The World Air Sports Federation (; FAI) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding

human spaceflight Human spaceflight (also referred to as manned spaceflight or crewed spaceflight) is spaceflight with a crew or passengers aboard a spacecraft, often with the spacecraft being operated directly by the onboard human crew. Spacecraft can also be ...

. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

, Switzerland. It maintains world records for aeronautical activities, including ballooning, aeromodeling, and

unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...

s (drones), as well as flights into space.

History

The FAI was founded at a conference held in Paris 12–14 October 1905, which was organized 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." The conference was attended by representatives from 8 countries: Belgium (, founded 1901), France ( Aéro-Club de France, 1898), Germany ( aka "German Airship League", founded 1902), Great Britain (

Royal Aero Club The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910. History The Aero Club was foun ...

, 1901), Italy (, 1904), Spain (, 1905), Switzerland ( Aero-Club der Schweiz, 1900) and the United States ( Aero Club of America, 1905). On 2 February 2017 the FAI announced its new strategic partnership with international asset management firm Noosphere Ventures. FAI Secretary General Susanne Schödel, FAI President Frits Brink and Noosphere Ventures Managing Partner Max Polyakov signed the agreement, making Noosphere Ventures FAI's Global Technical Partner. The FAI suspended Russia and Belarus due to the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

, as a result of which pilots from Russia and Belarus will not be able to compete in any FAI-sanctioned event in the 13 FAI air sports disciplines, including paragliding, hang gliding, and paramotoring.FAI SUSPEND RUSSIA AND BELARUS
TUESDAY 1 MARCH, 2022 ''xcmag.com'', accessed 19 April 2022

FAI General Conference

The 117th FAI General Conference took place in Dayton, Ohio, US (the 'Birthplace of Aviation') on 26 and 27 October 2023. The 118th FAI General Conference was held from 20 to 21 November 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 119th FAI General Conference will take place in Vantaa, Finland from 22 to 24 October 2025.

Sports

13 Sports: # Aeromodelling (modelling ( space modulation) – Space Modelling) # Amateur-Built & Experimental

Aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...

# Ballooning # Drones #

General Aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

Gliding Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sports, air sport in which pilots fly glider aircraft, unpowered aircraft known as Glider (sailplane), gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmospher ...

Hang Gliding Hang gliding is an air sports, air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised, fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium al ...

# Microlights and

Paramotors Powered paragliding, also known as paramotoring or PPG, is a form of ultralight aviation where the pilot wears a back-pack motor (a paramotor) which provides enough thrust to take off using a paraglider. It can be launched in still air, and ...

# Paragliding # Powered and glider aircraft

Aerobatics Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aeroplane" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and gl ...

Rotorcraft A rotary-wing aircraft, rotorwing aircraft or rotorcraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotor wing, rotary wings that spin around a vertical mast to generate lift (force), lift. Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations) of Subchapter A of Chapt ...

# Parachuting (

Skydiving Parachuting and skydiving are methods of descending from a high point in an atmosphere to the ground or ocean surface with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or multiple parachutes. For hu ...

) #

Space Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...

Air Sport Commissions

# General Air Sports (CASI) # Aerobatics (CIVA) # Aeromodelling (CIAM) # Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft (CIACA) # Astronautic Records (ICARE) # Ballooning (CIA) # General Aviation (GAC) # Gliding (IGC) # Hang Gliding and Paragliding (CIVL) # Microlight and Paramotor (CIMA) # Rotorcraft (CIG) # Skydiving (ISC)

Events

* World Air Games * World Paragliding Championships *

World Gliding Championships The World Gliding Championships (WGC) is a gliding competitions, gliding competition held roughly every two years by the FAI Gliding Commission. The dates are not always exactly two years apart, often because the contests are always held in the sum ...

* World Parachuting Championships * FAI World Aerobatic Championships * World Hot Air Ballooning Championships * FAI World Paramotor Slalom Championships * 2023 FAI F3P World Championships * World Cup of Indoor Skydiving * FAI World Grand Prix * Red Bull Air Race World Championship * Parachuting (

) All the events sanctioned by the FAI are listed in it
events calendar

World Championships

The year that the first World Championship in each class (see Model aircraft competitions and classes took place are as follows: # 1951: F1A, F1B, F1C # 1960: F2A, F2B, F2C, F3A # 1961: F1D # 1970: F4B, F4C # 1972: S-classes # 1977: F3B # 1978: F2D # 1985: F3C, F3D # 1986: F3E (now: F5B) # 1989: F1E # 1994: F5D (now F3E) # 1998: F3 # 2010: F6A (WAG) # 2010: F6B (WAG) # 2010: F6D (WAG) # 2011: F3K # 2012: F3F # 2013: F3N # 2013: F3P # 2014: F4H # 2018: F3U # 2019: F5J # 2024: F3M

Activities

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

through the FAI Aerobatics Commission (Commission Internationale de Voltige Aérienne – CIVA) * Aeromodeling and drones through the FAI Aeromodelling Commission (Commission Internationale d'Aéro-Modélisme – CIAM) * Ballooning through the FAI Ballooning Commission (Commission Internationale de l'Aérostation – CIA) *

General aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

through the FAI General Aviation Commission (General Aviation Commission – GAC) *

through the FAI Gliding Commission (International Gliding Commission – IGC) *

Hang gliding Hang gliding is an air sports, air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised, fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium al ...

& Paragliding through the FAI Hang Gliding & Paragliding Commission (Commission Internationale de Vol Libre – CIVL) * Human-powered aircraft through the FAI Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft Commission (Commission Internationale des Aéronefs de Construction Amateur – CIACA) * Microlighting and

Paramotor Paramotor is the generic name for the harness and propulsive portion of a powered paragliding, powered paraglider ("PPG"). There are two basic types of paramotors: foot launch and wheel launch. Foot launch models consist of a frame with harnes ...

ing through the FAI Microlight & Paramotor Commission (Commission Internationale de Microaviation – CIMA) *

through the FAI International Skydiving Commission *

through the FAI Rotorcraft Commission (Commission Internationale de giraviation – CIG) 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. The FAI organises the FAI International Drones Conference and Expo. This event offers a platform for organisations, businesses and individuals to discuss how drones are used today and to create a framework for how they will be used and impact on life in the future. The FAI also keeps records set in

, through the FAI Astronautic Records Commission (International Astronautic Records Commission – ICARE)

Kármán Line definition

The FAI defines the limit between

Earth's atmosphere The atmosphere of Earth is composed of a layer of gas mixture that surrounds the Earth's planetary surface (both lands and oceans), known collectively as air, with variable quantities of suspended aerosols and particulates (which create weathe ...

and outer space, the so-called Karman Line, as the

altitude Altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum (geodesy), datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context (e.g., aviation, geometr ...

of above

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

Records

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.

Classes

The following types of craft have records: * Class A Free Balloons * Class B

Airship An airship, dirigible balloon or dirigible is a type of aerostat (lighter-than-air) aircraft that can navigate through the air flying powered aircraft, under its own power. Aerostats use buoyancy from a lifting gas that is less dense than the ...

s * Class C

Aeroplane An airplane (American English), or aeroplane (Commonwealth English), informally plane, is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, Propeller (aircraft), propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a vari ...

s ** Class CS Solar-Powered Aeroplanes * Class D Gliders & Motorgliders * Class E

* Class F Model Aircraft ** Class F1 – Free flight ** Class F2 – Control line ** Class F3 –

Radio control Radio control (often abbreviated to RC) is the use of control signals transmitted by radio to remotely operate a device. Examples of simple radio control systems are garage door openers and keyless entry systems for vehicles, in which a small ha ...

*** F3K –

Discus Launch Glider A Discus Launch Glider (DLG) is a Radio-controlled aircraft, radio controlled model aircraft, model sailplane launched using a 'discus launch' in which the glider is held by a wingtip and the flier rotates rapidly before release. Using this launc ...

*** F3F – Slope Soaring ** Class F4 – Scale model aircraft ** Class F5 – Electrically powered model aircraft *** F5B – Electric powered motor gliders *** F5D – Electric powered pylon racing model aircraft ** Class F8 – Autonomous flight (created by CIAM in 2006, later retired) ** Class F9 – Drone Sports *** F9A – Drone soccer *** F9U –

Drone racing Drone racing is a motorsport where participants operate radio-controlled aircraft (typically small quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle, drones) equipped with onboard digital camera, digital video cameras, with the operator looking at a compa ...

* Class G Parachuting * Class H Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Aeroplanes * Class I Manpowered aircraft * Class K

Spacecraft A spacecraft is a vehicle that is designed spaceflight, to fly and operate in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including Telecommunications, communications, Earth observation satellite, Earth observation, Weather s ...

* Class M Tilt-Wing/Tilt Engine Aircraft * Class N Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) Aeroplanes * Class O

& Paragliding * Class P Aerospacecraft * Class R Microlights and

s * Class S Space Models (

Model rocket A model rocket is a small rocket designed to reach low altitudes (e.g., for a model) and #Model rocket recovery methods, be recovered by a variety of means. According to the United States National Association of Rocketry, National Associati ...

s) * Class U

Unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...

Selected records

Awards

The FAI Gold Air Medal was established in 1924 and was first awarded in 1925. It is reserved for those who have contributed greatly to the development of aeronautics by their activities, work, achievements, initiative or devotion to the cause of Aviation. The FAI has also awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma since 1952 to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular. 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 Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

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 Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...

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 Henri Mignet (19 October 1893 – 31 August 1965) was a French radio engineer who became well known as an aircraft designer and builder.Ellis & Jones (1990)Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', page 142. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Mon ...

Diploma

FAI Young Artists Contest

The FAI Young Artists Contest 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

Associate members

Affiliate members

Temporary members

Suspended members

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Federation Aeronautique Internationale 1905 establishments in Switzerland Aerobatic organizations Aeronautics organizations Organisations based in Lausanne Sports organizations established in 1905 Standards organisations in Switzerland Aviation organizations Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations International standards organizations