Wolfgang DREXEL, EPFU President, welcomes participants to this EPFU 2009 General Assembly in Luxembourg, and thanks our vice-president, Jean BIRGEN for organizing the meeting here.

      M. LECUIT, President of the “Fédération Aéronautique Luxembourgeoise” (FAL) expresses his great pleasure to have in Luxembourg all EPFU members for their annual meeting. He reminds the participants that Aviation in Luxembourg is a very old story as the FAL, one of the oldest federations in Europe, celebrates this year its centenary!

      Eight EPFU members are present : Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, France, United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway. The Swedish Power Flying Union has sent a proxy, so 9 members are present or represented. Finland apologized recently not being able to attend the meeting, but confirms the Finland full membership.

      Wolfgang DREXEL, President, presents the EPFU Executive Board activity : EPFU started normal work now.

The EPFU Executive Board held two formal meetings, one in Paris in September 2008 and one in Cologne in January 2009, to work out questions about our strategic plan and to prepare the General Assembly.

      Jean Birgen, Vice-president, presents all actions conducted to invite European motor flying organisations to join EPFU: letters, emails, and verbal contacts were made to more than 25 European countries, but, up to now, we are still 10 countries within our Union. To change that, we need to improve the EPFU activity within the European aviation community and show that we are already “in action”. A 50% rebate on the first annual fees for all new EPFU member is unanimously accepted by the Assembly.

      Mr. Jean Biberich, from Luxembourg, attended with an EPFU mandate, the recent EASA workshop on NPA 2008-22 (“Authorities and Organisations requirements”). He confirms that the main stake and threat for us in this NPA is the new statute of JAR “Declared” Flight Training Organisation, now changed Approved Training Organisation (or ATO). The question is now : For the Agency, what is a “small organisation”, and what are the requirements for it?

Mr. Biberich will send a written report on this EASA meeting in Cologne.

Knud Nielsen, from Denmark, reminds EPFU members that the Royal Danish Aeroclub recently asked EAS to organize a meeting on the numerous threats included in EASA NPAs for sports and recreational aviation. EAS supported the idea, so a workshop is now scheduled in Brussels on 17 April 2009.

      Manfred Kunschitz, EPFU treasurer, presented the 2008 EPFU financial situation which is satisfactory and was approved by members. He then presented his proposal for 2009 Budget, with expected expenses at 19,000 €, and member fees at 20,500 €. With this budget, the treasurer thinks that there is no reason to modify the last year decision for 2009 membership fees.

The Assembly decided unanimously to approve the 2009 budget and fees.

      EPFU Executive Board by-election : According to EPFU statutes, the President and General Secretary are to be elected every odd years.

The Assembly unanimously re-elects for two years Wolfgang Drexel as President and Max de Richemond as General Secretary.

      EPFU 2010 budget and membership fees : With known 2010 budget data, EPFU treasurer proposes to keep the fees rate at the same level as 2009.

The treasurer proposal is adopted unanimously.

      EPFU Website implementation.

      Max de Richemond, General Secretary, introduces Marc-André Heurtevant, who accepted to work, as a volunteer, on the EPFU Website implementation. Marc-André presents in details, on a large screen, the experimental version of the Website structure, and collects all comments and suggestions. The general website structure and organisation are adopted, with some improvement. After those last improvements, the Website address will be published as soon as possible to the public.

      EPFU comments to current EASA NPAs.

      The General Secretary explains that EPFU comments to the NPA on Licensing were made just on time. EPFU, of course, will attend the EAS workshop on next NPAs on 17 April 2009. This meeting will give the opportunity to have contacts and exchanges on this very important subject and optimize efficiency of EPFU comments on next NPAs.

      Board proposal for 2009 “Business Plan”.

      As soon as possible, the executive Board will visit main European official organisations as EASA, European Commission, Eurocontrol, in Cologne and Brussels to improve EPFU “visibility”.

      Additionally, the Board will develop relationship with others European Unions or Federations in order to improve efficiency on all subjects in common.

      The President proposes the Saturday 13 March 2010 as a tentative date for the next EPFU General Assembly. This proposal is adopted. The Board will look for the location taking into account the possibility to get new membership.

      That item ends the agenda, so the President, Wolfgang Drexel thanks again all participants and closes the EPFU 2009 General Assembly.