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Disclaimer: These aerobatics pages are developed by individual IAC members and do not represent official IAC policy or opinion.

CIVA PLANS FOR 1998 AND BEYOND ....

by Mike Heuer, President of CIVA

Aerobatics is a part of a worldwide community of air sports which is governed by the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI). FAI maintains offices in Paris, France and has been in existence since the turn of the century. FAI carries out its supervision, management, and promotion of air sports through several air sports commissions (ASC's) which deal mostly with regulations and Sporting Code as well as the selection of sites, officials, and judges for competitions.

In the case of aerobatics, our counterpart at the world level is the FAI's International Aerobatics Commission, most commonly known as CIVA. CIVA is the French acronym for the organization when it was formed in the 1960's -- Commission Internationale de Voltige Aerienne -- and when French was the international diplomatic language. All member countries of FAI which have aerobatic activities can participate in the Commission's work by sending delegates to its meetings. Though over 40 countries are members, usually there are between 20 and 30 nations represented at its meetings held annually in November.

In the case of the United States, I am the delegate. Alternate delegate is Bob Davis of Woodstock, Illinois, a veteran member of the IAC Board of Directors and a former U. S. Aerobatic Team pilot and Chief Judge at WAC 88. I have served as CIVA's President since 1986 but cannot represent the United States at the meeting because I sit in the chair. Bob Davis carries out these duties on behalf of the USA. IAC Vice President Howie Stock also serves as a member of the U. S. Delegation to CIVA as he was elected to the CIVA Judging Sub-Committee last year and again this year. Bob Davis serves on the CIVA Rules Sub-Committee.

While international in scope, IAC only represents American interests at CIVA, through a letter of agreement with NAA in Washington, DC. Sometimes this makes it difficult for members to understand our mission but let it simply be stated that IAC welcomes members from all over the world but also has specific American responsibilities and duties, including selection of U. S. Aerobatic Teams (Unlimited, Advanced, and Glider), the administration of the U. S. National Aerobatic Championships, and American representation at CIVA. These duties do not conflict with our scope and at the same time, our magazine, rule book, and programs are available and useful to aerobatic enthusiasts all over the world.

The meeting of CIVA was held this year in Munich, Germany on November 6th - 9th. Altogether, 26 countries were represented. Organizing the meeting were our German friends Hans Bauer, Hermann Liese, and Ernst Paukner. They did a fine job and created working conditions for us which were comfortable and helped us be more productive.

The meeting was a difficult one since there was considerable controversy over the recent aerobatic championships held as a part of the World Air Games in Turkey. Unlimited had participated in a combination World Air Games and European Aerobatic Championships. The World Glider Aerobatic Championships was also held. Both contests were at the same site in Antalya and at an airport which had been completed only days before the event took place. As a result of difficulties in Antalya, the various nations who participated submitted a raft of proposals to change our regulations on a whole range of issues but which centered around the administration of the event. Quite frankly, CIVA did not seem to be in a good mood. The United States had sent a glider team to Antalya but no power Unlimited pilots participated from America.

CIVA actually started its deliberations with sub-committee meetings on Thursday, November 6th. The sub-committees, with members from several countries, plowed into the proposals one by one, considering all their implications, and coming up with their recommendations for the plenary meeting of CIVA set for the weekend. November 7th was set aside for an assembly of the final recommendations in a final report to CIVA and the necessary photocopying of what seemed like endless paper. Liz Cook and Veva Becker, secretaries to CIVA, carried these duties out professionally and without complaint.

The meeting opened on Saturday at 9:00 am. After opening remarks by the President, we were welcomed to Munich by the Vice President of the German Aero Club, Isolde Wördehof, an accomplished glider pilot and immediately began consideration of the lengthy agenda. I would like to summarize below our final actions and decisions on these subjects which I believe you will find interesting:

World Air Games

Though Antalya was fraught with controversy, with resultant proposals made to CIVA for change, the Games themselves were widely regarded as a great success by FAI and most of the other air sports disciplines who participated. Some 60 countries and 3,000 people participated in the Games making it larger than the Winter Olympics.

With this sort of potential for media coverage, tourism, and influx of money, we now have proposals from other countries to host the next Games in 2001. Since the CIVA meeting was the first FAI air sports commission meeting to be held after the Games in Turkey, we were presented with bids from Austria, Spain, and Poland who have now entered the fray to organize those Games. This can only spell good news for all air sports.

At the meeting, CIVA created new working groups to deal with planning for the next Games and this will move ahead immediately. I now chair the CIVA Contest Organization Group which will liaise with FAI and the host country in planning for our next championships at the II World Air Games.

Regarding administration of future events, CIVA agreed to language strengthening and expanding the authority of the International Jury to insure organizers comply with regulations and checklists provided of CIVA requirements for top quality events.

Programme Q

Last year, you will recall we instituted a new name for the Known -- Programme Q -- and it became a qualification flight not counting toward championships final results. Pilots were also required to achieve 60% of possible points to continue in the competition. Practice flights were eliminated at championships to save time. Safety or "warm up" figures, however, were permitted prior to competition sequences and had been instituted some years before.

Some countries wished to see Programme Q again become the first program in the championships and count toward the final results. CIVA, however, agreed to retain the program as a qualification flight but did make some adjustments.

Programme Q, as well as all other flight programs, will now be limited to 12 minutes and this will be strictly enforced. To help pilots warm up, practice in the box, and familiarize themselves with the area, they will be allowed to practice before and after Programme Q but must observe the 12 minute limit. Any figures flown after the 12 minute limit (if the pilot is still performing Q) will not be scored.

Significantly, however, Programme Q will now be limited to a maximum of only 9 figures. Therefore, since it is now shorter, pilots will enjoy more time to use for practice. In another change for 1998, Programme Q results will be used to choose order of flight for Programme 1 (the Free), as has been true with the other flight programs since January 1, 1997. CIVA regulations require that order of flight be flown in reverse rank order. This will mean that pilots will have considerable incentive to score well in Programme Q as pilots seem to favor the reverse rank order system of choosing order of flight. It will not be a "throw away" program, simply for qualification, as in the past.

The Chief Judge will be required to announce the expiration of the 12 minute time limit over the radio.

Of course, since Knowns are now only 9 figures in length, IAC -- as well as other national aero clubs -- will be forced to add on figures to make these Knowns acceptable for use in our domestic contests, since we do not use the Programme Q formula. Finalized Knowns for Advanced and Unlimited will be announced in the January issue of this magazine, after they are approved by the IAC Executive Committee.

The U. S. proposal for Unlimited, in a shortened version quickly put together by Phil Knight via fax from Florida, was adopted by CIVA. The British proposal for Advanced was adopted in a shortened version as well. No doubt longer versions of these proposals will be adopted by IAC for domestic use.

Men's and Women's Divisions

As President of CIVA, I have proposed elimination of the division between men and women at World Aerobatic Championships on two occasions -- first in 1990 and again in 1996. The proposal has not met with approval of the majority. This year, the elimination of this archaic division between pilots who have shown themselves on one occasion after another to be competitively equal, was proposed by Germany. The Germans had also proposed a corresponding reduction in team size to 8. No gender differentiation currently exists in Glider or Advanced categories.

Surprisingly, the proposal did survive sub-committee deliberations and was recommended. It was approved by CIVA in an overwhelming vote of 16 to 6. In what had to be the most intense lobbying effort in aerobatic history, France subsequently asked for its reconsideration on the second day of our meeting and in the most abrupt turn around in my memory, CIVA voted to retain the divisions for men and women by exactly the same vote -- 16 to 6. I must admit, why so many delegates changed their minds overnight, I do not know.

My own view is it is simply a matter of time before our regulations catch up with the rest of the world as well as the other categories in world competition. Women are tough, able competitors -- witness the capture of the U. S. National Aerobatic Champion title in recent years by Patty Wagstaff and Diane Hakala. Which of these women would settle for a gender based title when they know they are capable of winning the overall championship? Watch closely, it's just a matter of time.

Rating Judges

As the computer based Judges Performance Factor (JPF) system has come into use at FAI aerobatic championships -- both on the world and continental level -- and has gained acceptance by judges and pilots alike, it has become a feature in the rules in selection of judges. This year, CIVA voted to make the rules slightly more flexible in their application by the International Jury. The Jury will now be empowered to expand or shrink the pool of judges acceptable for use at contests based on the JPF's derived in Programme Q. If a panel of more than 10 judges all have very high JPF ratings, they will be used in the contest. Conversely, if as little as 7 judges have acceptable ratings, the panel will be reduced in size. The bottom line is good judges will consistently be available at our championships and improvement in judging quality will be the result -- something sought by all aerobatic leaders for years.

Advanced Unknowns

For those attending AWAC's, you will be pleased to note CIVA has adopted the same procedures as used at Unlimited championships -- teams will select Unknown figures and will be permitted to submit Unknown sequence proposals to the International Jury for final selection. This will improve quality and flyability of Unknowns, as we discovered some years ago in Unlimited.

The Advanced Unknown allowable list of figures has been altered this year, due to the introduction of recent revisions to the FAI Aerobatic Catalogue, but proposals which would have introduced tailslides, more complicated rolling circles, and outside snaps to Advanced Unknowns were defeated. IAC's Board of Directors recently approved the alignment of CIVA and IAC lists of Advanced and Unknown Unknown figures so in future years, competitors will fly figures from identical lists worldwide.

Judging Criteria

Since CIVA criteria for judging aerobatic figures has reached a fairly high state of tune, there were few proposals for change in this area. Proposals made by the British to add criteria for "goldfish" figures were adopted. In November, the IAC Board agreed to align IAC's rules with CIVA with regard to "goldfish". The new criteria is as follows:

"In these figures, all radii should be the same. The entry and exit lines should be judged with reference to the 45 degree attitude. Any rolls on the 45 degree lines must be centrally placed. It is not required that the lengths of the 45 degree lines bear any strict relation to the diameter of the three-quarter loop."

This criteria does differ from what IAC had implemented temporarily in 1997, pending final CIVA adoption of new rules.

Free Program Design

In Unlimited and Advanced, total number of figures allowed as a maximum in Free programs is 15. CIVA approved a South African proposal to reward pilots who construct Free programs of less than 15 figures with a "bonus" of 2.5% per figure. In other words, if a pilot flies a sequence of 12 figures, he will be given a bonus score of 7.5%. This is to encourage more interesting figures and to reward pilots who take the risk of flying those of greater difficulty. It is completely optional. Indeed, some pilots may elect to forego the bonus in an attempt to get higher scores on simpler figures. It will certainly add an additional element of excitement to the contest, though in Unlimited there is the downside that it will favor higher performance aircraft. For that reason, I opposed the bonus and the United States voted against it -- but now that it is in place, we will see how it works. What U. S. Team pilots will do remains to be seen.

Advanced Aircraft

For those familiar with CIVA Regulations for Advanced, you will note that aircraft are restricted for use in this category. Aircraft like the Pitts S-1, S-2A and B, Zlin 50, and YAK 55 are permitted. No restrictions are placed on pilots -- only aircraft. This is to prevent the horsepower/expense war from breaking out in this category, as it has in Unlimited, so as to permit more pilots to participate in FAI championships who may not have the time and financial resources to go for Unlimited. It has proved immensely successful. Additions to the list of aircraft approved for the category (if they are over 260 hp) must be made by CIVA.

This year, Great Britain proposed the exclusion of the Pitts S-1-11B from Advanced competition with a claim that it was an Unlimited aircraft. Their proposal was accepted by CIVA, despite the strong opposition of the United States. At the same time, the YAK 54 was accepted. France's proposal to allow the CAP 231 in Advanced did not pass.

Future Championships

As 1998 approaches, much of the aerobatic world's attention turns to the XIX World Aerobatic Championships in Trencin, Slovakia. The Slovaks made their final report to CIVA at this meeting and it promises to be a solidly run and organized event. They have been in attendance at recent WAC's, the 1997 AWAC, as well as the World Air Games -- watching and learning.

The competition in Trencin -- located northeast of Slovakia's capital of Bratislava -- will run from August 11-24, 1998. Actual competition flying will begin on the 14th with awards on the 23rd of August.

The U. S. Aerobatic Team will compete with five men and three women. All major players in Unlimited from other countries are expected and the contest will probably feature close to 100 competitors.

Of course, CIVA must also act on other proposals and bids for various championships. Next year, a European Glider Aerobatic Championships will be held in Poland as well as a European Advanced Championships in Slovenia. The Slovenes are entering the competition world for the first time and it was particularly pleasing for me to note in a videotape they produced, highlighting aerobatic activity in their country, they mentioned they had sponsored contests at the "Sportsman, Intermediate, and Advanced" level --- names and rules they had borrowed from IAC. How far reaching the effect of our organization has been.

European championships in Unlimited are scheduled for Spain in 1999 as well as yet another World Glider Aerobatic Championships. Unfortunately, the United States withdrew its bid for the WGAC and Austria will pick up the slack with the competition tentatively scheduled for Nieder”blarn in August 1999.

As far as the year 2000 is concerned, both France and Germany are interested in the WAC for that year. Final bids will be presented to CIVA in 1998. Either country is well equipped to host excellent competitions.

Then, of course, in 2001 the World Air Games will be held -- plenty of activity coming up to satisfy any aerobatic enthusiast. I also predict more of it to come to the Internet as well.

Fond du Lac

In follow up to a proposal I made to the IAC Board prior to the CIVA meeting, Bob Davis introduced a proposal to make Fond du Lac 98 a "continental championships" recognized by FAI. This would depend on approval of the Bureau of CIVA (their executive committee) for our "local regulations" for the event and other details. We would keep Fond du Lac as an "open" championships and not a Team event. Rules would continue to be IAC's own.

The advantages? Recognition as a true international event of Category One status under the FAI Sporting Code, inclusion of the event in the FAI Sporting Calendar, enhanced international participation, and the awarding of the prestigious FAI medals and diplomas. Fond du Lac would retain its character but would truly move into the world of international events recognized by all air sports bodies around the world. A continental championships could include all of North America or even the entire western hemisphere.

How does "Championships of the Americas" sound?

Elections

I was honored to be re-elected as President of CIVA by acclamation. This will be my twelfth year of service as President. CIVA Vice Presidents will be Jiri Kobrle of the Czech Republic; John Gaillard of South Africa; Kasum Nazhmudinov of Russia; and Karl Berger of Austrai (gliders). Secretaries will be Veva Becker of the USA and Liz Cook of Australia.

Sub-committees are also chosen annually and Bob Davis and Howie Stock were re-elected to their positions. Fully half of the Rules Sub-Committee is new with more competition pilots now involved (Alan Cassidy of the UK; Dominique Roland of France; and Ramon Alonso of Spain) joining other veterans of the committee.

Hermann Liese of Germany remains as Chairman of the Judging Sub-Committee and Karl Berger chairs the Glider Aerobatics Sub-Committee by virtue of being Vice President of CIVA for glider aerobatics.

All in all, the meeting was swift, successful, and packed with business, emotion, and strong feelings. It was not an easy time but I am also confident most delegates left feeling they had gotten a fair shake and an open forum for their views. This is the strength of FAI and CIVA --- they are international bodies which bring together people of like interests who are very intense about what they do. Because of their dedication, all of aerobatics benefits.

If you have aerobatics related information that you would like to make available, please contact me at the email address below.

Last Update: Sun Dec 17 15:43:47 2006

© Dr. Günther Eichhorn
Springer 101 Philip Drive Norwell, MA 02061 USA, Email Guenther Eichhorn