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Five years ago on this day: A Microlight and Paramotor World Record st....

Five years ago on this day: A Microlight and Paramotor World Record st....

Today, five years ago on 17 February 2012, Indian pilot Parmjit Singh, used a special harness, the Aeros Discus 14 with a Radne Motor AB Raket 120, to fly a record distance in a straight line without....

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Two years ago: Father and son set African Record

Two years ago: Father and son set African Record

Two years ago on this day, Tijl Schmelzer and his father Bert were the very first to pass the 200 km/h barrier using thermals rather than mountain waves.

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Russian balloonist Fedor Konyukhov awarded  FAI - Breitling Pilot of t....

Russian balloonist Fedor Konyukhov awarded FAI - Breitling Pilot of t....

A Russian priest who circumnavigated the world in a balloon in record time has been presented the inaugural FAI - Breitling Pilot of the Year Award at a ceremony in Switzerland yesterday, Thursday 17 ....

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 PILOT PROFILE: 60 seconds with hang gliding champion Christian Ciech

PILOT PROFILE: 60 seconds with hang gliding champion Christian Ciech

Christian Ciech is one of the most successful pilots in competition hang gliding, and was FAI European and World Champion at the same time in 2016. We spoke to him…

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NASA’s top man Charles Bolden is still aiming for the stars

NASA’s top man Charles Bolden is still aiming for the stars

Charles Bolden, who has been awarded the prestigious FAI Gold Space Medal for 2016, knows about space. Not only has he been in orbit four times, but for the last seven years he has been at the head of....

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More Personality

Look Up, the Drones are coming!

Look Up, the Drones are coming!

Drones are here now and they are multiplying fast! The first FAI International Drones Conference was a big success as it heard about the brave new world of Drones and robots in the sky.

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Drones at the cutting edge

Drones at the cutting edge

The sun came out for the third and final day of the FAI International Drones Conference and Expo in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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The Game of Drones: Racing and Sports

The Game of Drones: Racing and Sports

People playing with models in the air is not new, but the scale of Drone Sports is like nothing the world has ever seen before, was the take-away message from the final session at the first FAI Intern....

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Drone Control? Rules and regulations for drones

Drone Control? Rules and regulations for drones

  “Be aware, this is a paradigm shift. Airspace is a commodity that is suddenly open to everyone, and this is a major, major shift.”

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Preparing for the Drone Invasion

Preparing for the Drone Invasion

The message from the first day at the first FAI International Drones Conference could not have been clearer: The drones are coming, and they are coming fast. Not only that, they are arriving en masse ....

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Latest FAI World Record Claims

18 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 770,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
16 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 848,00 km/h Boyd Kelly (USA)
12 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 861,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
10 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a recognised course : 1 001,0 km/h Scott M. Amidon (USA)
10 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 874,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
08 January 2026 Gliding : Free triangle distance : 1259,2 km Grant Anderson (AUS)
08 January 2026 Gliding : Speed over a triangular course of 1 000 km : 141,8 km/h David Jansen (AUS)
07 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a recognised course : 951,00 km/h Santiago J. Koritschoner (USA)
06 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a recognised course : 637,00 km/h Travis P. Holland (USA)
03 January 2026 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a recognised course : 927,00 km/h Santiago J. Koritschoner (USA)
28 December 2025 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 974,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
26 December 2025 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 775,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
24 December 2025 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a Commercial Airline Route : 894,00 km/h Christopher R. Yakabe (USA)
22 December 2025 Powered Aeroplanes : Speed over a recognised course : 945,00 km/h Nicholas Freeman (USA)
19 December 2025 Gliding : Straight Distance to a Goal : 1 664,00 km Gordon R. Boettger (USA)
More records

Current Events

Joeyglide - Australian Junior Gliding Championships -

Event ID

: 18024    

Bid:

584

Event classification

: Second Category Event

Type of event

: Other

Disciplines / Task Styles

:

Club Class

Place

: Benalla (Australia)

Date(s)

: 18 Jan to 25 Jan 2026

Website

:https://www.joeyglide.juniorsoaring.org/


Event Organiser


FAI Member of the Hosting Country

[flickr user=me tag="18024" ]

PRIMERA VALIDA NACIONAL OPEN ROLDANILLO 2026 -

Event ID

: 17933    

Bid:

255

Event classification

: Second Category Event

Type of event

: Other

Disciplines / Task Styles

:

Cross Country

Place

: Roldanillo (Colombia)

Date(s)

: 17 Jan to 24 Jan 2026

Alternate dates

: 19 Jan to 26 Jan 2026

Website

:https://civlcomps.org/event/primera-valida-nacional-open-roldanillo-2026


FAI Member of the Hosting Country

[flickr user=me tag="17933" ]

FAI Junior World Gliding Championships -

Event ID

: 17796    

Bid:

245

Event classification

: First Category Event

Type of event

: Continental Championship

Disciplines / Task Styles

:

Club Class
Standard Class

Place

: Lake Keepit (Australia)

Date(s)

: 06 Jan to 20 Jan 2029


Event Organiser


FAI Member of the Hosting Country

[flickr user=me tag="17796" ]

Bright Open 2026 -

Event ID

: 18003    

Bid:

1851

Event classification

: Second Category Event

Type of event

: Other

Disciplines / Task Styles

:

Cross Country

Place

: Mystic, Bright (Australia)

Date(s)

: 16 Jan to 23 Jan 2026

Website

:https://airtribune.com/bright-open-2026/info


Event Organiser


FAI Member of the Hosting Country

[flickr user=me tag="18003" ]

Upcoming Events

24 January 2026 Latvian PGA Cup 2026 (1st stage) - Riga (Latvia)
25 January 2026 2026 copa Niviuk 2026 III edición - Roldanillo (Colombia)
31 January 2026 New Zealand 2026 Paragliding Nationals & Open - Nelson (New Zealand)
31 January 2026 10th Thailand Paragliding Accuracy ASEAN Friendships Open (FAI CAT II) - AFA Nation League 2026 (Test Event 14th FAI World Paragliding Accuracy Championship) - Pha Tak Suea, Nongkhai (Thailand)
31 January 2026 2026 F1N Ventus Cup - Ajdovscina (Slovenia)
31 January 2026 2026 SOIM, Swiss Open Indoor Masters - Birsfelden (Switzerland)
31 January 2026 1st 1ª ETAPA CAMP. GAÚCHO DE PARAPENTE 2026 IGREJINHA - Igrejinha (Brazil)
02 February 2026 Copa de Las Américas Roldanillo 2026 - aguapanela (Colombia)
05 February 2026 2026 WAGA State Comps - Beverley (Australia)
05 February 2026 2026 Popa Aurel Memorial - Slanic Prahova (Romania)
07 February 2026 5th FAI Asian Paragliding Accuracy Championships - Pha Tak Suea, Nongkhai (Thailand)
07 February 2026 48th 48th New Zealand Hang Gliding Open Championship - Murchison New Zealand (New Zealand)
07 February 2026 2026 Kiwi World Cup of New Zealand - Lost Hills, California (USA)
10 February 2026 7th British Winter Open - Roldanillo (Colombia)
11 February 2026 2026 North American Cup - Lost Hills, CA, USA (Canada)
More events

 

Events Calendar

calendar2
Every year, over 30 world or continental championships are listed on the FAI Sporting Calendar, and many other sporting events such as Grand Prix, Cups and miscellaneous international competitions are organized in accordance with FAI Sporting Codes.
Use the event search function to find more information about an event, see the results or read the news articles related to it.
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The 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2016

33-DSC 5997 copy copy

The 60th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett will take place from 15 – 24 September 2016 in Gladbeck, Germany, the epicentre of global gasballooning activities which will therefore provide for sure perfect conditions.

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France takes the gold at the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017

The winners of the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017 said they were “overjoyed” to be awarded their FAI gold medals at a ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland on Saturday 16 September 2017.

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The 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Gas Ballon Race launched tonight

This evening 21 gas balloons from 13 countries launched from Gruyères airfield (Switzerland) that sits below the famous chateau for the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Race. Over the next few days the teams will aim to fly as far as possible, measured in a straight line from the launch field to the landing site. Meteorological experts are forecasting that the balloons will follow a north-eastern route.

Follow the race live at: gordonbennett.aero/livetracking

Read more...

France takes the gold at the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017

The winners of the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017 said they were “overjoyed” to be awarded their FAI gold medals at a ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland on Saturday 16 September 2017.

Read more...

The 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Gas Ballon Race launched tonight

This evening 21 gas balloons from 13 countries launched from Gruyères airfield (Switzerland) that sits below the famous chateau for the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Race. Over the next few days the teams will aim to fly as far as possible, measured in a straight line from the launch field to the landing site. Meteorological experts are forecasting that the balloons will follow a north-eastern route.

Follow the race live at: gordonbennett.aero/livetracking

Read more...

France takes the gold at the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017

The winners of the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017 said they were “overjoyed” to be awarded their FAI gold medals at a ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland on Saturday 16 September 2017.

Read more...

The 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Gas Ballon Race launched tonight

This evening 21 gas balloons from 13 countries launched from Gruyères airfield (Switzerland) that sits below the famous chateau for the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Race. Over the next few days the teams will aim to fly as far as possible, measured in a straight line from the launch field to the landing site. Meteorological experts are forecasting that the balloons will follow a north-eastern route.

Follow the race live at: gordonbennett.aero/livetracking

Read more...

France takes the gold at the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017

The winners of the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017 said they were “overjoyed” to be awarded their FAI gold medals at a ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland on Saturday 16 September 2017.

Read more...

The 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Gas Ballon Race launched tonight

This evening 21 gas balloons from 13 countries launched from Gruyères airfield (Switzerland) that sits below the famous chateau for the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Race. Over the next few days the teams will aim to fly as far as possible, measured in a straight line from the launch field to the landing site. Meteorological experts are forecasting that the balloons will follow a north-eastern route.

Follow the race live at: gordonbennett.aero/livetracking

Read more...

France takes the gold at the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017

The winners of the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett 2017 said they were “overjoyed” to be awarded their FAI gold medals at a ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland on Saturday 16 September 2017.

Read more...

The 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Gas Ballon Race launched tonight

This evening 21 gas balloons from 13 countries launched from Gruyères airfield (Switzerland) that sits below the famous chateau for the 61st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett Race. Over the next few days the teams will aim to fly as far as possible, measured in a straight line from the launch field to the landing site. Meteorological experts are forecasting that the balloons will follow a north-eastern route.

Follow the race live at: gordonbennett.aero/livetracking

Read more...