SEN 97-11 - 15 Sep 1997

News and Reports - 1997 Issue 97-11

SCAT Electronic News Sept 15

Recently SCAT was approached by a US flyer who was not happy about
the choice of Israel for the next World FF Champs. He wanted SCAT to
re-make our proposal for the World Champs in 1999 and to support a
campagin to have the 1999 World Champs taken away from Israel. The
stated reason for doing this was security concerns. The person had also
contacted Dave Brown, president of the AMA to get AMA support for
this.

It was also suggested that the FF sub commitee of the CIAM was in
support of this. Nothing in writing was available from the CIAM FF sub
commitee.

We discussed this at recent SCAT meeting and agreed on the following:

We think that it is inappropriate for an individual modeller to request this.
The decision to attend [or not] is an individual decision that each flyer
must make. No matter what the choice of venue is, there will always be
people who are unhappy with it. If someone wished to represent to
collective view of the US FAI FF flyers then a poll should be made of
those participants in the FAI FF Team Selection program by the FF Team
Selection Commitee. [We know that in the USA some modellers have said
they will not go to Israel, others are uncomfortable about it, others neutral
and there are those who those who are enthousiastic about flying there.]

We think that it is too self serving and likely to be misconstrued if the
USA suggests that the FF Champs be taken away from Israel and given to
the USA. There are other possible locations besides Lost Hills.

In the light of this SCAT will not prepare another proposal to host the
1999 World Free Flight Champs.

SCAT believes that if the CIAM FF Sub Commitee is not happy [as
rumored] with the choice of Israel, then they should do something about it
and make an offical statement.

However should it be not possible to hold the World Champs in Israel, for
whatever reason [or any other World FF Champs for that matter], SCAT
would be willing to consider hosting them in the USA [provided the AMA
and NFFS were also in agreement].


Roger Morrell
Editor, Scat Electronic News
Vice President, SCAT.

[Note that because this subject concerned people not normally on the Scat
Electronic Distribution it has been sent to more people ]