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CIMA Histoty
Dear CIMA delegate, Since it’s founding in 1980, the FAI Microlight and Paramotor Commission (CIMA) has developed FAI Class R contests and records for the worldwide air sport community. FAI mainly provides the public with information on results, meeting minutes and the like. But those of us who have participated in CIMA activities know there are colorful and uplifting stories of people and events behind what is published. Who remembers the infamous meeting in Rome or the “goose” championships or the first official scores for Kicking Sticks? Where was the only world microlight championships held in the southern hemisphere? What did it take to have gone the highest, fastest or longest in their respective FAI Class R record class? CIMA’s rich history should be captured for future generations to learn about the character and decisions of those who have pioneered the sport as well as those who have had special experiences to share. In 2013, CIMA created the position of Historian and asked me to take it. Reflecting back, taking over secretary duties from CIMA founder Ann Welch at the 1993 plenary in Poznan, Poland was my initiation to a long path of service to CIMA as commission bureau member and championships official. Much material has been collected over the years by competitors and the media on people and events. We now have an opportunity to collect some of that to preserve the spirit and heart of what makes participation in CIMA activities a fulfilling and rewarding experience. I will give a short presentation at the CIMA Plenary in Lausanne next week on an approach to build an archive of memories and artifacts that can be presented and preserved for all. FAI already keeps official records of meetings, records and championships. What I am looking for are articles, stories and blogs on pilots, teams, organizers and officials that describe what it was like to participate in CIMA contests and records. These will be placed into categories such as personalities, technology, cultural aspects, regulatory considerations, political events and, of course, the sporting action. What I ask of you is to reach out to those from your country who have participated in CIMA activities over the years and ask them to send me their stories and information about what they did and how they did it either singly or collectively as a team. English is the preferred language but, if it is not reasonable to translate, please forward what you have especially if it includes photo images. If you are attending the plenary next week and have something to offer, bring it with you. The archives will be made public through whatever Internet portal CIMA finds acceptable. It will be a work in progress that you can check on at your leisure as your stories are added over time. Please send files to tomgunnarson@earthlink.net . Best regards and safe flying,
Tom Gunnarson CIMA Historian