Reports were received from the BFA’s various committees and the a budget of approximately $324,000, down $36,000 from 1995) was approved.
At the behest of one BFA member Beth Wright-Smith, Southwest Region Director, brought up for discussion the use of public land for ballooning. One member in her region has not received a favorable reception in attempting to use Federal land to launch and/or retrieve from. National Aeronautic Association representative Wally Miller, said that the NAA is willing to write letters to the local manager of Federal lands saying that not allowing balloons to operate is discriminatory. Miller indicated that the NAA now write more than 30 such letters a year for glider pilots. It was also revealed that the general policy in Washington, regarding the operation of balloons on Federal land, is not favorable. However, the final determination is left up to the local manager.
The competition division reported that the Team Nationals in Gwinnett County, Georgia will be held June 11-16. The shorter time frame will allow for serious competition during the week with fiesta style flying and other activities for the weekend. The National Championship, Columbia, Missouri, will be moved up one week in August in 1996. The date is August 9-18. According to the CD report Columbia broke even its first year as host to the National Championship.
The Board spent several hours, as one member said, "killing ants with sledge hammers," discussing the use of BFA/Division letterhead to campaign for the election to organization positions. The discussion was, in part, a result of the recent BFA board elections (Preflight, October, 1995) Finally one member made a motion to table the discussion until the winter meeting in Fort Myers, Florida.
The Board met in executive session to reconsider the Shields-Trauger Awards to be given the next day at the annual general meeting. All non board members, including the new board members not yet seated, were asked to leave the room. The one exception was the Chairman of the Competition Division, Dick Rudlaff, who was allowed to remain in the meeting. In an unprecedented secret ballot the Board voted to strip one of the recipients of their award. The BFA has made no official statement that such a vote was made.
Among the awards presented by the BFA at the annual general meeting on Saturday, October 7th were: Shields-Trauger Awards to Steve Fossett for his solo crossing of the Pacific in a Roziere balloon (Flight of the Pacific Peregrine, April, 1995) and Jetta Schantz for her altitude record set last year (The Flight of Feather 1, October, 1994); Montgolfier Diplomas were presented to Tim Cole and Dennis Brown for their service to ballooning with the development of anhydrous ammonia ballooning and Jetta Schantz for her altitude flight; Mike Wallace received the Paul Tissandier Award for his service to the FAI; Jack Cole, President of the NAA, presented plaques for record flights to Bill Bussey, Jetta Schantz, Bill Arras, Troy Bradley, and Richard Abruzzo; The NAA also honored BFA Acting Executive Director Sharon Ripperger.
New officers for the BFA for the coming year are Mike Wallace, President, Marsha Neal, Vice President, Tom Tyler, Secretary, and Alan Yost, Treasurer.
In the most heavily attended session, the Board took up the issue of the recent shooting down of a gas balloon over Belarus in September (Tragedy In Belarus, October, 1995). U.S. participants in the Gordon Bennett race, Mike Wallace, David Levin, and Mark Sullivan, spoke to the Board on their experiences. Wallace said that he had crossed the border ahead of Fraenckel and was in almost constant communication with him. Wallace also reported that Fraenckel had three good batteries and a solar panel. The solar panel was not reportedly recovered from the wreckage.
The President of the German Balloon Association, Walter Mueller, addressed the Board regarding the Belarus tragedy. Mueller, who spoke through a translator, stressed that his statements were not "official" but what he was briefed by Belarussian civil authorities. He claimed to have seen the barograph taken from the balloon and read the radio log. There was no contact with Fraenckel in the radio log.
Mueller reported that the helicopter pilot was given the order to shoot down the balloon. He refused, and asked two other people for confirmation. He was twice again ordered to shoot the balloon down. Mueller said that a missile was fired at the balloon and missed. The second one hit the envelope. The balloon was at an altitude of 2,300 meters. According to Mueller, the pilot filmed the entire incident but the KGB has confiscated the film.
It was reported that the insurance policy on the balloon had lapsed because of a late payment. However, the insurance company has accepted the claim.
The Germans are proposing that the FAI expel Belarus from all sport aviation events for at least five years. The BFA Board voted to also request that the FAI suspend Belarus for five years.
Victor Fraenckel, Alan’s brother, addressed the Board and said that, "The family does not hold any animosity against Belarus people. This was military operation that went awry, primarily due to lack of understanding of the outside world and fear of foreigners. Alan and John would not want nor like such action taken in respect to the sport." Victor urged not to push sanctions.
The Germans have sent postcards to 2,600 pilots to sign and mail to the Belarus government. The letters are in Russian and German.
The German’s have also stated their intent to change the name of the Coupe Gordon Bennett when they host the event next year to, "Fraenckel-Jervis Memorial Race."
In late October the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale voted not to sanction Belarus for its action in shooting down the gas balloon. Editor