The FAI Microlight and Paramotor Commission (CIMA) had a successful Plenary in Kaunas, Lithuania, from 22 to 24 February. The main focus was on developing the sport for the future, and significant progress was made with several interesting projects, including the awarding of the 2025 World Paramotor and Microlight Championships to France and the creation of a new type of award.

FAI Secretary General Markus Haggeney attended this meeting and shared the main results of the recently held FAI General Conference, including financial reports on the year 2022-2023 and the budget for 2024. He also presented activities at the FAI Secretariat in Lausanne and the upcoming projects leading up to the 118th FAI General Conference 2024 that will take place in November in Saudi Arabia.

Aside from this, the number of rule changes was minimal, and most decisions were made unanimously.

Key Updates

Here are some key updates from the Plenary:

• The bid presented by France to host the World Championship in 2025 was accepted.
• Enhanced Awards and Recognition: CIMA will now have more awards to offer, including the CIMA Gold Medal and the CIMA Hall of Fame. A list of CIMA Champions will also be maintained.
• Paramotor Slalom World Series: A new idea to develop the successful format of Paramotor Slalom into a kind of World Series was accepted. Details will be prepared and formulated accordingly.
• Virtual Flying: A working group has been established to explore the potential and possibility of virtual flying as part of future competitions.
• Microlight Air Sport Challenge: The rules for the new Microlight format, known as the "Air Sport Challenge," will be finalised soon.
• Introduction of "STOL" Discipline: The French delegates presented a new discipline called "STOL" (Short Take-Off and Landing). An example of this discipline will be showcased at the 16th FAI European Microlight Championships in France in 2025.
• FAI Next Cloud: Going forward, the FAI Next Cloud will be used as the primary platform for documents, postings, archives, and communication. A detailed handbook will be provided soon.

Officials

CIMA is facing a pressing issue - a shortage of officials. This shortage has become increasingly evident and is causing concern within the Commission.

To address this problem, CIMA is urgently seeking Jury members for both Microlight and Paramotor competitions. The importance of having a sufficient number of officials cannot be overstated, as they play a crucial role in ensuring fair and safe competition.

The General Sport Commission (CASI) has recently announced a webinar titled "2024 CASI Webinar: Training for FAI Events Officials". CIMA would like to extend a kind invitation to all current and future officials to register for this webinar.

• Information and registration

Dates

• Saturday 23 March 2024 (10:30 AM CET, Lausanne time / 09:30 AM UTC) or
• Sunday 24 March 2024 (18:00 PM CET, Lausanne time / 17:00 PM UTC)

By participating in this training opportunity, officials can enhance their skills and knowledge, ultimately contributing to the success of future competitions. CIMA recognises the value of its officials and is committed to providing them with the necessary support and resources.

Election of Bureau Members

CIMA Bureau, from left to right: Barney Townsend, Krisztian Dolhay, Wolfgang Lintl, Rob Hughes and Tom Gunnarson

CIMA elected new Bureau Members in the shortest time ever. As there were no other candidates than the current bureau members and no one asked for a secret vote, the existing bureau with Rob Hughes (GBR) as 1st Vice President, Krisztian Dolhay (HUN) as the 2nd Vice President, Barney Townsend (GBR) as Secretary, Tom Gunnarson (USA) as Treasurer, and Wolfgang Lintl as President.

Wolfgang Lintl announced that he will continue officiating for CIMA for another year, but he has decided that he will step down as President in 2025.

Appreciation for the Organisers

This year's Plenary was very well prepared by Lithuanian Delegate Rytis Paliulis and supported by the Lithuanian Aeroclub under the presidency of Arunas Grazulis and the Ultra Light Aircraft Pilots’ Federation of Lithuania.

Save the Date for the Next Plenary

Mark a date in your calendar: the invitation of the Czech Aeroclub and the Czech Light Aircraft Association to the next Plenary was accepted. It will be held in the beautiful City of Prague from 20 to 22 February 2025. Bureau Members and Delegates are invited to make their bookings right after receiving the details and the agenda for 2025 in about 10 months' time.

Minutes coming soon

Minutes from this Plenary will be published on the FAI website in due time. They will provide more details about the decisions that were made.