http://www.fai.org/hang_gliding/meetings/plenary/2007


Giovanni Vitola, delegate, and Luis Escotto, alternate delegate, propose:

Facts: Currently only flex and rigid wing competitions are being
sanctioned by FAI/CIVL excluding the majority of the pilots leaving behind the
development and evolution of the sport.


This proposal is to establish rules and regulations in order to organize a
category II & I event in hang gliding Sport class and its subdivisions Single
surface and king posted hang gliders. Making a subsection for section 7 of the
FAI Sporting Code


Reasons:


Hang gliders are struggling to keep up with times around the world, many factors
are involved such as permits for landing and launching areas, places to teach,
methods of teaching, etc. Those pilots who go through this ordeal and make it
into the intermediate and advance level, decide to be recreational pilots and
others consider competing in order to improve their skills and become world
class pilots.


The Problem is that there is a big gap in between a want to be and being a one
top class pilot. In our sport there is a risk factor well known for all of us
called the intermediate syndrome which is that the pilot believes that he has
all the knowledge needed to fly out into the unknown and little does he know
they he will shortly face questions that can not be answered using his limited
knowledge. Speaking from experience we see that one way to help develop pilot
skills for category I flex wing events and lead him into his flying excellence
by the way grow the hang gliding sport, is to promote by sanctioning nationals
and world competitions the Sport class (king posted double and single surface).


Facts: Statistically the majority of HG pilot per country around the world are
rated intermediate through advance.


Question: how is that we are going to help out this flying group and make hang
gliding grow in a safe matter.


Answer: Promoting a fun way of competition, in a relax environment however
sanctioned by the CIVL in order to be in the WPRS.


Some details of this proposal to be discussed on forum are :


How to introduce these pilots into the WPRS.

Handicap Systems used for scoring (if needed)

Maximum and minimum distances for the class.

Number of competitors in each event.

Number of Pilots per country participating.