2016 FAI Annual Report

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FAI ANNUAL REPORT–2016 FAI ANNUAL REPORT–2016 20 21
Achievements
FAI-Breitling
Pilot of the Year
Russ i an adventur er Fedor Konyukhov, who
circumnavigated the world in a balloon in record time
in 2016, was presented with the inaugural FAI-Breitling
Pilot of the Year Award at a ceremony in Switzerland on
17 November 2016.
The round-the-world balloonist was given the award in
recognition of his historic flight, which saw him become
only the second pilot to successfully fly solo around the
world in one flight. In the process he set a new FAI world
record, completing the mission in a record time of 268
hours 20 minutes.
Konyukhov, who is 65, travelled to Switzerland from his
home in Moscow to receive his award, where he was also
given an FAI Diploma. Konyukhov said: “I am extremely
happy to have been given this award. I amreally very proud.
I thank all the people who helped make this happen.”
After two years of planning Konyukhov took off from
NorthamAirfield inWestern Australia on 12 July 2016. He
then flew solo around the world for 11 days 4 hours and
20 minutes before landing back almost exactly where he
started. In a quirk of meteorology that Konyukhov’s team
called a “billion-to-one chance”, after travelling 33,521.4
km around the Earth, Konyukhov literally flew over his
original take-off field before landing safely back inWestern
Australia a few hours later.
Konyukhov survived freezing temperatures, faulty oxygen
cylinders and thunderstorms during the flight, which was
made in a specially built balloon that was 10-times bigger
than a standard balloon. He slept little, in micro-sleeps
of a mere minutes or even seconds, and lost 11kg during
the voyage.
Konyukhov is no stranger to extreme challenges. The
Russian adventurer has climbed Everest twice, rowed
across the Atlantic and the Pacific, sailed around the
world several times, and been to both Poles. An ordained
Russian Orthodox priest, he is also a working artist, and
well known in his home country.
FAI President Frits Brink presented Konyukhov with the
FAI Diploma and said: “It makes me very proud to hand
over this very special Diploma. For the FAI you are one of
the heroes we need, to show our air sports to the whole
world. Congratulations.”
“I thank all
the people who
helped make
this happen.”