This is the last e-mail followup on the World Champs

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       THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR CONTROL LINE MODEL AIRPLANES
                        NORRKOPING, SWEDEN  1996
                               LAST FOLLOWUP
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October 12, 1996

Some time since last you heard from me. Things have been piling up
and finally I have got some time to put it together for you.

A lot of people have been added to my distribution, now totalling over
130.

In this issue:

Final report from Percy Attfield (much delayed through my own lack of time)
Tidbits of my own experiences.
Notes from the seminars held on the day after the W/Ch.
The Future

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                               FINAL RESULTS

The official Final Results document is now finished. It also contains
a list of all Team Managers and all officials. It is available as a
compressed auto-extracting Word for Windows 2.0 file on my web page. 
Those without web access can get it as a UUencoded file by e-mail if you
send me a note. Size is 200k.

There were a few errors in the version sent by e-mail on August 3.
[deleted here]
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                            PERCY'S ROUNDUP:


                         NEWS ABOUT NORRKOPING

The end, from home, by Percy Attfield.

The meeting at Norrkoping is over, for the next 2 years we will prepare 
for the next meeting, wherever it may be.

Team racers will take endless milliseconds from their lap times and 
practise lightning pit stops until they become second nature.

Combat pilots will hone skills which are already impressive in an effort 
to change those kills into cuts.

Speed pilots will rework engines and practise their flying techniques to 
ensure the last meter of speed is attained.

Stunt will continue to chase that that elusive perfect maneuever and 
even more so the perfect pattern in flight after flight after flight.

In short this is not a period of rest, this is a period of concentrated 
work.  Work which has to be diplayed for all the world to see during a 
few days in 1998.  Before then every controlling body have to do 
identify teams, collect funds and help with the arrangements.  None will 
do more than the controlling body where the next World Championship will 
take place, we wish them every success with the organisation which this 
will require.

Thank you to the Swedish organisers, we and now I speak mainly for the 
South African team but I am sure many others will join me, enjoyed our 
stay in your country.  Thank you for your efforts and you support.  
Thank you for all the arrangements and thank you for always being there 
to help when you were needed.

Finally, thank you to Goran Olsson who made sure that via the Internet 
we were always up to date in the months before. Hopefully Goran helped 
us all to make friendships which will continue as this meeting slides 
ever furher into our memory.

Goodness knows where the time will come from, in between preparing for 
the next world championships and communicating on the Internet, but lets 
give it a go!

See you on the net.

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                          MY OWN EXPERIENCES

You never heard anything about my own circumstances at the W/Ch!

Better late than never, so here are some tidbits:

First, let me express the joy of meeting a lot of you from all around
the world receiving the appreciation of my internet activities.

From the viewpoint of the anticipation and preparations, I felt the
event itself was over almost as soon as it had started! I never got to
talk to as many as I'd wanted, and see as much flying as I hoped.
Anyway, what I did experience was great enough for a lifetime of
memories. 

My own entry, temporarily teaming up with very experienced pilot Jan
Gustafsson went so-so. Speed wasn't up to par and I tweaked a little
beyond the necessary safe setting, so we never got a flawless race.
First heat, poor pitstops and compression adjustment. Second,
undercompressed and handle dropped at first catch, DQ. Third, 8 seconds
lost at first pitstop due to overheating caused by blocking, enough for
23rd place. A lot of time was spent sorting out the equipment, but I
never really found the problem. Did so two weeks later, at our
nationals, and all the speed was back, and more! :-(

The T/R final was a big disappointment, with all three teams messing up
by missing catches and getting two warnings early. The jury was intent
to stay firm after criticism from '94, and Magli was first to be DQ:ed.
Then all waited for the next DQ. It went, to the surprise of many, to
Nazin, giving Pennisi/Rossi free way to the victory, accompanied by
booing of the crowd.

In F2A after the first round there was concern that the officials were
applying a too strict criterion for handle in pylon two laps before the
timing. This caused some flights to be canceled as the handle was pulled
out before ten laps. The ultimate winner Parramon got a 300+ flight
canceled when his crowd cheered at lap eight! After a meeting where the
problem was discussed, the pylon judge got instructions not to bother
with the handle position until the timing had started. The remaining
rounds then went fine. Parramon repaired excellently by a 311 in the
last round, the biggest winning margin in a long time.

At the processing there was congestion at the T/R tank measuring,
as usual if the tanks get properly measured (not always the case). A lot
of tanks were found oversize, but word was out that the Swedish team got
three tanks disapproved, so there was never a word of complaint about
the measuring, just the waiting.

There was a controversy over tanks later when the Belgian team
Dessaucy/Dessaucy got caught oversize in the spot check after the first
heat. By action of the FAI and/or the F2C jury they weren't disqualified
for the whole contest, as should be, but for just the heat. 


If communication around the globe is simple these days, the last hundred
meters turned out to be an obstacle, noted by those of you who tried to
get messages through to your fellows on site. I had no printer attached,
so I couldn't post anything, meaning that most got stuck inside my PC,
as I could get reach very few personally.
Also, the results weren't as easy to get out on the net as I had hoped.



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                         CONTROL LINE SEMINARS
                    Held at Bravalla 28th July 1996

                              GENERAL C/L

Goran Olsson acted as moderator, and also took the following notes:

The subject of how to stimulate interest in Control Line and how to
support juniors was discussed at length and interesting ideas were
exchanged. The French initiative that has been running for some years
was found to be a good example for others to follow. Bruno Delor pointed
out that he had written an article for the CIAM Flyer on the subject. It
was suggested that his article should be distributed to as many as
possible, to stimulate action along these lines. Goran Olsson
volunteered to distribute the article over the Internet.  [Coming in the
next e-mail, and available on my www page]

                              F2A SEMINAR

No notes were taken at this seminar, but Gordon Isles briefed Goran
Olsson about the views that were arrived at.

The proposal to have final flights at W/Ch and C/Ch was not favoured.

An optical - electronic system for timekeeping was found to be highly
desirable, and should be made mandatory for championship events. FAI
should acquire such a system to be handed out to the organisers.
                                                                
                              F2B SEMINAR

Held by Stefan Kraszewski, Chief F2B judge. No notes known to me.                        

                              F2C SEMINAR

Luis Petersen of the F2C jury acted as chairman.
Taker of notes: Goran Olsson

Around 20 persons attended the F2C seminar.

The F2C jury had in writing presented nine topics for the seminar.
The topics are listed followed by comments given.

                 Topics from the F2C Jury

1.
With three preliminary rounds the semifinal qualification should be
decided by averaging the best two elimination heats. Lower placings
should be determined from the single best result.
REASONS: a: Three rounds increases the chance of a lucky single flight.
         b: One of the elements of Team Racing is consistency.
Note: Standby teams also determined by averaging the best two results.

Seminar: Generally in favour.

2.
Clarification to the Jury Guide: Rule 4.3.9 n. also includes any
equipment or other activities associated with a team.

Seminar: OK in full.

3.
Tank Processing: The rule is clear - it is the competitor's
responsibility to have a system that is measurable. The competitor must
be proactive in diclosing his system and carrying out the necessary
adjustments to allow the measuring of the fuel system to take place. A
maximum of three attempts will be permitted to verify the capacity of
the fuel system at the time of processing. Failure to acheive this can
result in the competitor having to return at the end of processing time
for final verification.

Seminar: More time has to be allotted for processing. "Tank System"
needs to be more clearly defined. Competitors should provide filling
adapters. There must be no leaks that cannot be plugged during filling.

4.
General Safety: Release of handle is potentially very dangerous. Where
this occurs by the handle being pulled clear at pitstops results in
disqualification from the race. When this occurs whilst the model is
flying then disqualification from the contest is at the discretion of
the F2C jury.

Seminar: Also that pilot that has finished should hold on to handle.
Slingshot effect if lines get caught by another model!

5.
There are large variations in both standard of flying and physical
capabilities of pilots. What should be the attitude of the jury before
the evidence arising during a heat?
The F2C jury firmly believes that no preemptive action can be taken
against any competitor, but advice should be given in all cases if
possible before and after races take place. Is this procedure acceptable
to all competitors? Please trust the jury to make the correct decisions.

Seminar: That pilots are cautioned by the jury when safety is in concern
is OK. No seeding of competitors may be enforced!

6.
Video Evidence: What is acceptable? - This should be at the discretion
of the F2C jury and will normally be limited to reviewing specific
flying incidents. Should not be used for general standard of flying.

Seminar: Agreed.

7.
Number of warnings in a final?

- more than three
- or audible advice
- or time penalties for current warnable offences?

Seminar: In final: 2 warnings, 3:rd warnable offence: 5 seconds penalty,
4:th 10 seconds, 5:th 15 seconds, with the option of the jury to disqualify
already at the 3:rd offence.

8.
After disqualification models must be landed in less than ten laps after
instruction from the jury or the competitor may be disqualified from the
contest.

Seminar: OK.

9.
Pilot's head in model: This rule is currently not enforced. The rule
should either be scrapped or fully applied.

Seminar: Enforce the rule! The problem of measuring was discussed, but
was found to be secondary to the issue. The processing official must be
allowed to aim in order to disallow an obvious rule violation.
 

                             Other Subjects

Team Racing is too fast - 12 out of 20 agreed. Three said no action is
required.

It was found that an increase in line diameter to .40 millimeters is the
simplest means of reducing speed. Larger models and smaller engines were
also discussed.


                               F2D SEMINAR

Held by the F2D judges. No notes known to me.

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                               THE FUTURE


This is intended to be the last information about the World Champs, but
since C/L flying goes on, why not let this effort do likewise in some
form?

I'll keep the distribution list, found below, that I have, and use it
for news and information. I'll start out with the Internet Control Line
Newsletter. The first issue will be out in a moment. If I get
contributions from you, there might be more issues!

Maybe I'll make a new shot at a C/L mailing list. The list
"wc96@plasma.kth.se" that I started never got any following, but maybe
if I take the liberty to force you all in my list below into a new
mailing list?

Cheers,

Goran

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