FAI News 03/07
ATMOS - A Breath of the Future /
Annual Meetings of FAI Air Sport Commissions /
New World Record Claims /
Competition Update
ATMOS - A BREATH OF THE FUTURE
FAI has entered into partnership with Naviter of Slovenia, well known for its "SeeYou" software, to launch the "ATMOS" flight data management project.
For over 100 years, FAI has been in the business of homologating and archiving world records and other notable flights. The new "digital age" now allows the use of digital flight recordings for record-breaking and competition activities. FAI has decided to expand its mission by creating a worldwide digital archive of flights, covering all air sports. Naviter has enthusiastically supported the project, generously contributing the database design and software.
Once a large number of flights are archived on ATMOS, the data will acquire historical value, and may be processed in a number of different ways, for example to establish ranking lists, analyse airspace usage, track the performances achieved in World Championships, determine the extent of interaction between different air sports, and conduct local, national and international decentralised contests.
The system will go on-line progressively starting with Ballooning in the near future. Further announcements will be made in due course in the FAI News.
FAI AIR SPORT COMMISSIONS HOLD ANNUAL MEETINGS
Several of the main FAI Air Sport Commissions have held their annual assemblies in recent weeks, holding wide-ranging discussions on many topics affecting the future of air sports.
Most recently, the FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA) held its Annual Plenary Meeting (9 /10 March 2007) in Luxemburg.
Competitions : The following 1st Category competitions were awarded :
2008 : 8th FAI World Hot Air Airship Championship to Tsarkoye Selo, St Petersburg (RUS)
2009 : 16th FAI European Hot Air Ballooning Championship to France (Brissac, Anjou)
Awards : In recognition of their exceptional sporting performances, Montgolfier Ballooning Diplomas were awarded to :
Gas Balloons : Philippe DE COCK and Ronny VAN HAVERE (BEL) for their Gordon Bennett Trophy winning flight from Belgium to near the Russian border in northern Finland.
Hot Air Balloons : Vijaypat SINGHANIA (IND) for breaking the World Hot Air Balloon altitude record, reaching 21 027 m over Mumbai.
The Santos Dumont Gold Airship Medal was awarded to Stanislaw FUODOROFF (RUS) in recognition of the high-altitude hot-air airship World Records of 8 180 m he achieved in 2006.
Elections : Mr Jean-Claude WEBER was re-elected CIA President, Hans AKERSTEDT (SWE) 1st Vice President and Alex NAGORSKY Secretary, while Uwe SCHNEIDER (GER) and Mark SULLIVAN (USA) were re-elected as Vice Presidents.
Click here to see the updated List of CIA Officers and Delegates.
Next Plenary Meeting : 7 and 8 March 2008, Salzburg (AUT)
FAI ROTORCRAFT COMMISSION
The FAI Rotorcraft Commission (CIG) held its Annual Plenary Meeting on 8/9 March 2007 in Lausanne (SUI).
Competitions : Russia submitted an intention to bid for the FAI World Helicopter Championship in 2011, subject to confirmation at the 2008 CIG Annual Meeting. Click here to consult the current FAI Sporting Calendar.
Elections : Mr David HAMILTON (President) and all members of the CIG Bureau were re-elected for a new term. New functions were awarded to Mr Thilo PETRY (GER / Webmaster) and Mr Hubert GESANG (GER / Chairman of the Media Advisory Group).
Click here to see the current List of CIG Officers and Delegates.
Next Plenary Meeting : 6 and 7 March 2008, Lausanne (SUI)
FAI GLIDING COMMISSION
The FAI Gliding Commission (IGC) held its Annual Plenary Meeting on 2/3 March 2007 in Lausanne (SUI).
Competitions : The following 1st Category competitions were awarded :
2009 : 15th FAI European Gliding Championships to Orel (RUS)
2010 : 31st FAI World Gliding Championships to Szeged (HUN)
2010 : 31st FAI World Gliding Championships to Prievidza (SVK)
Awards : In recognition of eminent services rendered to the sport of gliding, the Lilienthal Gliding Medal was awarded for the year 2006 to Mr Alan PATCHING (AUS) for his outstanding work on glider airworthiness and sailplane fatigue life.
Pirat Gehriger Diplomas were awarded to Prof. Loek BOERMANS (NED) for his exceptional work on developing high performance airfoils for glider wings, and jointly to Messrs Brian SPRECKLEY and Keith NICHOLSON (GBR) for their development of the world ranking system for glider pilots.
The Pelagia Majewska Medal was awarded to Mme Ghislaine FACON (FRA) for her remarkable series of world records and her contributions to gliding meteorology.
Elections : Mr Robert HENDERSON and the Members of the IGC Bureau were all re-elected, except that Mr Axel REICH (GER) stood down as Vice President and was replaced by for Mr Visa-Matti LEINIKKEN (FIN).
Click here to see the updated lists of IGC Officers and Delegates.
Next Plenary Meeting : 29 February and 1 March 2008, Rome (ITA)
FAI HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING COMMISSION
The FAI Hang Gliding & Paragliding Commission (CIVL) held its Annual Plenary Meeting in Talloires (FRA) on 3/4 February 2007.
Competitions : The following 1st Category competitions were awarded :
2009 : 11th FAI World Paragliding Championship to El Peñon, Valle de Bravo (MEX)
2009 : 5th FAI World Paragliding Accuracy Championship to Ivanec, Varazdin (CRO)
Awards : In recognition of his eminent contribution to the development of the sport of hang gliding, the FAI Hang Gliding Diploma was awarded to Mr John DICKENSON (AUS), the inventor of the modern hang glider, first flown in Australia on 8 September 1963.
Elections : Mr Flip KOETSIER was re-elected CIVL President, Messrs John ALDRIDGE (GBR), Agust GUDMUNDSSON (ISL), Scott TORKELSEN (DEN) and Jim ZEISET (USA) Vice Presidents, while Mrs Louise JOSELYN (GBR) was elected Secretary and Mr Wayne SAYER (USA) newly elected as Treasurer.
Click here to see the updated lists of CIVL Officers and Delegates.
Next Plenary Meeting : 9/10 February 2008, Manzanillo (MEX)
NEW WORLD RECORD CLAIMS
New World Record Claims recently received by FAI include claims for Balloons, Airships, Aeroplanes and Gyrocopters :
Class A (Free balloons) / Claim number : 14436
Size category : AX-01 (Hot-air balloons / 250 m³ and less)
Feminine Category
Type of record : Altitude
Course/location : Saanen (SUI)
Performance : 458 m
Pilot : Pauline BAKER (IRE)
Balloon : Lindstrand LBL-9A
Date : 26.01.2007
Current record : 143.95 m (29.07.1978 - Katherine E. BOLAND, USA)
Class A (Free balloons) / Claim number : 14461
Size category : AX-04 (Hot-air balloons / 600 to 900 m³)
General Category
Type of record : Duration
Course/location : Grand Forks, ND (USA)
Performance : 23 hours 11 minutes
Pilot : Richard JAWORSKI (USA)
Balloon : Cameron Balloons RJ-32
Date : 05.02.2007
Current record : 13 h 12 min (18.02.2006 - Richard JAWORSKI, USA)
Class B (Airships) / Claim number : 14472
Size category : BX-02 (Hot-air airships / 400 to 900 m³)
General Category
Type of record : Distance
Course/location : To be advised
Performance : 18.396 km
Pilot : Nikolay GALKIN (RUS)
Airship : To be advised
Date : 20.02.2007
Current record : 10.87 km (19.09.2006 - Steven Wayne GRIFFIN, AUS)
Class C (Aeroplanes) / Claim number : 14480
Sub-class : C-1l (Landplanes / Take-off weight 35 000 to 45 000 kg)
Group 3 : Turbo-jet
Type of record : Altitude with 10 000 kg payload
Course/location : Kyiv (UKR)
Performance : 12 900 m
Pilot : Ievgen GALUNENKO (UKR)
Crew : Sergii TROSHIN
Aircraft : Antonov AN-148
Date : 24.02.2007
Current record : 10 960 m (30.04.1987 - Alexandre TKACHENKO)
Class E (Rotorcraft) / Claim number : 14456
Sub-class : E-3b (Autogyros : Take-off weight 500 to 1,000 kg)
Group 1 : piston engine / General Category
Type of record : Distance over a closed circuit without landing
Course/location : North Little Rock, AR (USA)
Performance : 1 130 km
Pilot : Andrew C. KEECH (USA)
Date : 30.01.2007
Current record : 1 019.09 km (09.02.2006 - Andrew C. KEECH, 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.
COMPETITION UPDATE (1st Category Events)
FAI recently received the following Championship results :
Paragliding
4th FAI World Paragliding Accuracy Championship, Trakai (LTU)
(Results / Official Webpage)
10th FAI World Paragliding Championship, Manilla (AUS)
(Final Results / Official Webpage)
Next Championships :
Aerobatics
24.06.-04.07.07 : 24th FAI World Aerobatic Championships (ESP)
Aeromodelling
23.-28.06.07 : 12th FAI World Radio Controlled F3D Aeromodelling Championship (USA)
24.06.-01.07.07 : 2007 FAI World Free Flight Aeromodelling Championshipss (UKR)
Parachuting
20.-25.03.2007 : 11th FAI World Para-Ski Parachuting Championship (ITA)