FAI News 11/07

FAI President at ICAO / FAI at Red Bull Air Race Interlaken / World Air Games 2009 : First Coordination Meeting / Parachuting : New Canopy Formation Web Challenge / New World Record Claims / Competition Update

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FAI PRESIDENT AT ICAO


Sharing the great concerns of FAI Members about the adverse effects of the new ICAO foreign language proficiency standards for pilots that are due to come into force early in 2008, Pierre Portmann, the President of FAI, travelled to Montreal on 12 July 2007 for top-level discussions with Roberto Kobeh Gonzales, President of the ICAO Council.

Some progress was made, and Mr Portmann is likely to be visiting Montreal again during the forthcoming ICAO Assembly in September, to argue strongly for concessions for private pilots flying under VFR. FAI is working in close cooperation with IAOPA on this important issue.

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FAI AT RED BULL AIR RACE INTERLAKEN


The Red Bull Air Race, supervised by FAI, came to Switzerland last
weekend with a spectacular show of air racing near Interlaken, in the Bernese Oberland (see : www.redbullairrace.com).

Since the site is not far from the FAI Headquarters, several members of the FAI staff were able to visit the race and have discussions with Red Bull Air Race officials.

The next races are in London and Budapest.

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WORLD AIR GAMES 2009 : FIRST COORDINATION MEETING


FAI President Pierre PORTMANN, FAI Secretary General Max BISHOP and FAI World Air Games Coordinator Jean-Marc BADAN recently attended the first Coordination Meeting in Turin to lay down the foundations for the future work with the Local Organising Committee (LOC).


One of the key-points discussed during the meeting was the management structure. The LOC presented a draft organisational chart, and both partners agreed on how information would flow between the LOC and FAI. Based on a model used by the IOC, the underlying principle is that overall responsibility for coordination and communication will be borne by the LOC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the FAI Coordinator.

Coordination work between the LOC and FAI will be based initially on the following schedule : 2 Coordination Meetings per year at the level of the heads of LOC and FAI; a monthly Working Meeting at the level of CEO and FAI Coordinator; weekly Updates by phone and e-mail between the CEO and the FAI Coordinator.

During the forthcoming weeks, the LOC will mainly focus its work on refining the general planning for the Preparation Phase of the Games, and on developing marketing and sponsorship concepts. The FAI Coordinator, assisted by the Commissions involved in the Games 2009, will gather and prepare for LOC’s considerations all comments and questions on venues and air sport events which remained open at the end of the bid process.

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PARACHUTING : NEW CANOPY FORMATION WEB CHALLENGE


The FAI Parachuting Commission recently announced the launch of a new web-based competition and training tool, the “Canopy Formation Web Challenge”.


The Canopy Formation Web Challenge is designed to allow both newly-constituted and experienced Canopy Formation teams to independently perform and train series of 2 and 4-way sequential formations at their own rhythm.

The competition consists of three rounds, each of which may be practiced as often as desired. The teams decide themselves which video sequences will be uploaded on the Internet, and submitted to a panel of experienced international judges who will evaluate the performances achieved.

Video sequences for the 2007 Event will be accepted by 31 August 2007 at the latest.

For further information and instructions : Canopy Formation Web Challenge

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NEW WORLD RECORD CLAIMS


New World Record Claims recently received by FAI include claims for Model Aircraft, Microlights, Free Balloons and Gliders :


Class F (Model Aircraft) / Claim number : 14700
Sub-class : F1M (Indoor Aeroplane, extensible motor)
Category : F1 - Free flight
Type of record : N°117-d (Duration - Ceiling over 30m)
Course/location : Lakehurst, NJ (USA)
Performance : 21 min 49 sec
Pilot : Bill GOWEN (USA)
Date :30.06.2007
Current record : 20 min 25 sec (04.09.2006 - Akihiro DANJO, JPN)


Class R (Microlights) / Claim number : 14704
Sub-class : RPL2 (Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons)
Type of record : Distance in a straight line without landing
Course/location : to be advised
Performance : 435 km
Pilot : Francisco DIAZ (ESP)
Paramotor : Fly Products ECO 2
Date :01.07.2007
Current record : 291.32 km (23.06.2005 - Nikolay KARABCHUK, RUS)


Class A (Free balloons) / Claims number : 14707 - 14711
Course/location : St. John's, NF (CAN) - Nolay (FRA)
Pilot : David HEMPLEMAN-ADAMS (GBR)
Balloon : To be advised
Date : 06.07.2007

Claim # 14707
Size category : AA-06 (Gas balloons: 1 200 to 1 600 m³), General Category
Type of record : Duration
Performance : 89 h 27 min
Current record : 80 h 18 min (19.02.2001 - Richard ABRUZZO, USA)

Claims # 14708 and 14709
Size category : AA-06 and AA-07 (Gas balloons: 1 200 to 2 200 m³), General Category
Type of record : Distance
Performance : 4222.1 km
Current record : 3 400.39 km (06.10.2005 - Bob BERBEN, BEL)

Claims # 14710 and 14711
Size category : AA-08 and AA-09 (Gas balloons: 2 200 to 4 000 m³), General Category
Type of record : Distance
Performance : 4 222.1 km
Current record : 3 983.18 km (05.10.1976 - Edward YOST, USA)


Class D (Gliders) / Claim number : 14717
Sub-class : D15 (15m Class Gliders)
Feminine Category
Type of record : Speed over a triangular course of 100 km
Course/location : Minden Tahoe, NV (USA)
Performance : 163.07 km/h
Pilot : Marta NAJFELD (POL)
Glider : PZL-Bielsko SZD-55
Date : 12.06.2007
Current record : 159.17 km/h (30.07.2006 - Marta NAJFELD, POL)


The details shown above are provisional. When all the evidence required has been received and checked, the exact figures will be established and the record ratified (if appropriate).
For further information on World Records, please consult the latest news, including all claims pending ratification, at FAI World Records.

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COMPETITION UPDATE (1st Category Events)


Next Championships :


Aerobatics
20.-28.07.07 : 5th FAI European Advanced Aerobatic Championship (FIN)
16.-28.08.07 : 12th FAI World Glider Aerobatic Championship (AUT)
24.-26.08.07 : 25th FAI World Grand Prix (RUS)


Aeromodelling
27.07.-05.08.07 : 12th FAI World Radio Controlled F3C Aeromodelling Championship (POL)
03.-08.08.07 : 2007 FAI Junior European Free Flight Aeromodelling Championship (SRB)
19.-26.08.07 : 6th FAI European Radio Controlled F3J Aeromodelling Championship (SVK)
27.08.-01.09.07 : 10th FAI World Free Flight F1E Aeromodelling Championship (ROU)
27.08.-01.09.07 : 2007 FAI European Free Flight F1D Aeromodelling Championship (SRB)
07.-14.09.07 : 11th FAI European Space Modelling Championship (SVK)


Ballooning
25.-29.07.07 : 2007 World Balloon Trophy & Honda Cup (LUX)
02.-05.08.07 : 15th Coupe d’Europe & 19th Ladies World Cup M. Kakuda Trophy (FRA)
16.-23.08.07 : 15th FAI European Hot Air Balloon Championship (GER)
13.-22.09.07 : 51st Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett (BEL)
15.-23.09.07 : 2007 OMV Challenge, World Test Event, Open Austrian National Championship (AUT)


Gliding
10.-22.07.07 : 4th FAI Women's World Gliding Championship (FRA)
28.07.-11.08.07 : 5th FAI Junior World Gliding Championship (ITA)
28.07.-12.08.07 : 14th FAI European Gliding Championship (LTU)
02.-19.08.07 : 14th FAI European Gliding Championship (FRA)


Hang Gliding
07.-19.08.07 : 16th FAI World Hang Gliding Championships (USA)


Microlights
18.-25.08.07 : 11th FAI World Classic Classes Microlight Championships (CZE)
01.-09.09.07 : 5th FAI World Paramotor Microlight Championships (CHN)


Parachuting
04.-12.08.07 : 2007 FAI European Formation Skydiving Championship (RUS)
04.-12.08.07 : 2007 World Cup in Formation Skydiving (RUS)
04.-12.08.07 : 2007 FAI European Artistic Skydiving Championships (RUS)
04.-12.08.07 : 2007 World Cup of Artistic Events (RUS)
04.-09.09.07 : 5th FAI European Style & Accuracy Parachuting Championship (CRO)
04.-09.09.07 : 8th World Cup in Canopy Formation (CRO)
04.-09.09.07 : 2nd FAI Junior European Style and Accuracy Parachuting Championship (CRO)