FAI Competition Safety news

 https://www.fai.org/news/what%E2%80%99s-happening-civl?type=node&id=24473

please also check some personal insights here:

https://xc-news.blogspot.com/2025/09/competition-safety-some-insights.html

from this article...

...Weatherwise, as I am regularly involved in Competition Meteorology the last 25 years, please allow me to put this parameter as well. The reason I was involved to this was a competition in 2001 where the task committee was either a group of irrelevant to safety people, or had a personal purpose of distinction, or both and I saw the traumatic results. 

We all understand that climate evolves, changes or fluctuates or whatever you believe. But the real thing is that flying conditions change for us and we understand this, things that were usual for some areas become unusual and the opposite, and forecast models are based on old statistics that may have drifted from what is happening here and now. 

So, the role of Meteo & Task committee combination is important for a safe task setting and a successful Competition. We have seen that in a recent PWC. 

Many organizers focus on performance in order to promote their flying area with huge tasks in uncertain conditions, but it is of high importance to have safety in mind and conditions at specific time and place across the task, avoiding unesessary risks for the pilots, or prepare them with some advise at the briefing. 

...And the first to be referred last as a take home message, is the pilot decision making process itself. Please, be bold to that, decide not to fly, abort the flight if conditions are not safe and land at a safe place not for the convenience of retrieve, please miss the goal if it is not safe there, downgrade your equipment if it is not safe for you and choose a lower category comp to participate, and when you report safety level 1-2 or 3, think not only the top pilots of the task but the last in the ranking as well.  

With all my respect to all, pilots and organizers, FAI, CIVL members, epxperts of any kind and all others, who have volunteered for years for the development of this incredible sport, with personal sacrifices.

My regards,

Evangelos