FAI World Grand Prix Premiere in the Emirates

For the first time ever, an FAI aerobatic competition will be held in the United Arab Emirates, at Al Ain, from 2 to 6 February 2004. It will also be the first time the competition will host jet aircraft, solo pilots and formation teams in addition to propeller aerobatic aircraft.

For more details on the event and participants, please visit :
http://www.haute-voltige.com/en/fwgp/events/Current/alain04/home.htm
http://www.haute-voltige.com/en/fwgp/events/Current/alain04/participants.htm

The FAI World Grand Prix Series
The new FAI World Grand Prix Series started 1 January 2004 and will finish 31 December 2005. The competition is open to Propeller and Jet aircraft, to Solo pilots and Formation Teams, to both civilian and military competitors. The FAI World Grand Prix will offer a World Grand Prix Champion title sanctioned by FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale), the International Federation in charge of all air sports world wide.

Pilots' Selection
Civilian pilots are either proposed by aircraft manufacturers (test pilots), or selected among the top pilots competing in the Freestyle World Aerobatic Championship sanctioned by CIVA, the International Aerobatics Commission of the FAI. Pilot pre-selection (excluding test pilots representing aircraft manufacturers), will be made in each CIVA country through a CHALLENGE ROUND, which will be open to traditional aerobatic competitors as well as airshow pilots. Military pilots are selected by their own Air Force.

World Record Claims
Please find below a selection of the new World Record Claims received since the beginning of the year for Gliders and Microlights :

Class D - Gliders / Claim number : 8324
Sub-class : DO - Open Class Gliders / General Category
Type of record : Speed over a triangular course of 300 km
Course/location : Omarama (New Zealand)
Performance : 222.9 km/h
Pilot : Theo Roger NEWFIELD (New Zealand)
Crew : Grae HARRISSON (New Zealand)
Glider : Schleicher ASH 25 M
Date: 05.01.2004
Current record : 179.30 km/h (17.12.1997 - Terrence Raymond DELORE, NZL)

Class R (Microlights) / Claims number : 8306, 8308, 8310
Sub-class : RPL2 (Microlights : Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons)
Pilot : Helmut STERN (Austria)
Crew : Anja ZOTTER (Austria)
Powered Paraglider : Sunflightcraft "Air Chopper" & Sycon Chiron 340
Course/location : Sarvar (Hungary)
Date: 26.12.2003
# 8306 : Altitude / Performance : 4 575 m / Current record : 3'409 m (30.03.2003 - Alenka PRAH, Slovenia)
# 8308 : Time to climb to a height of 3000 m / Performance : 24 min 58 sec / Current record : 39 min 06 sec (30.03.2003 - Alenka PRAH, Slovenia)
# 8310 : Speed over a closed circuit of 50 km without landing / Performance : 52.62 km/h / Current record : new

Class R (Microlights) / Claim number : 8307
Sub-class : RPL1 (Microlights : Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with one person)
Type of record : Time to climb to a height of 3000 m
Course/location : Sarvar (Hungary)
Performance : 16 min 51 sec
Pilot : Istvan KOCSIS (Hungary)
Powered Paraglider : Sunflightcraft "Explorer" & Sycon Chiron 340
Date: 26.12.2003
Current record : 22 min 30 sec (10.08.2000 - Howard M. GISH, Jr, USA)

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).

7th European Glider Aerobatic Championships 2004
The Organizers of the 7th European Glider Aerobatic Championships 2004 in Moravska Trebova (Czech Republic) have published the Information Bulletin no. 1, and are looking forward to receiving your preliminary entries soon :
EGAC 2004 - Bulletin no. 1

Lausanne, 16 January 2004