Implementation of In-Flight Safety Pilots (Air Marshals) on FAI Paragliding Competitions
Discipline
Paragliding XC
What do we want ?
Implementation of In-Flight Safety Pilots (Air Marshals) during CAT 1 and CAT 2 Paragliding Competitions
How do we achieve that ?
To enhance the overall safety standards of FAI 1 and FAI 2 paragliding competitions, we propose the formal inclusion of in-flight safety pilots—referred to as Air Marshals—who will actively fly during tasks.
The primary role of the Air Marshals will be to observe, assess, and report on in-flight conditions throughout the task area, ensuring that safety standards are upheld in real time.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Fly with competitors during the task to monitor real-time weather and airspace conditions.
Communicate directly with the Meet Director and Safety Director in case of rapidly changing or hazardous conditions.
Provide an independent safety assessment before and during the task.
Act as an additional layer of security in decision-making regarding task cancellation, stopping, or adapting routes.
Ensure pilots’ adherence to safety protocols and report any major infractions.
Benefits:
Increased situational awareness for the organization team during flight.
Proactive identification of risk factors that may not be visible from the ground or HQ.
Enhances the credibility and professionalism of the event’s safety management.
Contributes to a safety-first culture within competitive paragliding.
Implementation:
Minimum of one Air Marshal per task, ideally more depending on the number of pilots and size of the task area.
Must be equipped with real-time communication tools (radio, tracking, etc.).
May be integrated into the organization team or act as independent observers.
Selection Criteria:
Air Marshals should be:
Experienced competition pilots with a solid safety record.
Familiar with the specific site and weather patterns.
Ideally holding qualifications or prior experience related to safety monitoring or task setting.
The primary role of the Air Marshals will be to observe, assess, and report on in-flight conditions throughout the task area, ensuring that safety standards are upheld in real time.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Fly with competitors during the task to monitor real-time weather and airspace conditions.
Communicate directly with the Meet Director and Safety Director in case of rapidly changing or hazardous conditions.
Provide an independent safety assessment before and during the task.
Act as an additional layer of security in decision-making regarding task cancellation, stopping, or adapting routes.
Ensure pilots’ adherence to safety protocols and report any major infractions.
Benefits:
Increased situational awareness for the organization team during flight.
Proactive identification of risk factors that may not be visible from the ground or HQ.
Enhances the credibility and professionalism of the event’s safety management.
Contributes to a safety-first culture within competitive paragliding.
Implementation:
Minimum of one Air Marshal per task, ideally more depending on the number of pilots and size of the task area.
Must be equipped with real-time communication tools (radio, tracking, etc.).
May be integrated into the organization team or act as independent observers.
Selection Criteria:
Air Marshals should be:
Experienced competition pilots with a solid safety record.
Familiar with the specific site and weather patterns.
Ideally holding qualifications or prior experience related to safety monitoring or task setting.
Issue category :
Comments
I believe it raises many organizational questions but no doubt it would benefit the sport to have independent feedbacks from the air.
It would be very beneficial to improve communication between what’s happening in the air and the responsible Safety Director, as well as clarify the communication protocols.
We’re currently missing clear protocols on how to react to certain situations, for example:
- If 3+ pilots call Level 3 – Marshall, any Safety Committee members or the Meet Director must respond within ~2 minutes.
- Wind over 30 km/h (generally, with adjustments communicated in advance for specific tasks or locations) should trigger a task stop – maybe windspeed data could be retrieved from the trackers?
Appointing a Marshal could improve safety oversight, but it also raises several considerations:
- Potentially higher operational costs.
- The Safety Director, and any Marshals if required, should ideally remain independent from the Organizer.
- The Marshal may not be present where a hazardous situation occurs.
By the way, Chrigiel mentioned a similar idea during the last Couldbase Mayhem podcast.
Air Marshal, would/could improve safety. And I'm also in favour for that.
But it raises a question. How to get that person, for a competition? In reality, it would be hard to get one. (At least for CAT2).
It will also raise the competition costs.
Therfore, i would make this mandatory only for CAT1 events. And only a proposal (not mandatory) for CAT2 events.
Also, an Air Marshal, could have second role. To help in multimedia - filming in the air, etc...
What is wrong with having members of the task committee / safety committee plus all 120 pilots on safety freq reporting conditions directly to committee?