British air sports legend helicopters in

Even among the large crowds at the FAI World Air Games, it's hard to miss Quentin Smith. The flamboyant British helicopter pilot wears a Union Jack jacket, and has been flying, he says, since the age of five.

Since then his flying achievements include helicoptering around the world. The 51 year old has recently completed an expedition to all three North Poles; magnetic north, true north, and the pole inaccessibility, which is the furthest point from land.

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An unforgettable start to the FAI World Air Games

The FAI World Air Games officially kicked off with a bang last night, as the 3,000-strong audience at the Opening Ceremony were wowed with an extravaganza of dancing, zip-line performances and fireworks.

Dropping in on the open-air stage, performers dressed as skydivers and paramotor pilots flew over the crowd suspended on wires, taking the astounded audience on a theatrical flight over glorious Dubai.

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Ready for take off

Good morning from Dubai, where the skies are clear and the temperature is warm – it’s a beautiful place to be in December.

Today, Tuesday December 1, 2015, we’ve got a whole host of athletes, competitors and pilots setting up and getting to grips with what is to come: two weeks of the best air sports event in the world. 

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Lift off for the 2015 World Air Games!

Excitement is mounting in Dubai, where the stars of the air sports world have touched down for the 2015 FAI World Air Games (WAG).

With 854 competitors from 55 countries competing in more than 20 different disciplines, this year’s WAG is set to be the best yet. "This is the biggest World Air Games ever," said Susanne Schödel, the secretary general of the World Air Sports Federation (FAI). "In the 110-year history of the FAI, it's the first time we have had an event like this."

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Air Sports Personalities Distinguished at the 2015 FAI Awards Ceremony

The 2015 FAI Awards Ceremony tonight celebrated the achievements of air sports men and women through the prestigious FAI Medals and Diploma, and the FAI-Breitling Awards. The event took place aboard the ship SS Rotterdam, docked in the harbour of her namesake city in The Netherlands, as part of the 109th FAI General Conference, which starts tomorrow.

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Enter the 2016 FAI Young Artists Contest and Show the World How Talented You Are!

Are you keen on painting or drawing? Have air sports always made you dream? Are you concerned about environmental issues? If so, then pick up your pens, pencils or brushes and enter the 2016 FAI Young Artists Contest. The aim is to create a picture that illustrates this years’ theme “Air Sports in Harmony with Nature”, and to show the world just how talented you are.

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The 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship Comes to a Close

As the 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship came to an end on Saturday at the airport Przylep in Zielona Góra, the Russian domination in this spectacular sport was confirmed. Maxim Sotnikov and Oleg Puajukas finished at the top of the general rankings, while Russia also triumphed in the teams, before Belarus and Ukraine. A great 8th place was obtained by the best Polish crew – brothers Marcin and Michal Szamborski. In the junior rankings, Jędrzej Wiler and Jacek Ciszewski came second.

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The Medalists of the 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship Are Now Known

Saturday was the most important day of the 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship. As was expected, Russians took the most valuable trophies. In the overall standings, which consist of the sum of the points obtained in the four Navigation, Precision Competition, Fender Rigging and Parallel Slalom competitions, Maxim Puajukas and Oleg Sotnikov won with 1194,1 points (out of 1200 possible). The next steps on the podium were taken by Viktor Korotaev and Vladimir Ziablikov (1183,6 points) and Aleksei Maiorov and Sergei Kostin (1177,4 points). The highest ranked Polish were brothers Marcin and Michal Szamborski who finished at the 8th place (1150 points).

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15th FAI World Helicopter Championship - Day 2: Felix Baumgartner's Visit and Fender Rigging Event

In the second day of the 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship, points that counted for the general rankings could be made during the Fender Rigging event. Like the day before, representatives of Russia were the leaders of the event. Today most Polish fans cheered the two brothers Marcin and Michal Szamborski, who rose to the 5th place of the overall rankings. The highlight of the day at the airport Przylep was the visit of Felix Baumgartner, well known for being part of the Red Bull Stratos project.

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First day of the 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship

The 15th FAI World Helicopter Championship started on Thursday in Zielona Gora, Poland. In the first event of the competition, the navigation, Russians pilots took the first six places. In the overall standings of the Championship the Viktor Korotaev/Vladimir Ziablikov crew top the ranking with a score of 299,7 points. The best result from a Polish team was achieved by Maciej Wegrzecki and Jakub Malec. With a score of 272,0 points they are at the 12th position.

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