top 20 on PG Team Selection Ladder.  A team selection panel should be required for Portugal as the Australian Team size will be to include 4 men + 2 women (could later increase to 5 men + 2 women only if vacancies come up).  Should a panel be required it is to be made up by Enda Murphy (pending top ladder pilot), Karl Texler (CC nominee) and Ron McKenzie (pending board nominee).  The first requirement is to get the ladder published. The ladder needs to be calculated by the end of this week.  It may be necessary to book accommodation for six in advance before the team is known.  The team of 4 men + 2 women + 1 man reserve will be selected.

Those expressing interest so far are Enda Murphy, Ron McKenzie, Godfrey Wenness, Andrew Horchner, Stewart Dennis, Brandon O’Donnell, David Worthington.

 HG  -  Letters will be sent to top 20 on HG Ladder.  If required, the team selection panel to be Jon Durand Jnr (top ladder pilot), Michael Zupanc (pending board nominee), Tim Cummings (CC nominee).

 HG Women’s Preworlds – Letters will be sent out to notify the three women in the top 50 in the HG ladder of the Austrian Preworlds which is scheduled for June or July 2004.  If they desire funding from the HGFA they should apply to the board.

 C2 Rigid Wings Preworlds - Letters will be sent out to notify the top pilots in the C2 ladder of the Austrian Preworlds which is scheduled for June or July 2004.  If they desire funding from the HGFA they should apply to the board.

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5. Hay HG Worlds 2005
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The board is working on a contract between HGFA and Dynamic Flight that will pass the obligations of indemnity, finance, organisation requirements, rights of media etc similar to the contract HGFA will have with CIVL.

 The option of HGFA collecting the entry fees to the competition and retaining some of the funds that are only passed on to Dynamic Flight after successful completion of the competition.  Performance measures will include

Fulfill AAA sanction requirements
Acceptable disaster plan
Deliver as per their bid
Liability to HGFA if Dynamic Flight pull out, be passed on Dynamic Flight.

 Action 03.15: Craig Worth to pass this on to HGFA board for use when preparing the contract.

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MANILLA 2007
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Mt Borah could handle 150 pilots without problem. 

 Motion 03.03: CC support Godfrey Wennes bid to CIVL for the Category 1 competition “2007 PG World Championships” to be held in the summer 2006/07 and we recommend to the HGFA board that they support it also.

Moved: Karl Texler  Seconded: Stewart Dennis  Passed 

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WAG 2005
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World Air Games December 2005

 A subcommittee of ASAC is trying to organise some funding for a potential Australian World Air Games from Victorian government. 

 The World Air Games prefer not to have any cross country flying competitions as they are not spectator friendly.  WAG propose Aerobatics, Speed Gliding, and Match Racing for Hang Gliding. WAG propose aerobatics, and accuracy for Paragliding.  PG Aerobatics to be held over a lake (Mt Buffalo lake, Mt Beauty lake).  HG aerobatics to be held over land.  However, current gliders are not certified for aerobatics.  Manufacturers may certify a particular glider for a particular pilot to be flown in aerobatic manoeuvres.

 Action 03.15:  Karl Texler to be liaison for aerobatics/accuracy.   

HG liaison will be organised later if the event goes ahead.  The HGFA have indicated they are willing to organise the event for a fee.

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Compe-GPS is very expensive and alternatives will be required

 Craig Martinson’s software is lacking in the following areas.

Networkability
Instrument Polling (Type and software version)
USB – Serial conversion
Apple Mac compatibility

 Action 03.16: Karl Texler. The CC facilitate cooperation between potential competition organisers in regard to purchase and use of competition gps flight verification software for next season.   

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Garmin 12 are the recommended GPS 

MLR GPS need to be in 3D mode to get an accurate track log.  The altitude is stored in the MLR tracklog so analysis of the track log should make it clear that the GPS was in 2D mode. 

 Motion 03.04:  All GPS that can manually be set to 2D mode need to be in 3D mode to accept their track log.

Moved Mike Zupanc Seconded Tove Heaney Passed

 Motion 03.05:  Disputes regarding cloud flying infringements air space infringements are only to be resolved with the standard procedure of one comp official observing or three independent pilots marking a waypoint on their GPS when they observe a pilot making the infringement.

Moved Mike Zupanc  Seconded Karl Texler Passed

 http://www.pwca.org - Has a full list of GPS models that PWC accept.

 Manned Goals vs Virtual Goals

 Goals may not be in a landable paddock.  Competition directors should notify competitors that goal may not be a landable paddock.  If a virtual goal is set in a non landable paddock and a goal official is present then no goal marker should be set up.  If the paddock is landable then a goal X (when goal cylinder) or line (when goal line) can be drawn in tarpaulins on the ground.

 Goal Cylinders are to be used when more than one task is set on the day with the same goal coming from different directions.  Goal cylinders can be used when the paddock conditions are unknown and it helps pilots able to find a safe landing paddock.

 The option of having a speed section finishing prior to the goal could be a good idea.  Task setters should be aware that if the final section after the end of the speed section is too long (more than one km) then the results in the speed section could be affected by the likelihood of pilots seeing thermals in the last section.

 It was decided that virtual goals are allowable.  They are a good to allow tasks where a good goal paddock is unknown for a desired task.

 Action 03.17:  3.14.4, 3.14.9 There is a duplicate paragraph. Nothing needs to be changed to allow virtual goals.

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Redefining “Sport” Class

 The spirit of intent for

Sport Class is a glider that can be flown safely by recreational pilots

Serial Class are high performance wings that are certified and can safely be flown by experienced pilots flying 50 or more hours per year.

Open Class are uncertified gliders flown by very experienced “factory” pilots. 

The existing definitions are based on DHV / AFNOR certification levels.  However, new gliders in these levels are showing less safe characteristics due to the gliders being designed closer to the limits of certification levels.

 New definition

PG Sport Class will now consist of any glider with no more than two DHV2 ratings in the unaccelerated test parameters or AFNOR standard rating.

PG Serial Class – definition remains unchanged.

PG Open Class – definition remains unchanged.

 Motion 03.06:  This new definition be accepted.

Moved Karl Texler Seconded Stewart Dennis Passed

 Action 03.18: Karl Texler to publish the number of the wings that will now be in each class based on these new definitions.

 Under the new definitions the Nova Aeron, Ozone Octane, Ozone Vulcan, Advance Sigma 4, Edel Promise, all the Apco gliders, UP Summit, Wingtech Quarx, Wingtech Quarx 2, XIX Form 2, Swing Astral, Freex Blade, Gradient Aspen will no longer be Sport Class.

 Harness restrictions

 The safety concerns of supine harnesses were discussed but it was decided that no action be taken at this time.

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 B and C Grade prizes have not been compulsory since last year.  A and B Grade lists should continue to be published to allow organisers of small competitions can still issue B Grade and C Grade prizes if they want.

 Tove Heaney and Stewart Dennis will organise etched glass mugs for Australian National Champions.  These trophies will be presented at competitions if possible.  Otherwise they will be presented at local club meetings. 

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 Nothing to report 

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 The responsibilities of the Safety Committee were discussed.  It was decided that no changes to the manual are required.

 At Deniliquin a helicopter was called for the accident.  It would have arrived within 45 minutes but was called off before it arrived. 

 Action 03.19: Karl Texler - Disaster Relief Plan – A draft disaster relief plan needs to be in the Competition Organisers Handbook.  (See FAI Guidelines in the Event of a Casualty or Serious Accident at FAI Air Sports Events). 

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 Nothing to report.

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 The WPRS as designed by Michael Zupanc and currently on trial at CIVL was discussed.  Stewart Dennis introduced some new concepts which based the number of points available for a competition on the number of entrants, and the drop off rate for points for lower ranked pilots based on the pilot quality factor.

 Action 03.20: Stewart Dennis to provide Tim Cummings with proposed formulae for inclusion as trial in Access Database used by Michael Zupanc for his WPRS trials. 

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 Federation trends show same number of pilots overall members.  Competition participation rates are doing well. 

 New competitions are popular but existing competitions are losing popularity.  The Nationals should be moved around to encourage pilots to try different competitions. 

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COMPETITIONS MANUAL UPDATES 
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An appendix should be added to the manual listing details of the antidoping policy.