Stéphane Desprez, former Competition Director of the 2008 Rugby World Cup in France, has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the FAI – the World Air Sports Federation. He will formally take up his appointment in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 1st February 2010.

The FAI Aerobatics Commission (CIVA) met in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA on 16-18 October 2009 and discussed a broad range of issues, considered proposals for 2010, and accepted bids from contest organizers for next year.

CIVA President Mike Heuer will be writing about the meeting shortly on his blog and the Minutes of the meeting will be published here as soon as possible.

The CIVA meeting started with rides in the EAA's Ford Trimotor on Friday, 16 October, informal discussions, and then the Sport Aviation Hall of Fame ceremonies in the Eagle Hangar of the Museum. Famed test pilot and airshow performer Bob Hoover was inducted into the Aerobatics Hall of Fame and had the opportunity to meet many of the CIVA Delegates.

Details on the decisions taken at the CIVA meeting will be coming shortly.

Attendees at the CIVA 2009 plenary meeting in Oshkosh.

The Aresti CupThe 25th World Aerobatic Championships were completed on 29 August 2009 in Silverstone, United Kingdom and over 60 pilots competed to win aerobatics' most important award, the Aresti Cup.

The Aresti Cup, donated by Col. Jose L. Aresti of Spain to the FAI in the 1960's, is presented to the World Aerobatic Champion. The trophy was first awarded in 1964 to Tomas Castaňo of Spain.

Not only the most prestigious award given in competition, the Aresti Cup is also a work of art --- created in silver with gold embellishments and featuring gold coins around its diameter symbolizing member nations of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. The trophy is topped with a golden globe which featured Col. Aresti's favorite aircraft, the Bücker Jungmeister, but which has now been lost to time. The names of past Champions are engraved around the base of the trophy.

Jose L. Aresti (shown right with the Cup) was the creator and author of the “Aresti Aerocryptographic System”, still in use today in all aerobatic competitions.

The Cup was presented to the new 2009 World Aerobatic Champion, Renaud Ecalle of France during closing ceremonies at Silverstone on the evening of 29 August 2009. See the "President's Page" for daily accounts of what took place at WAC.

Renaud Ecalle of France, 2009 World Aerobatic Champion