Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Abbreviation	FAI
Formation	1905
Type	Sports organisation
Location	Lausanne, Switzerland
President	Dr. John Grubbström[1]
Secretary General	-
Website	www.fai.org

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, FAI - The World Air Sports Federation, is the world governing body for air sports, aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland.^[2] This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (such as model aircraft and UAVs). It was founded on 14 October 1905.

History

The FAI was founded at a conference held in Paris 12–14 October 1905, which was organised following a resolution passed by the Olympic Congress held in Brussels on 10 June 1905 calling for the creation of an Association "to regulate the sport of flying, ... the various aviation meetings and advance the science and sport of Aeronautics."^[3] The conference was attended by representatives from 8 countries: Belgium (Aero Club Royal de Belgique, founded 1901), France (Aéro-Club de France, 1898), Germany (Deutscher Aero Club e.V.), Great Britain (Royal Aero Club, 1901), Italy (Aero Club d'Italia, 1904), Spain (Real Aero Club de España, 1905), Switzerland (Aero-Club der Schweiz, 1900) and the United States (Aero Club of America, 1905).

Activities

The FAI is the international governing body for the following activities:

• Aerobatics through the FAI Aerobatics Commission ("Commission Internationale de Voltige Aerienne" - CIVA)^[4]
• Aeromodelling through the FAI Aeromodelling Commission ("Commission Internationale d'Aero-Modelisme" - CIAM)^[5]
• Astronautic Records through the FAI Astronautic Records Commission ("International Astronautic Records Commission - ICARE)^[6]
• Ballooning through the FAI Ballooning Commission ("Commission Internationale de l'Aérostation - CIA)^[7]
• General aviation through the FAI General Aviation Commission ("General Aviation Commission - GAC)^[8]
• Gliding through the FAI Gliding Commission ("International Gliding Commission - IGC")^[9]
• Hang gliding & Paragliding through the FAI Hang Gliding & Paragliding Commission ("Commission Internationale de Vol Libre - CIVL)^[10]
• Human-powered aircraft through the FAI Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft Commission ("Commission Internationale des Aéronefs de Construction Amateur - CIACA")^[11]
• Microlighting and Paramotoring through the FAI Microlight & Paramotor Commission ("Commission Internationale de Microaviation - CIMA)^[12][13]
• Parachuting through the FAI Parachuting Commission ("International Parachuting Commission - IPC )^[14]
• Rotorcraft through the FAI Rotorcraft Commission ("Commission Internationale de giraviation - CIG)^[15]

The FAI establishes the standards for records in the activities. Where these are air sports, the FAI also oversees international competitions at world and continental levels, and also organizes the World Air Games and FAI World Grand Prix.

Records

1971 USSR commemorative stamp depicting Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal established by FAI

Among the FAI's responsibilities are the verification of record-breaking flights. For a flight to be registered as a "World Record," it has to comply with the FAI's strict rules, which include a proviso that the record must exceed the previous record by a certain percentage. Since the late 1930s, military aircraft have dominated some classes of record for powered aircraft such as speed, distance, payload, and height, though other classes are regularly claimed by civilians.

Some records are claimed by countries as their own, even though their achievements fail to meet FAI standards. These claims are not typically granted the status of official records. For example, Yuri Gagarin earned recognition for the first manned spaceflight, despite failing to meet FAI requirements. The FAI initially did not recognize the achievement because he did not land in his Vostok spacecraft (he ejected from it), but later it recognized that Gagarin was the first human to fly into space. The FAI then established "The Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal", which has been awarded since 1968.^[16]

Classes

The following types of craft have records:

• Class A Free Balloons
• Class B Airships
• Class C Aeroplanes
  • Class CS Solar-Powered Aeroplanes
• Class D Gliders & Motorgliders
• Class E Rotorcraft
• Class F Model Aircraft
  • Class F1 - Free flight
  • Class F2 - Control line
  • Class F3 - Radio control
  • Class F4 - Scale model aircraft
  • Class F5 - Electrically powered model aircraft
• Class G Parachuting
• Class H Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Aeroplanes
• Class I Manpowered aircraft
• Class K Spacecraft
• Class M Tilt-Wing/Tilt Engine Aircraft
• Class N Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) Aeroplanes
• Class O Hang Gliding & Paragliding
• Class P Aerospacecraft
• Class R Microlights and Paramotors
• Class S Space Models
• Class U Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Some of the records

Awards

The FAI has awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma since 1952 to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular.^[23] The FAI also makes awards for each of the following air sports.

• Awards for Ballooning:
  • The Montgolfier Ballooning Diploma
  • The Santos Dumont Gold Airship Medal
• Awards for General Aviation:
  • The Charles Lindbergh General Aviation Diploma
• Awards for Gliding:
  • The Lilienthal Gliding Medal
  • The Pelagia Majewska Gliding Medal
  • The Pirat Gehriger Diploma
• Awards for Rotorcraft:
  • The FAI Gold Rotorcraft Medal
• Awards for Parachuting:
  • The FAI Gold Parachuting Medal
  • The Leonardo da Vinci Parachuting Diploma
  • The Faust Vrancic Medal
• Awards for Aeromodelling:
  • The FAI Aeromodelling Gold Medal
  • The Andrei Tupolev Aeromodelling Medal
  • The Alphonse Penaud Aeromodelling Diploma
  • The Antonov Aeromodelling Diploma
  • The Andrei Tupolev Aeromodelling Diploma
  • The Frank Ehling Diploma
• Awards for Aerobatics:
  • The Leon Biancotto Aerobatics Diploma
• Awards for Astronautics:
  • The Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal
  • The V.M. Komarov Diploma
  • The Korolev Diploma
  • The Odyssey Diploma
• Awards for Hang Gliding:
  • The Pepe Lopes Medal
  • The FAI Hang Gliding Diploma
• Awards for Microlight Aviation:
  • The Colibri Diploma
  • The Ann Welch Diploma
• Awards for Aviation and Space Education:
  • The Nile Gold Medal
• Awards for Amateur-Built Aircraft:
  • The Phoenix Diploma
  • The Phoenix Group Diploma
  • The Henri Mignet Diploma^[24]

FAI Young Artists Contest

The FAI Young Artists Contest^[25] is an international painting competition for youngsters between the ages of 6 and 17. Each FAI Member Country organises the contest in their country, and the national winners are submitted to the International Jury each year.

Members

Active members

Country	Member name
Albania	Federata Shqiptare E Aeronautikes
Argentina	Confederacion Argentina De Entidades Aerodeportivas
Australia	Australian Sport Aviation Confederation
Austria	Österreichischer Aero Club
Azerbaijan	Azarbaycan Hava Va Ekstremal Idman Növlaci Federasiyasi
Belarus	Belarusian Federation Of Air Sports
Belgium	Royal Belgian Aero Club
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Vazduhoplovni Savez Bosne I Hercegovine
Brazil	Comissão de Aerodesporto Brasileira
Bulgaria	Bulgarski Natsionalen Aeroklub
Canada	Aero Club of Canada
Chile	Federacion Aerea De Chile
China	Aero Sports Federation Of China
Chinese Taipei	Chinese Taipei Aerosports Federation
Colombia	Federacion Colombiana De Deportes Aereos "Federaeros"
Croatia	Hrvatski Zrakoplovni Savez
Cuba	Aviation Club Of Cuba
Cyprus	Kypriaki Aerathlitiki Omospondia
Czech Republic	Aeroklub Ceské Republiky
Denmark	Kongelig Dansk Aeroklub
Ecuador	Club De Aeromodelismo Quito
Egypt	Aero Club Of Egypt
Estonia	Eesti Lennuspordi Föderatsioon
Finland	Suomen Ilmailuliitto Ry
Macedonia	Vozduhoplovna Federacija Na Makedonija
France	Aero Club de France
Germany	Deutscher Aero Club e.V.
Greece	Elliniki Aerathlitiki Omospondia
Guatemala	Asociacion Guatemalteca De Deportes Aereos
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Aviation Club Ltd
Hungary	Magyar Repülö Szövetség
Iceland	Flugmálafélag Íslands
India	Aero Club Of India
Indonesia	Federasi Aero Sport Indonesia
Iran	Kanoone Havanavardiye Iran
Ireland	National Aero Club of Ireland
Israel	Aero Club Of Israel
Italy	Aero Club D'Italia
Japan	Nippon Koku Kyokai
Jordan	Royal Aerosports Club Of Jordan
Kazakhstan	Association Of Light Aviation Of The Republic Of Kazakhstan
South Korea	Daehanmingook Hang Gong Hwe
North Korea	Central Aeronautic Association OF D.P.R. Korea
Kuwait	Kuwait Science Club
Latvia	Latvijas Aeroklubs
Libya	Libyan Airsports Federation
Lithuania	Lietuvos Aeroklubas
Luxembourg	Federation Aeronautique Luxembourgeoise
Malaysia	Persekutuan Sukan Udara Malaysia
Mexico	Federacion Mexicana De Aeronautica, A.C.
Moldova	Federatia De Parapantism Din Republica Moldova
Monaco	Aero Club De Monaco
Mongolia	Mongolian Air Sports Federation
Montenegro	Vazduhoplovni Savez Crne Gore
Morocco	Federation Royale Marocaine De L'Aviation Legere Et Sportive
Mozambique	Aeroclube De Mocambique
Nepal	Nepal Airsports Association
Netherlands	Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging Voor Luchtvaart
New Zealand	Royal New Zealand Aero Club Inc.
Norway	Norges Luftsportforbund
Pakistan	All Pakistan Aero Modelling & Ultralight Asoociation
Peru	Federacion Peruana Aerodeportiva
Philippines	3D Air Sports And Hobbies Asoociation, Incorporated
Poland	Aeroklub Polski
Portugal	Aero Club De Portugal
Qatar	Qatar Air Sports Committee
Romania	Federatia Aeronautica Romana
Russia	Federatsia Avtsionnogo Sporta Rossii
San Marino	Federazione Aeronautica Sammarinese
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Aviation Club
Serbia	Vazduhoplovni Savez Srbije
Singapore	Aeromodelling Federation Of Singapore
Slovakia	Slovensky Narodny Aeroklub Generala M.R. Stefanika
Slovenia	Letalska Zveza Slovenija
South Africa	Aero Club of South Africa
Spain	Real FederacIón Aeroáutica Española
Sweden	Svenska Flygsportförbundet
Switzerland	Aero Club Der Schweiz
Thailand	Royal Aeronautics Sports Association Of Thailand
Turkey	Türk Hava Kurumu
Ukraine	Federation Of Aeronautical Sports Of Ukraine
United Arab Emirates	Emirates Aviation Association
United Kingdom	Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom
United States	National Aeronautic Association Of The USA
Uzbekistan	Texnik Va Amaliy Sport Turlari Markazi
Venezuela	Asociacion Venezolana De Los Deportes Aeronauticos (A.V.D.A.)

Associate Members

Country	Member Name
Bahrain	Royal Bahrain Parachuting Committee
Brazil	CONFEDERACÃO BRASILEIRA DE AEROMODELISMO
Egypt	Egyptian Sport Parachuting And Aeronautics Federation
Liechtenstein	Modellfluggruppe Liechtenstein LIECHTENSTEINISCHER HÄNGEGLEITER- VERBAND
Oman	Oman National Free Fall Team
Panama	Asociacion De Paracaidismo Deportivo De Panama
Portugal	Federaçâo Portuguesa De Aeromodelismo
Qatar	Qatar Aeromodelling Racing Team
Romania	Federatia Romana De Modelism
Saint Kitts and Nevis	St Kitts And Nevis National Parachute Associating
Tunisia	Association Tunisienne Des Sports Aeriens
Uruguay	Centro Uruguayo De Planeadores

Temporary members

Country	Member name
Armenia	National Committee Of Aeromodelling And Spacemodelling Sports
El Salvador	Federacion Salvadoreña De Paracaidismo Y Aerodeportes
Iraq	Al- Sokoor Aero Club
Laos	Lao Airsports Club
Paraguay	Asociacion Paraguaya Paracaidismo Deportivo
Syria	Syrian Parachute Federation
Vietnam	Hanoi Air Sports Association

Suspended members

Country	Member Name
Lebanon	Aero Club Du Liban
Mali	Federation Malienne De Sports Air
Trinidad and Tobago	Savannah Aero Concepts

See also

• Hot air ballooning

References

External links

• Official FAI website

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