FAI World Records - A Case Study

A major activity of the FAI is the homologation and registration of aeronautical and astronautical world records; each year the FAI Secretariat issues around 300 certificates to successful claimants. To date the FAI database of world records contains over 15,000 entries, the majority of which are available on the FAI website http://records.fai.org FAI notifies its members of new world records by issuing the details: Claim number : 15142 Sub-class :F1N (Indoor Glider) Category: F1: Free flight Type of record : N°118-d: Duration (ceiling over 30m)

Course/location : Akita (Japan) Performance : 1 min 41.2 sec Modelflyer : Mitsuru ISHII (Japan) Date :10.09.2008 Previous record : 1 min 30.7 sec (04.09.2006 - Mitsuru ISHII, Japan) Odate Jukai Dome, Akita, Japan At first sight, the details of a record claim can appear impersonal and perhaps dry, whereas a little investigation behind the figures normally produces the most fascinating stories. In this case, the Japanese pilot, Mitsuru ISHII, succeeded in designing, constructing and then launching a model glider, only to watch it fly in a large circle for 1 minute and 41 seconds before coming to rest on the ground. Imagine throwing a paper aeroplane across the room and you will be lucky to get two seconds flight before it crashes. This analogy helps to put into perspective the incredible performance achieved by Mr. Ishii. The record breaking flight took place inside the Odate Jukai Dome in Akita, Japan on September 10th 2008. Mr. Ishii’s glider, constructed principally from balsa wood, measured 110cm across the wings and weighed just 102g. He first threw his glider into the air at 09h46 in the morning, then proceeded with another ten flights in the space of 80 minutes. The duration of each flight was measured using two calibrated digital stopwatches, operated by official observers. The final attempt of the morning produced the longest flight, breaking the existing record by some 12%. FAI warmly congratulates those who successfully claim FAI World Records, and rightly so. It takes patience, determination and commitment to become the best in the world.