FAI CIACA Awards

Each year, CIACA may award Diplomas to amateur builders who show exceptional skill and dedication in the design, reconstruction or renovation of aircraft:

Phoenix Diploma and Phoenix Group Diploma

The Phoenix Diploma was established in 1978 and the Phoenix Group Diploma in 1990. They may be awarded for the best reconstruction of a vintage (more than 30 yr old) aircraft achieved by an individual amateur (Phoenix Diploma) or group (Phoenix Group Diploma). This group may be of any size or description, e.g. museum, sponsored group, society, company.

Nominations shall be valid only when accompanied by a file containing :

• A description of the aircraft
• Its history (it is desirable for the aircraft to be of some historical value)
• The name of the person or group responsible for the reconstruction or the restoration
• The number of original aircraft built

(The above data shall be contained on one page).

• At least one colour picture and one black and white picture, minimum size : 18 cm x 24 cm, and the negative
• A 3 view drawing

The FAI Amateur-Built & Experimental Aircraft Commission, in making its selection, shall consider :

• Age of the aircraft. The original prototype must predate the nomination by at least thirty years
• Fidelity. The aircraft must be as faithful a copy of the original as possible.

Only one Diploma and one Group Diploma may be awarded per year.

The Henri Mignet Diploma

Henri Mignet was a legendary French amateur aircraft builder and designer of the popular ‘Flying Flea’. This Diploma was established by the FAI in 1984 upon a proposal by the FAI Amateur Built Aircraft Committee. The award commemorates and should remain in the spirit of Henri Mignet’s “Aviation for all” philosophy.

This diploma may be awarded to an amateur aircraft builder or a group of builders, who have developed an aircraft of any category (including microlights) which has one or more of the following characteristics :

• Low cost of operation and of building
• Simple design (use of non-sophisticated design practices and techniques)
• Ease of construction and maintenance
• Outstanding flying characteristics
• Special features and innovative concept

The proposal may involve any of the following :

• use of "non aviation" engines
• alternate fuels
• use of alternate materials (non-aeronautical standards)
• low noise levels

Proposals shall contain :

• a description of the aircraft – general characteristics including details of materials used, construction methods
• a history of its development and building
• the names of the designer(s) and the builder(s)
• three view drawings and a minimum of three photographs taken from various angles
• a short report of flight tests.

The aircraft should have received its certificate of airworthiness or equivalent. Only one Diploma may be awarded each year.

If you know of a restoration or design project which you consider may be worthy of a CIACA award, contact your national CIACA Delegate for more information. A list of delegates can be found by clicking on the 'Delegates' tab at the top of this page.