FAI News 16/07

FAI Enters New Media Age FAI Young Artists Contest / FAI eSHOP - Winter Sales New World Record Claims / Competition Update Season's Greetings

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FAI ENTERS NEW MEDIA AGE ...


The year ends with FAI making great strides forward in the new media coverage of air sports, with two separate complementary initiatives, one covering mainly multi-air-sport events, and the other World Championships in individual air sports.

FAI President Pierre Portmann commented : “The World Air Games will take place in Turin, Italy, in June 2009. It’s our aim to make the world’s sports fans familiar with air sports before that date. That’s why all this new media coverage is so important to us.”


FAI World GP Gliding Championship - Pioneering TV Coverage

A major development in the world of air sports TV coverage takes place this month in New Zealand. For the first time, a major FAI world championship will be covered live on internet TV – using all of the latest television sports technologies.

The FAI World GP Gliding Championship, which will run from 19th to 24th December 2007, will be filmed using live satellite 3D graphics, multiple minicams and stabilised air-to-air helicopter camera systems. Details are at : www.airsportslive.com .

Integrated with this Championship, a national multi-air-sport event, the New Zealand Air Games, will also take place on 27th and 28th December, and internet viewers around the world will be able to follow these contests in all of the FAI air sports on the same airfield via the same website. Live commentary will be provided by experts from around the world – and the coverage will be distributed via the same international live video-streaming system used to distribute major European UEFA soccer matches. Air sports enthusiasts from around the world can log on to this new internet service – which will be augmented by international TV distribution capable of reaching several hundred million viewers.

FAI President Pierre Portmann will be in New Zealand to attend these competitions. “We are very pleased that the latest technology can now be used to demonstrate the skill, precision and passion of our pilots and parachutists to a global internet audience” commented Pierre Portmann, welcoming the launch of www.airsportslive.com.

Contact for further information :
Victoria Murray-Orr, EveNZ, vmo@evenz.co.nz, +64 (0)3 443 2700
www.gpgliding.com / www.airsportslive.com


FAI 2007 World Championship TV Series - “Airsports World” - Now Available!

The FAI “Airsports World” TV series, currently being widely broadcast on TV channels throughout the world, is now also available in DVD format.

The series features most of the major FAI World Championships of 2007 together with other prominent aviation events such as the Reno Air Races and new World Records.

A boxed set of 3 DVDs costs just GBP £9.99 (approximately USD 20 / EUR 14), and makes an ideal present for all aviation enthusiasts. They can be ordered from the following website : www.airsports.tv (just click on the “DVD Shop” link)
Note : This web-site is under construction and under-going continuous development. It will be formally launched early next year.)

FAI President Pierre Portmann saluted the great success of this first FAI World Championship TV series, saying : “These programmes show beyond doubt that air sports make gripping viewing. All sports fans, as well as aviation enthusiasts, will be able to experience at first hand the thrills of competitions in the air.”

Contact for further information :
Jeff Zaltman, Flying Aces Ltd, info@flyingaces.co.uk, +44 (0)207 554 8650
www.flyingaces.co.uk / www.airsports.tv

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FAI YOUNG ARTISTS CONTEST


School holidays are about to start, so this is an ideal time to remind you about the creative opportunities that FAI offers young people every year through the FAI Young Artists Contest


The 2008 Contest focuses on the theme “Aviation Stamps” : Young people are invited to design their own aviation stamp to express in a painting their aviation experience, their dreams for flying, to evoke the excitement of flight or celebrate aviation achievements in their country.

2008 Contest : Rules and Interpretation of the theme / Results of previous contests

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FAI eSHOP - WINTER SALES


The festive period is ahead of us, a time for giving presents : Do not miss the opportunity to place your final orders through the on-line FAI eSHOP now !


We are sorry to inform you that our partner company, which has managed the FAI eSHOP since 2005, has decided to terminate this service on 31 December 2007. All orders placed before this deadline will of course be honoured.

Starting on 1 January 2008, a reduced service for selected FAI articles only will be provided on a temporary basis. Further information about future developments of this service will be published in due course. We regret this inconvenience and thank our customers for their understanding.

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NEW WORLD RECORD CLAIMS


New World Record Claims recently received by FAI include claims for Astronautics, Paragliders, Balloons, Parachuting and Gliding :


Astronautics (Space records) / Claim number : 14856
Category : General / Absolute records
Type of record : Total duration of flight of spaceships while linked
Course/location : Kennedy Space Center, FL (USA) - Albany, NY (USA)
Performance : 10 days 21 h 52 min 18 sec
International Crew of STS-120 and ISS 16
Spacecraft : Space Shuttle Orbiter "Discovery" & International Space Station
Date : 07.11.2007
Current record : 8 days 21 h 53 min 25 sec (19.03.2001 - Combined STS-102 / ISS 5A.1 crew members, International)


Class O (Paragliders) / Claims number : 14871-14873
Sub-class : O-3 (Paragliders)
Category : General
Type of record : Straight distance
Course/location : Quixada - Santana (BRA)
Performance : 462 km
Paraglider : Sol Paragliders Tracer
Date :14.11.2007
Current record : 423.4 km (21.06.2002 - William GADD, CAN)

Claim #14871 / Pilot : Frank BROWN (BRA)
Claim #14872 / Pilot : Marcelo PRIETO (BRA)
Claim #14873 / Pilot : Rafael MONTEIRO SALADINI (BRA)


Class A (Free balloons) / Claims number : 14874-14881
Size category : AM-04 to AM-06 (Mixed balloons : 400 to 1 600 m³)
Category : General
Course/location : Greeley, CO (USA) - Madison, WI (USA)
Pilot : Troy BRADLEY (USA)
Date :16.11.2007

Claims #14874 to 14877
Type of record : Distance
Performance : 1 326 km
Current record : 920.97 km (02.10.2005 - Gregory J. WINKER, USA)

Claims #14878 to 14881
Type of record : Duration
Performance : 41 hrs 23 min
Current record : 27h 25mn (22.10.1999 - Troy BRADLEY, USA)


Class G (Parachuting) / Claim number : 14882
Sub-class : G-2 (Group jumps)
Category : General / Performance / Team records
Type of record : G-2-d1 - Largest Canopy Formation
Course/location : Lake Wales, FL (USA)
Performance : 100 parachutists
Team 100-way (International)
Date : 21.11.2007
Current record : 85 parachutists (26.11.2005 - International team)


Class D (Gliders) / Claim number : 14888
Sub-class : D15 (15m Class Gliders)
Category : General
Type of record : Speed over an out-and-return course of 500 km
Course/location : Chapelco (ARG)
Performance : 223 km/h
Pilot : Jürgen WENZEL (GER)
Glider : Glaser-Dirks DG-808
Date : 03.12.2007
Current record : 205.52 km/h (12.01.2000 - Martin J. EILER, USA)


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 :


Gliding
19.-29.12.07 : 1st FAI World GP Gliding Championship (NZL)
20.01.-01.02.08 : 2008 FAI Open South American Gliding Championship (ARG)


Parachuting
05.-09.03.08 : 4th FAI European Para-Ski Championship (AUT)
05.-09.03.08 : 7th FAI World Cup of Paraski (AUT)


Paragliding
12.-22.03.08 : 1st FAI Pan-American Paragliding Championship (BRA)

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SEASON’S GREETINGS


We thank all our readers, and especially the FAI Members and Media representatives who helped us disseminate information on FAI activities and events throughout 2007.

We look forward to keeping you informed about air sports and FAI activities in 2008, and send you our best Season's Greetings.

With kind regards,

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Jean-Marc BADAN
Sports & Development Director