History

At the start of the 20th Century, the pioneering flights of pilots such as Clement Ader, the Wright Brothers and Santos-Dumont, the proliferation of aeronautical competitions, and increasingly rapid technological advances marked the real birth of the modern aviation era.

A small group of men recognized the growing need for an international federation to coordinate and give direction to the rapidly growing aeronautical activity.

On 10 June 1905, Count Henri de la Vaulx, Vice President of the Aero Club of France, Major Moedebeck of the German Airship League and Fernand Jacobs, President of the Aero Club of Belgium, gave a presentation to the Olympic Congress of Brussels on their proposal for a "Fédération Aéronautique Internationale". The delegates received the idea warmly, and in token of its support the Olympic Congress adopted thefollowing resolution:"This Congress, recognizing the special importance of aeronautics, expresses the desire that in each country, there be created an Association for regulating the sport of flying and that thereafter there be formed a Universal Aeronautical Federation to regulate the various aviation meetings and advance the science and sport of Aeronautics."

On 12 October 1905, an international aeronautical conference was convened in Paris. After two days of debate, the representatives of Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the USA adopted the entire package of proposed Statutes. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale was founded on 14 October 1905. From its inception, the FAI defined its principal aims as being to"methodically catalogue the best performances achieved, so that they be known to everybody; to identify their distinguishing features so as to permit comparisons to be made; and to verify evidence and thus ensure that record-holders have undisputed claims to their titles." The statutes also specified that each body holding sporting powers (i.e. the national members of FAI) should retain full and autonomous control over its own affairs.

Ninety years old, faithful to the decisions of its founding fathers, but also because the principles then established remain valid, the FAI's Statutes still reflect the objectives defined in 1905.

However, the appearance of new technologies and modern equipment, and the birth of entirely new air sport disciplines have meant that the FAI's sphere of involvement has broadened - and continues to expand. New objectives are adopted to reflect developments in society and in the aspirations of those who practice air sports.

An international, non-profit-making, non-governmental organisation, the FAI's main aim is the development throughout the world of sport aviation and astronautical activities.

The current statutes describe in detail its specific objectives:

• to make evident the essentially international spirit of aeronautics as a powerful instrument for bringing all people closer in mutual understanding and friendship regardless of political, racial or religious considerations, thereby helping to create international good will and thus build a better and more peaceful world;
• to bring together the air sports men and women of the world in international competition;
• to educate young people through sport in a spirit of mutual understanding and friendship;
• to coordinate its Members' separate efforts to further aeronautics and astronautics throughout the world;
• to protect and safeguard the interests of its Members in the use of air space;
• to provide a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of mutual problems with other elements of civil aeronautics.

To fulfill these objectives and meet the needs of each air sport and area of activity, the organisational structure of FAI continues to evolve. From time to time, new Commissions are created.

At present, the FAI comprises these elements:

• The General Conference, the supreme policy-making body, which adopts Statutes and By-laws - the foundation stones of the FAI;
• The Executive Board, principal executive body of FAI, responsible for implementing the decisions of General Conference and directing the day-to-day operation of the FAI;
• Eleven Air Sport Commissions representing, in addition to the General Commission, all 10 air sport disciplines under FAI control: ballooning, general aviation, gliding, rotorcraft, parachuting, aeromodelling, aerobatics, astronautics records, hang-gliding and microlights;
• Four Technical Commissions which control non-sporting activities: aerospace education, amateur-built aircraft; medico-physiological and environmental matters.

What FAI does

FAI activities include the establishment of rules for the control and certification of world aeronautical and astronautical records. FAI establishes regulations for air sporting events which are organised by member countries throughout the world. FAI also promotes skill, proficiency and safety in aeronautics. FAI confers medals, diplomas and other awards to those who have contributed to the achievement of these aims as well as for work done in the restoration of old aircraft.

In achieving these goals, FAI brings together people who take part in air sports from all over the world. They share the delight of gliding, the excitement of parachuting and ballooning, the fun of flying microlights and exercise their skill in aerobatics.

Within the framework of FAI, each air sport has an International Commission which is responsible formaking the rules for competitions and which generally oversees the activies of their particular air sport.

All FAI Contests, Championships and Record Setting activities are conducted under the direction of the FAI Air Sport Commissions. Other matters are dealt with by FAI Technical Commissions. These are listed later.

Regulations, rules or recommendations which have been accepted by the Commissions during their annual meetings are followed up by the delegates themselves at the national level and with Member-countries which need help developing their air sports.

FAI Members

Current list of FAI Members.

Member-countries are represented in FAI by their principal National Airsport Control organisation. With nearly 100 members, FAI brings together at international level representatives of all air sport disciplines. FAI members are categorized as follows:

• Active Members, being those organisations which represent all the disciplines practised in their respective country,
• Associate Members, which represent only one discipline. There can be no more than two associate members in a given country without their forming a national organisation and becoming an Active Member,
• Temporary Members, being those national organisations which intend to become an Active or Associate Member of FAI but are not yet in a position to fulfill all the rights and duties of those members,
• International Affiliate Members, other international organisations sharing common goals with FAI.

Decision-Making

Who's who in FAI

You will find below links to the lists of FAI Officials, delegates and alternate delegates to the various FAI Commissions and Working Groups. If you are looking for a list of FAI Member Organisations, you should go to http://www.fai.org/fai_members/

Honorary Patron of FAI

FAI Executive Board

FAI Vice Presidents

FAI Secretariat

CANS - Commission on Airspace and Navigation Systems

CASI - Air Sport General Commission

CIA - Ballooning Commission

CIACA - Amateur-built Aircraft Commission

CIAM - Aeromodelling Commission

CIEA - Aviation & Space Education Commission

CIG - Rotorcraft Commission

CIMA - Microlight Commission

CIMP - Medico-physiological Commission

CIVA - Aerobatic Commission

CIVL - Hang Gliding & Paragliding Commission

Environmental Commission

GAC - General Aviation Commission

ICARE - Astronautic Records Commission

IGC - Gliding Commission

IPC - Parachuting Commission

FAI Awards and Distinctions

FAI medals and diplomas aim at giving public recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, especially in the field of sporting aviation. They are awarded each year at the Opening Ceremony of the annual FAI General Conference. Many of the recipients honoured have had their names closely associated with the history and developments of aeronautics and astronautics.

The procedures governing nominations for FAI Medals and Diplomas are published in chapters 10 to 12 of the By-Laws to the FAI Statutes.

Please click on the links listed below, to get detailed information on the history of each FAI Medal and Diploma.

Calendar of Meetings

Meetings whose dates have not yet been fixed are listed at the end of the table.