Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Explained

World Air Sports Federation
Native Name:Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Native Name Lang:fr
Size:150px
Location:Lausanne, Switzerland
Founding Location:Paris, France
Abbreviation:FAI
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:David Monks[1]
Leader Title2:Secretary General
Leader Name2:Markus Haggeney[2]
Type:Nonprofit

The (in French fedeʁɑsjɔ̃ aeʁɔnotik ɛ̃tɛʁnasjɔnal/; FAI; English: '''World Air Sports Federation''') is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.[3] It maintains world records for aeronautical activities, including ballooning, aeromodeling, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), as well as flights into space.

History

The FAI was founded at a conference held in Paris 12–14 October 1905, which was organized following a resolution passed by the Olympic Congress held in Brussels on 10 June 1905 calling for the creation of an Association "to regulate the sport of flying, ... the various aviation meetings and advance the science and sport of Aeronautics."[4] The conference was attended by representatives from 8 countries: Belgium (French: Aéro Club Royal de Belgique|italics=no, founded 1901), France (Aéro-Club de France, 1898), Germany (German: Deutscher Luftschiffer Verband|italics=no aka "German Airship League", founded 1902), Great Britain (Royal Aero Club, 1901), Italy (1904), Spain (1905), Switzerland (Aero-Club der Schweiz, 1900) and the United States (Aero Club of America, 1905).

On 2 February 2017 the FAI announced its new strategic partnership with international asset management firm Noosphere Ventures. FAI Secretary General Susanne Schödel, FAI President Frits Brink and Noosphere Ventures Managing Partner Max Polyakov signed the agreement, making Noosphere Ventures FAI's Global Technical Partner.[5] [6]

The FAI suspended Russia and Belarus due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, as a result of which pilots from Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete in any FAI-sanctioned event in the 13 FAI air sports disciplines, including paragliding, hang gliding, and paramotoring.[7]

FAI General Conference

The 117th FAI General Conference took place in Dayton, Ohio, US (the 'Birthplace of Aviation') on 26 and 27 October 2023. [8]

The 118th FAI General Conference will be held from 20 to 21 November 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Sports

13 Sports:

  1. Aeromodelling (modelling (space modulation) – Space Modelling)
  2. Amateur-Built & Experimental Aircraft
  3. Ballooning
  4. Drones
  5. General Aviation
  6. Gliding
  7. Hang Gliding
  8. Microlights and Paramotors
  9. Paragliding
  10. Powered and glider aircraft Aerobatics
  11. Rotorcraft
  12. Parachuting (Skydiving)
  13. Space

Air Sport Commissions

  1. General Air Sports (CASI)
  2. Aerobatics (CIVA)
  3. Aeromodelling (CIAM)
  4. Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft (CIACA)
  5. Astronautic Records (ICARE)
  6. Ballooning (CIA)
  7. General Aviation (GAC)
  8. Gliding (IGC)
  9. Hang Gliding and Paragliding (CIVL)
  10. Microlight and Paramotor (CIMA)
  11. Rotorcraft (CIG)
  12. Skydiving (ISC)

Events

All the events sanctioned by the FAI are listed in the events calendar.

World Championships

The first World Championships in a certain class took place in the following years:

  1. 1951: F1A, F1B, F1C
  2. 1960: F2A, F2B, F2C, F3A
  3. 1961: F1D
  4. 1970: F4B, F4C
  5. 1972: S-classes
  6. 1977: F3B
  7. 1978: F2D
  8. 1985: F3C, F3D
  9. 1986: F3E (now: F5B)
  10. 1989: F1E
  11. 1994: F5D (now F3E)
  12. 1998: F3
  13. 2010: F6A (WAG)
  14. 2010: F6B (WAG)
  15. 2010: F6D (WAG)
  16. 2011: F3K
  17. 2012: F3F
  18. 2013: F3N
  19. 2013: F3P
  20. 2014: F4H
  21. 2018: F3U
  22. 2019: F5J
  23. 2024: F3M

Activities

The FAI is the international governing body for the following activities:

The FAI establishes the standards for records in the activities. Where these are air sports, the FAI also oversees international competitions at world and continental levels, and also organizes the World Air Games and FAI World Grand Prix.

The FAI organises the FAI International Drones Conference and Expo. This event offers a platform for organisations, businesses and individuals to discuss how drones are used today and to create a framework for how they will be used and impact on life in the future.

The FAI also keeps records set in human spaceflight, through the FAI Astronautic Records Commission (International Astronautic Records Commission – ICARE)[19]

Kármán Line definition

See main article: Kármán line. The FAI defines the limit between Earth's atmosphere and outer space, the so-called Karman Line, as the altitude of 100km (100miles) above Earth's sea level.[20]

Records

Among the FAI's responsibilities are the verification of record-breaking flights. For a flight to be registered as a "World Record," it has to comply with the FAI's strict rules, which include a proviso that the record must exceed the previous record by a certain percentage. Since the late 1930s, military aircraft have dominated some classes of record for powered aircraft such as speed, distance, payload, and height, though other classes are regularly claimed by civilians.

Some records are claimed by countries as their own, even though their achievements fail to meet FAI standards. These claims are not typically granted the status of official records. For example, Yuri Gagarin earned recognition for the first manned spaceflight, despite failing to meet FAI requirements. The FAI initially did not recognize the achievement because he did not land in his Vostok spacecraft (he ejected from it), but later it recognized that Gagarin was the first human to fly into space. The FAI then established the Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal, which has been awarded since 1968.[21]

Classes

The following types of craft have records:[22]

Selected records

DateMeasurementPersonAircraftType
Class A: Free balloons
31 January 2015160 hours 34 minutes.
Two Eagles BalloonDuration[25]
31 March 199940,814 km.
Breitling OrbiterDistance[26]
4 May 196134,668 meters
WinzenAbsolute altitude
Class C: Aeroplanes
11 February 200641,467.53 kmVirgin Atlantic GlobalFlyerFlight distance record (without refueling)
28 July 19763,529.56 km/hLockheed SR-71 BlackbirdFlight airspeed record
31 August 197737,650 mMiG E-266MFlight altitude record
22 October 193817,083 mCaproni Ca.161Flight altitude record (piston engine without payload)
Class CS: Solar-powered aeroplanes
7 July 20109,235 m
26 h 10 m 19 s
Solar Impulse (Prototype)Solar powered Duration and Flight altitude record[27]
25 May 20121116 kmSolar Impulse (Prototype)Solar powered Distance
Class D: Gliders & motorgliders
3 September 201715,902 m
Windward Performance Perlan IIGliding Altitude[28]
2 September 201823,202 m
Windward Performance Perlan IIGliding Altitude (to be ratified)
21 January 20033,008.8 km
Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4Gliding Distance
Class E-1: Helicopters
11 August 1986400.87 km/hWestland Lynx G-LYNX (modified)Speed over a straight 15/25 km course[29]
Class G-2: Parachuting performance records
14 October 20121357.6 km/hRed Bull StratosVertical speed[30]
8 February 2006400 SkydiversWorld Team5 Lockheed C-130Largest Skydiving Formation[31]
Class I-C: Humanpowered aeroplane
23 April 1988115.11 km
3h 54mn 59s
MIT Daedalus 88Human powered Distance and Duration[32] [33]
2 October 198544.32 km/hMusculair IISpeed over a closed circuit[34]
Class I-E: Humanpowered rotorcraft
25 September 20131min 37.5 sec GameraDuration[35]
Class O: Hang Gliding & Paragliding
13 October 2016564.3.0 km

Ozone Enzo 2
Ozone Enzo 2
Gin Boomerang 10
Straight distance with a paraglider[36] [37] [38] [39] [40]
Class R: Microlights
14 February 2002187 km/h
Jabiru Aircraft UL3 axis flight airspeed record[41]
Class U: Unmanned aerial vehicles
14 August 200196863feet AeroVironment Helios PrototypeSustained horizontal flight altitude record by a winged aircraft[42] [43]

Awards

The FAI Gold Air Medal was established in 1924 and was first awarded in 1925. It is reserved for those who have contributed greatly to the development of aeronautics by their activities, work, achievements, initiative or devotion to the cause of Aviation. The FAI has also awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma since 1952 to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular.[21]

The FAI also makes awards for each of the following air sports.

FAI Young Artists Contest

The FAI Young Artists Contest[44] is an international painting competition for youngsters between the ages of 6 and 17. Each FAI Member Country organises the contest in their country, and the national winners are submitted to the International Jury each year.

Members

Active members

CountryMember nameYear of Affiliation
AlbaniaFederata Shqiptare e Aeronautikës2000
AlgeriaFederation Algérienne Des Sports Aériens
ArgentinaConfederacion Argentina De Entidades Aerodeportivas1910
AustraliaAustralian Sport Aviation Confederation1948
AustriaÖsterreichischer Aero Club1910
AzerbaijanAzərbaycan Hava və Ekstremal İdman Növləri Federasiyası2000
BelarusBelarusian Federation of Air Sports (suspended)1994
BelgiumRoyal Belgian Aero Club1905
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVazduhoplovni Savez Bosne I Hercegovine1996
BrazilComissão de Aerodesporto Brasileira1919
BulgariaBulgarski Natsionalen Aeroklub1934
CanadaAero Club of Canada1931
ChileFederacion Aerea De Chile1921
ChinaAero Sports Federation of China1921
Chinese TaipeiChinese Taipei Aerosports Federation1990
ColombiaFederacion Colombiana De Deportes Aereos "Federaeros"1951
CroatiaHrvatski Zrakoplovni Savez1992
CubaAviation Club of Cuba1927
CyprusKypriaki Aerathlitiki Omospondia1961
Czech RepublicAeroklub České Republiky1920
DenmarkKongelig Dansk Aeroklub1909
EgyptAero Club of Egypt1911
EstoniaEesti Lennuspordi Föderatsioon1938
FinlandSuomen Ilmailuliitto Ry1921
FranceAero Club de France1905
GermanyDeutscher Aero Club e.V.1905
GreeceElliniki Aerathlitiki Omospondia1931
GuatemalaAsociacion Guatemalteca De Deportes Aereos1953
Hong KongHong Kong Aviation Club Ltd1977
HungaryMagyar Repülö- és Légisport Szövetség1910
IcelandFlugmálafélag Íslands1937
IndiaAero Club of India1949
IndonesiaFederasi Aero Sport Indonesia1973
IrelandNational Aero Club of Ireland1946
Islamic Republic of IranKanoone Havanavardiye Iran1964
IsraelAero Club of Israel1951
ItalyAero Club D'Italia1905
JapanNippon Koku Kyokai1919
JordanRoyal Aerosports Club of Jordan2005
KazakhstanKazakhstan Air Sports Federation1994
Kosovo Federata Aeronautike e Kosovës2015
KuwaitKuwait Science Club1972
LatviaLatvijas Aeroklubs1938
LebanonAero Club du Liban1924
LibyaLibyan Airsports Federation1975
LithuaniaLietuvos Aeroklubas1931
LuxembourgFederation Aeronautique Luxembourgeoise1929
MalaysiaPersekutuan Sukan Udara Malaysia1961
MoldovaFederatia De Parapantism Din Republica Moldova1997
MongoliaMongolian Air Sports Federation2006
MontenegroVazduhoplovni Savez Crne Gore1922
MoroccoFederation Royale Marocaine De L'Aviation Legere Et Sportive1952
MozambiqueAeroclube De Mocambique1986
NepalNepal Airsports Association2002
NetherlandsKoninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging Voor Luchtvaart1909
New ZealandRoyal New Zealand Aero Club Inc.1952
North MacedoniaVozduhoplovna Federacija Na Makedonija1993
NorwayNorges Luftsportforbund1909
PakistanAll Pakistan Aero Modelling & Ultralight Association1955
Philippines3D Air Sports And Hobbies Association, Incorporated1965
PolandAeroklub Polski1920
PortugalAero Club De Portugal1913
QatarQatar Air Sports Committee2002
Republic of KoreaDaehanmingook Hang Gong Hwe1959
RomaniaFederatia Aeronautica Romana1923
RussiaFederatsia Avtsionnogo Sporta Rossii (suspended)1909
San MarinoFederazione Aeronautica Sammarinese1971
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Aviation Club1997
SerbiaVazduhoplovni Savez Srbije1922
SingaporeAir Sports Federation of Singapore1984
SlovakiaSlovenský národný aeroklub gen. M.R. Štefánika1920
SloveniaLetalska Zveza Slovenija1992
South AfricaAero Club of South Africa1938
SpainReal FederacIón Aeroáutica Española1905
SwedenSvenska Flygsportförbundet1907
SwitzerlandAero Club Der Schweiz1905
ThailandRoyal Aeronautics Sports Association of Thailand1979
TunisiaFédération tunisienne d’Aéronautique et d’Aéromodélisme2015
TurkeyTürk Hava Kurumu1925
UkraineFederation of Aeronautical Sports of Ukraine1992
United Arab EmiratesEmirates Aviation Association1980
United KingdomRoyal Aero Club of the United Kingdom1905
United States of AmericaNational Aeronautic Association Of The USA1905
UzbekistanTexnik Va Amaliy Sport Turlari Markazi1995
VenezuelaAsociacion Venezolana De Los Deportes Aeronauticos (A.V.D.A.)1952
VietnamHanoi Air Sports Association

Associate members

CountryMember Name
EgyptEgyptian Sport Parachuting And Aeronautics Federation in Parachuting only
LiechtensteinModellfluggruppe Liechtenstein
Liechtensteinischer Hängegleiter Verband
OmanOman National Free Fall Team
ParaguayAsociacion Paraguaya Paracaidismo Deportivo
PortugalFederaçâo Portuguesa De Aeromodelismo
Federaçâo Portuguesa De Voo Livre
QatarQatar Rc Sport Center
RomaniaFederatia Romana De Modelism
UruguayAsociacion Uruguaya De Parapente

Affiliate members

CountryMember Name
-African Air Sports Federation
-Arab Air Sports Federation
-Asiania
-Colpar
-Europe Airsports
-OSTIV
-Segelflugszene GGMBH

Temporary members

CountryMember name
ArmeniaNational Committee of Aeromodelling And Spacemodelling Sports
El SalvadorFederacion Salvadoreña De Paracaidismo Y Aerodeportes
IraqAl- Sokoor Aero Club
LaosLao Airsports Club
ParaguayAsociacion Paraguaya Paracaidismo Deportivo
Syrian Arab RepublicSyrian Parachute Federation
VietnamHanoi Air Sports Association

Suspended members

CountryMember Name
BotswanaParachute Association Of Botswana
EcuadorClub De Aeromodelismo Quito
IraqIraqi Aero Federation
MexicoFederacion Mexicana De Aeronautica, A.C.
MonacoAero Club De Monaco
PalestinePalestine Air Sports Federation
PeruFederacion Peruana Aerodeportiva

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Presidents . 28 June 2017 .
  2. Web site: FAI Secretariat . 28 June 2017 . FAI . 15 November 2023 .
  3. Web site: History . 28 June 2017 . FAI – Fédération Aéronautique Internationale . 7 December 2020 . 15 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201215054700/https://www.fai.org/history . live .
  4. Web site: The Postal History of ICAO. Icao.int. 11 August 2017. 5 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305190548/http://www.icao.int/icao/en/hist/stamps/fai_federation_aeronautique_internationale.htm. live.
  5. Web site: FAI names Noosphere Ventures as its new Global Technical Partner. 25 May 2017. www.fai.org. 11 January 2018. 11 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165611/https://www.fai.org/news/fai-names-noosphere-ventures-its-new-global-technical-partner. live.
  6. Web site: Noosphere Ventures to Bring Next Big Thing to Air Sports. noosphereventures.com. 2017-06-16. 20 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170620094322/http://noosphereventures.com/noosphere-ventures-to-bring-next-big-thing-to-air-sports/. dead.
  7. https://xcmag.com/news/fai-ban-russia-and-belarus-from-competition/ FAI SUSPEND RUSSIA AND BELARUS
  8. Web site: 'Birthplace of Aviation' Dayton, USA, to host 117th FAI General Conference 2023 | World Air Sports Federation . 6 June 2023 .
  9. Web site: FAI Aerobatics Commission . FAI . 31 July 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112043155/https://www.fai.org/commission/civa . live .
  10. Web site: FAI Aeromodelling Commission . FAI . 31 July 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042550/https://www.fai.org/commission/ciam . live .
  11. Web site: FAI Ballooning Commission . FAI . 2 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042606/https://www.fai.org/commission/cia . live .
  12. Web site: FAI General Aviation Commission . FAI . 2 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042654/https://www.fai.org/commission/gac . live .
  13. Web site: FAI Gliding Commission . FAI . 2 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 11 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180111224149/https://www.fai.org/commission/igc . live .
  14. Web site: FAI Hang Gliding & Paragliding Commission . FAI . 3 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042441/https://www.fai.org/commission/civl . live .
  15. Web site: FAI Amateur-Built & Experimental Aircraft Commission . FAI . August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 .
  16. Web site: FAI Microlight & Paramotor Commission . FAI . 3 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112043143/https://www.fai.org/commission/cima . live .
  17. Web site: FAI Skydiving Commission . FAI . 3 August 2017 . en . 6 January 2020 . 3 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203232658/https://www.fai.org/commission/isc . live .
  18. Web site: FAI Rotorcraft Commission . FAI . 3 August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042706/https://www.fai.org/commission/cig . live .
  19. Web site: FAI Astronautic Records Commission . FAI . August 2017 . en . 11 January 2018 . 12 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042916/https://www.fai.org/commission/icare . live .
  20. Web site: The 100 km Boundary for Astronautics. Dr. S. Sanz Fernández de Córdoba. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. 2004-06-24. 28 December 2020. 20 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210620173808/https://www.fai.org/page/icare-boundary. live.
  21. Web site: Awards. FAI. 10 October 2017. 11 January 2018. 17 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230517234023/https://www.fai.org/awards/. live.
  22. Web site: FAI records. FAI. 28 December 2020. 2 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210102025940/https://www.fai.org/records. live.
  23. https://www.fai.org/page/f5-electric-flight F5 – Electric Flight
  24. https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/ciam/wcup_drones/sc4_vol_f9_dronesport_23_2023-02-01.pdf
  25. Web site: FAI Record File (troy-bradley). FAI. 10 October 2017. 2018-01-11. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042641/https://www.fai.org/record/troy-bradley-usa-17973. live.
  26. Web site: FAI Record File (bertrand-piccard). FAI. 10 October 2017. 2018-01-11. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042349/https://www.fai.org/record/bertrand-piccard-sui-5960. live.
  27. News: The FAI ratifies Solar Impulse's World Records. FAI. 2010-10-10. 2018-01-11. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042629/https://www.fai.org/news/fai-ratifies-solar-impulses-world-records. live.
  28. Web site: Perlan Project. perlanproject.org. 2018-07-04. 14 August 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190814052940/https://perlanproject.org/press. live.
  29. Web site: FAI Record File (john-trevor-egginton). FAI. 10 October 2017. 2018-01-11. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042721/https://www.fai.org/record/john-trevor-egginton-gbr-11659. live.
  30. Web site: FAI Record File (felix-baumgartner). FAI. 10 October 2017. 11 January 2018. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042510/https://www.fai.org/record/felix-baumgartner-aut-16669. live.
  31. Web site: FAI Record File (Class G (Parachuting)). FAI. 10 October 2017. 2019-04-19. 19 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190419150838/https://fai.org/record/13052. live.
  32. Web site: 2021-01-21. Kanellos Kanellopoulos (GRE) (384) | World Air Sports Federation. FAI. 2021-04-09. 14 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414025739/https://www.fai.org/record/384. live.
  33. Web site: 2021-01-21. Kanellos Kanellopoulos (GRE) (385) | World Air Sports Federation. FAI. 2021-04-09. 14 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414051701/https://www.fai.org/record/385. live.
  34. Web site: 2021-01-21. Holger Rochelt (FRG) (389) | World Air Sports Federation. FAI. 2021-04-09. 14 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414051002/https://www.fai.org/record/389. live.
  35. Web site: 2021-01-21. Justin Mauch (USA) (16930) | World Air Sports Federation. FAI. 2021-04-09. 28 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128024548/https://www.fai.org/record/16930. live.
  36. Web site: 2019-03-01 . FAI Record ID #18027 . 2019-08-14 . 14 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190814061008/https://www.fai.org/record/18027 . live .
  37. Web site: 2016-10-13 . Flight detail Donizete Lemos . 2019-08-14 . 25 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170825145535/https://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:Donizete/13.10.2016/09:05 . live .
  38. Web site: 2019-03-01 . FAI Record ID #18028 . 2019-08-14 . 14 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190814061008/https://www.fai.org/record/18028 . live .
  39. Web site: 2016-10-13 . Flight detail Rafael Saladini . 2019-08-14 . 25 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170825144506/https://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:sardinha/13.10.2016/08:58 . live .
  40. Web site: 2019-03-01 . FAI Record ID #18029 . 2019-08-14 . 14 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190814061054/https://www.fai.org/record/18029 . live .
  41. Web site: FAI Record File (brooke-knapp). FAI. 10 October 2017. 2018-01-11. 12 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042602/https://www.fai.org/record/brooke-knapp-usa-2190. live.
  42. Web site: Greg Kendall (USA) (18685). www.fai.org. 29 August 2018. en. 2021-08-03. 3 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803060852/https://www.fai.org/record/18685. live.
  43. Web site: Gibbs . Yvonne . NASA Dryden Fact Sheet – Helios Prototype . NASA . National Aeronautics and Space Administration . 3 August 2021 . en . 13 August 2015 . 3 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210803060852/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-068-DFRC.html . live .
  44. Web site: FAI Young Artists Contest. FAI. 29 June 2017. 11 January 2018. 11 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180111224135/https://www.fai.org/fai-young-artists-contest. live.