Jury Report on 2015 Indoor Free Flight European Championship F1D for Seniors and Juniors
FAI Jury
| Wilhelm KAMP | AUT | President |
| Per Findahl | SWE | Member |
| Cringu Alexandru Popa | ROU | Member |
Dates
March 28 to April 2, 2015
Location
The salt mine in Slanic, Prahova, ROU. The upper hall (about 120m below the surface) where 9 WCh’s and 3 ECh’s had already been flown could not be used. The only access to this hall is an elevator which had a problem last summer and since then is authorized to transport mine personnel only.
So, the champs had to be flown in a lower lying hall (about 240m below surface), which is accessible not only be said elevator, but also by a roughly screw-shaped road tunnel. This tunnel is large enough to permit the passing of in- and outgoing trucks which transport salt out of the mine. Overtaking is practically impossible because of the cloud of dust created by the trucks. The transport of competitors and visitors to and from the hall is provided by busses of the mining-company. As a consequence, the timetable of the rounds had to be adapted to the timetable of the busses. The timeslots for entering and leaving seemed a little narrow. Finally – with some flexibility on both sides – it worked quite well.
The hall is part of a system of halls arranged as the lines on a chess-board. There was some concern about drift as the air can circulate through this system (the upper hall is closed on both ends). The maximum drift I’ve observed was about 50m during a time of about half an hour (the maximum F1D flight time under the new formula).
The cross section of the hall is slightly smaller than the upper one but still higher than 60m.
A problem was a horizontal step about 1m large about 50m high on one wall at the transition from the vertical to the inclined part of the wall (there is no such step in the upper hall). Two or three models got stuck on this step, only one could be recovered – severely damaged. Another model disappeared in a niche high in the wall of the hall cross to the flying-hall. Miners said this niche was not accessible from the interior, so the model was lost. The colour of the walls is significantly brighter than upstairs which makes timekeeping easier.
The flying-area is without obstacles and has flat ground. Further away on one side there is a playground for children with some installations and pedal-driven go-karts parked. Test-flying was possible there. At the other end and around the corner of the hall, there is rough and rocky ground. Only a few models came here and could be caught by hand before landing on the rocks.
Information
3 bulletins were published on the website of the organizer. The last bulletin appeared less than ten days before the beginning. Reason: change of hotel, see the following paragraph board and lodging. A leaflet with a detailed schedule was handed out upon arrival.
Accommodation
The originally previewed hotel “Baia Rosie” as in the last years could not be used because it had doubled the prices shortly before the champs. In the bulletin 3 the change to the hotel “Roberto” and “Casa din Padure” was announced.
The arrival was organized at “Roberto”, most of the participants were lodged at those two hotels. Both hotels were of a good standard and perfectly useful for the given purpose.
Breakfast and dinner were served in the hotels. Hot (!) and tasteful lunch was served in the mine close to the flying-site.
Most of the organizers and the jury were lodged in a private house. There was a “living room” where all gathered and had their meals. A ship-model-builder-member of the FRMd proved to be a super cook and provided excellent food all week long.
Participation
9 nations had entered a senior-team, 3 of them also a junior-team. Finally, there were 23 seniors and 8 juniors. 6 complete teams in senior, 2 complete teams in junior.
As it was clear that there were only 3 junior teams instead of 4 demanded by the Code, a decision had to be taken. I cite the “Decision of the FAI Jury” sent immediately to CIAM:
“In spite of having only 3 teams instead of 4, we decided to deliver trophies, medals and diplomas to the junior-teams. We think that maintaining the motivation of the juniors is more important than a simple count of teams”.
The other choice would have been to send them home and say “bad luck, this is not a European Championship for juniors”. Stupid!
Additionally, the jury suggests the bureau could consider this issue of reducing the minimum number of nations for juniors and possibly file a bureau proposal.
Another issue brought up by the organizer was that not even all indoor-flying European nations have participated. It seems it has been difficult to reach a financial break-even at these Championships.
Less participants – less entry fees – the costs for organization stay more or less the same.
As long as this trend continues, it could be considered by CIAM and the possible organizer to only organize World Champs with better participation every other year and scrap the Europeans.
Competition, observations
The new formula: 1,4g airframe, 0,4g rubber instead of 1,2g/0,6g in my opinion was a good step. The flights are as beautiful as before, the maximum flight time came down from 40 to about 30 minutes. This makes timekeeping less fatiguing and makes shorter round-times possible. These were even necessary to match the timetable of the busses. As a consequence of the changed formula, every best flight was a new World Record.
The jury kept a special eye on lifting the model by moving the steering-balloon up and down.
Another point of observation was the degree of help by the Team Manager for the junior competitors at the starting pole. However, nothing happened where it was necessary to interfere. No doubt, the junior has to wind and start the model himself. But I still do not understand why anyone has the right to assist a junior – and I think this is a good thing – to help setting his model 50 or 100m away from the starting-site but on the pole he is not allowed to. This remark of course also applies – mutatis mutandis – to all other junior classes.
A discussion came up about if it could not be at least possible to mark a model if it was used by a senior or a junior. Better of course an individual marking for each competitor, e.g. bar-code or colour-code on the fuselage.
Timekeeping
Enough timekeepers, no problems, no protests.
Protests
Ceremonies
The opening was held in the mine. A few short speeches, the opening-formula by the Jury President, the Romanian and the FAI anthems played./P>
Prize-giving, closing, banquet took place in Hotel Roberto.
The FAI diplomas, medals and trophies were given by the Jury, the cups of the organizer were handed over by the officials, among others the director of the salt mine.
Short speeches, closing formula of the Jury President, Romanian and FAI anthems played. The banquet went on with excellent food and in good mood. There were tables for each nation with their national flag.
Communication, cooperation
The cooperation between organizers and jury was very good and without any problems. Especially to mention the excellent work of the IT guru Adrian Draghici who was ever ready to perform any task be it results or transmissions to FAI and CIAM. Efficiently and always with a smile!
Conclusion
These were Championships under difficult circumstances. New site, new means of transport, new hotels, low participation. Inspite of these difficulties, the FRMd led by Cringu Alexandru Popa and with the long experience of Marius Conu together with a lot of people in the background and experienced timekeepers organized a successful Championship. In the name of the Jury and of CIAM: Thank you, FRMd!