Best Season's Greeting / 2004 Young Artists Contest / Winter Holidays / A Selection of the New World Record Claims received this week for Airships, Helicopters and Aeroplanes.

Best Season's Greetings
This is the final Press Release this year from the FAI, the World Air Sports Federation. First of all, we thank you very much for the attention you have given to the information we released throughout the year. We look forward to keeping you informed about Air Sports and FAI activities in 2004, and send you our best Season’s Greetings.

With best regards,

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Jean-Marc BADAN
Promotional Manager

2004 Young Artists Contest
As the holiday season started a few days ago, we remind you about the creative opportunity that FAI offers each year to young people : the FAI Young Artists Contest.

General information and recent winners /
Rules for the 2004 Young Artists Contest

Good luck to all participants!

Winter Holidays
We inform you that the FAI Office will be closed from 25 to 28 December 2003, and from 31 December 2003 to 4 January 2004 inclusive.

FAI has received the following record claims :

Class B (Airships) / Claim number : 8262
Size category : BX-04 (Hot-air airships : 1 600 to 3 000 m³) General Category
Type of record : Speed
Course/location : Mondovi (Italy)
Performance : 26.17 km/h
Pilot : David HEMPLEMAN-ADAMS (UK)
Airship : Cameron Balloons DP-70
Date: 17.12.2003
Current record : new

Class E (Rotorcraft) / Claim number : 8286
Sub-class : E-1d (Helicopters - Take-off weight 1750 to 3000 kg)
Group 2 : turbine General Category
Type of record : Speed over a recognised course
Course/location : New York, NY (USA) - South Pole
Performance : 20 km/h
Pilot : Jennifer MURRAY (UK)
Co-pilot : Colin BODILL
Helicopter : Bell 400
Date: 20.12.2003
Current record : New

Class E (Rotorcraft) / Claim number : 8287
Sub-class : E-1d (Helicopters - Take-off weight 1750 to 3000 kg)
Group 2 : turbine General Category
Type of record : Speed over a recognised course
Course/location : Punta Arenas (Chile) - Antarctica
Performance : 111 km/h
Pilot : Jennifer MURRAY (UK)
Co-pilot : Colin BODILL
Helicopter : Bell 400
Date: 19.12.2003
Current record : New

Class C (Aeroplanes) / Claim numbers 8271 - 8272
Sub-class : C-1c (Landplanes - Take-off weight 1000 to 1750 kg)
Group 1 : piston engine
Type of record : Speed over a recognised course
Aircraft : Lancair IV-P
Date: 17.12.2003

# 8271 : Los Angeles, CA (USA) - Phoenix, NV (USA) / Performance : 500 km/h / Pilot : David G. RIGGS (USA) / Current record : 386.42 km/h (10.08.1993 - Harold J. BALLATIN, USA)
# 8272 : Phoenix, AZ (USA) - San Diego, CA (USA) / Performance : 449 km/h / Pilot : Nathan EAST (USA) / Current record : 299.11 km/h (21.08.1993 - Larry K. CLARK, USA)

Class C (Aeroplanes) / Claim numbers 8263 - 8267
Sub-class : C-1c (Landplanes : Take-off weight 1000 to 1750 kg)
Group 1 : piston engine
Type of record : Speed over a recognised course
Pilot : Jon JOHANSON (Australia)
Aircraft : Van's RV-4TE

# 8263 : Adelaide, SA (Australia) - South Pole / Performance : 137.9 km/h / Date: 08.12.2003 / Current record : new
# 8264 : Invercargill (New Zealand) - McMurdo (New Zealand) / Performance : 211.3 km/h / Date: 07.12.2003 / Current record : new
# 8265 : Invercargill (New Zealand) - South Pole / Performance : 222.3 km/h / Date: 08.12.2003 / Current record : new
# 8266 : South Pole - McMurdo (New Zealand) / Performance : 300 km/h / Date: 08.12.2003 / Current record : new
# 8267 : McMurdo (New Zealand) - Invercargill (New Zealand) / Performance : 287.1 km/h / Date: 15.12.2003 / Current record : new

The details shown above are provisional. When all the evidence required has been received and checked, the exact figures will be established and the record ratified (if appropriate).

For further information on FAI World Records, please consult : http://www.fai.org/records/

Lausanne, 24 December 2003