Air sports explained

Air Sports
Union:	Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Country/Region:	Worldwide
Contact:	No
Mgender:	Yes
Olympic:	No
Paralympic:	No
Iwga:	1997–2021
Type:	Outdoor recreation

The term "air sports" covers a range of aerial activities, including air racing, aerobatics, aeromodelling, hang gliding, human-powered aircraft, parachuting, paragliding and skydiving.^[1]

Recognized and regulated air sports

Many air sports are regulated internationally by the Switzerland-based Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and nationally by aero clubs such as the National Aeronautics Association (NAA)^[2] and the Royal Aero Club (RAeC). The FAI has separate commissions for each air sport. For example, the commission for ballooning is the Commission Internationale de l'Aérostation (CIA).^{[3] [4]}

Sports within the categories of air sports and their respective commissions are as follows:^{[5] [6]}

Motorized

• Aerobatics (CIVA)
• Aeromodelling (CIAM)
• Air racing (GAC)
• Drone racing (CIAM)
• Flyboarding
• Powered hang gliding (CIMA)
• Powered paragliding (CIMA)
• Rally flying (GAC)
• Rotorcraft (CIG)
• Ultralight aviation (CIMA)

Wind/Gliding

• Ballooning (CIA)
  • Cluster ballooning
  • Hopper ballooning
• Canopy piloting (ISC)
• Gliding (IGC)
• Hang gliding^[7] (CIVL)
• Human-powered flying (CIACA)
• Kiteboarding/kitesurfing
• Kiting
  • Kite fighting
• Paragliding (CIVL)

Gravity

• BASE jumping
  • Cliff jumping
• Bodyflight
• Bungee jumping
• High diving
• Parachuting/skydiving (ISC)
  • Banzai skydiving
  • Skysurfing
• Trapeze
• Wingsuit flying (ISC)

Other activities

Other aerial activities not governed by the FAI rules:

• Rocket Racing League (an attempt to create a new air sport)^[8]

Competitions

• Reno Air Races
• FAI World Grand Prix
• World Air Games

See also

• Lawn chair Larry
• Airsport, a Czech aircraft manufacturer

External links

• (FAI)
• (NAA)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Air Sports . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030174923/https://www.topendsports.com/sport/air-sports.htm . 30 October 2020 . November 8, 2021 . topendsports.com.
2. Web site: Air Sports - NAA: National Aeronautic Association . 2021-11-09 . naa.aero.
3. Web site: 2 August 2017 . FAI (CIA) . https://web.archive.org/web/20210609100905/https://www.fai.org/page/cia-about-us . June 9, 2021 . November 9, 2021 . fai.org.
4. Book: Levinson . D. . Encyclopedia of World Sport: Acrobatics to gymnastics . Christensen . K. . ABC-CLIO . 1996 . 978-0-87436-819-2 . Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient Times to the Present . 71 . 10 November 2021.
5. Web site: List of Air Sports A-Z . https://web.archive.org/web/20211109005121/https://www.rookieroad.com/sports/list-air-sports-a-z/ . November 9, 2021 . November 8, 2021 . rookieroad.com.
6. Web site: . 11 November 2021 . fai.org.
7. 1997 . Technical Soaring . Soaring Society of America . 21–22 . 53 . 0744-8996 . 21 October 2021.
8. Web site: Richards . Rashna Wadia . 2021-05-20 . "This Isn't Some TV Show, Okay?" . 2021-11-11 . Cinematic TV . Oxford University Press . 154–195 . 10.1093/oso/9780190071257.003.0005 . 978-0-19-007125-7.