Jury Report on 2003 Indoor Free Flight European Championship F1D for Seniors and Juniors
FAI Jury
Pierre Chaussebourg |
FRA |
CIAM 1st Vice President |
Luca Gialanella |
ITA |
CIAM Secretary |
Mike Colling |
GBR |
|
Dates
Location
Millennium Dome, Greenwich, LONDON, England
Information
After the cancellation of the Championship in Germany, information bulletins No.la and No.2 have been sent on 05 August 2003 and Bulletin No.3 was sent on 12 September 2003.
Participation
Seniors: 37 competitors from 15 nations.
Juniors: 5 competitors from 3 nations.
It was noted that most of the time, one competitor is acting as the team manager, which means that the organiser, according to the rule B.6.2. does not receive the fee corresponding to the number of teams entered, as team manager’s fees. We suggest that a “team fee” should be perceived when at least one competitor of a nation is participating. Then there would be no fee for the team manager, only the competition fee” for each competitor and for team manager assistant when an assistant is needed. It would be then less difficult to balance the budget for the championships with a small number of participants.
Accommodation
Hotel Express By Holiday Inn was at 5 minutes on foot from the Millennium Dome and North Greenwich Metro station. Unfortunately, it was the only one hotel in the vicinity and the price of accommodation which had been discussed by the organizer, and reduced for the participants was still quite expensive. Breakfast was included in the room prices and lunches were provided by the organizer. It was possible to buy extra food and drinks (hot and cold) at the contest site. Dinner was at competitors and Jury members’ expenses.
Flying site
The Millennium Dome is an excellent site. The weather outside was quite cold and windy. It influenced the flights only during the 4th round, in the afternoon of the second day. The air inside became very turbulent and most of the flights were not very good during that round. There were a very few collisions between models and only a few models got stuck to the loud speakers in the centre of the dome. It is hoped by most of the competitors that this site could be used again in the future for Continental and World Championships.
Competition
There were not enough people to be able to give a pair of timekeepers to each team. So it was decided that when a competitor would like to fly he would come to the secretary table with his team manager and two timekeepers would control the flight. This system worked although the jury members had to participate themselves to the timekeeping almost at the end of each round, mainly at the end of each day.
At the team managers meeting, it had been decided that the main characteristics of the models including the weight of the rubber motors would be checked after the flight, only for flights better than 25 minutes for seniors and 20 minutes for juniors. Then, the models and rubber motors were checked only if the flight was going to count as one of the two best flights. The scale was available at any time for competitors.
Opening and Closing Ceremony
Opening Ceremony took place at the Millennium Dome just before the start of the first round. FAI and United Kingdom anthems were played.
The closing ceremony took place in the Millennium Dome after the end of the last round. FAI diplomas and medals provided by the organiser were awarded to the winners and the winning teams. A perpetual trophy for the European Champion in senior classes has circulated since 1993. This trophy needs to be registered by FAI. A perpetual trophy was also offered by Laurie BARR for the individual winner in junior F1D class. This trophy will be also registered by FAI.
National anthems of the winners and FAI anthem were played. The banquet took place in the “Chinese restaurant” at the hotel.
Protests
There was one protest which has been lodged on Sunday morning at the beginning of the 5th round for something which happened on Friday afternoon during the 2nd round. According to rule B. 1 6.2.b) the jury answered that a protest must be lodged “immediately” and did not consider the protest. The protest fee was returned.
Observations
The Jury noted that several procedures which are used and well accepted by all participants are not in accordance with the sporting code and the organiser’s guide. This happened as a consequence of the new specifications for FiD models. The sporting code as well as the organiser’s guide need to be updated for including these procedures mainly for model checking, flying in rounds and how to fly the “reflights”.
This needs to be clarified by the Free Flight Sub-Committee.
Conclusions
This Championship which was going to be cancelled because of the impossibility to be held in the Cargo Lifter in Berlin was finally very well organised and followed by many competitors, and it must be noted that some nations we had not seen since a long time were participating.
The British Model Flying Association and Mr. Laurie BARR, acting as the Contest Organiser must be congratulated for a very good organisation and a very successful Championship.