1. 3rd World Air Games 2005 Cancelled
During its meeting held on 26 and 27 January in Lausanne, the FAI Executive Board decided, with regret, not to continue with the selection procedure for the organisation of World Air Games in 2005.
The two final bidders, Malaysia and Poland, have been informed of this decision. The Board judged that insufficient time remained available between now and the target date in mid-2005 to solve the various organisational problems that had been identified.
This decision did not in any way denote a lack of confidence in the two bidding countries. Both have been thanked and congratulated for all the work they put into their candidacies, and invited to consider submitting bids for events in future years.
The FAI Board looks forward to launching a new invitation to bid as soon as the necessary consultations and evaluations amongst the different Commissions within FAI have been successfully completed.
2. New FAI Members
The FAI Executive Board has the pleasure of announcing that the following countries have been provisionally admitted as new FAI Members :
Georgia : The Georgian Aeronautical Federation has been approved as a new Active Member.
Thailand : The Thailand Parachuting Association has been approved as a new Associate Member.
Both nominations are subject to acceptance by the FAI General Conference 2004. The FAI Executive Board welcomes these new Members and encourages them for their efforts to develop Air Sports in their respective countries.
3. Election of CASI Bureau
During their meeting held on 25 January at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, CASI Delegates elected the CASI Bureau for the next year.
President :
Mr Sandy Pimenoff (CIAM President, Finland)
Vice-Presidents :
Mr Bob Carlson (Canada),
Mr Art Greenfield (USA),
Mr Adam Ustynowicz (Poland)
Secretary :
Mr Ian Strachan (GBR)
CASI, the FAI Air Sport General Commission, establishes and keeps current the General Section of the Sporting Codes, which covers topics applicable to all air sports such as Definitions, Measurements Standards and Methods, FAI preferred terminologies, FAI Sporting Licences, Control of Certified FAI Achievements, World Records and Classification of Sporting Events.
For further information on CASI : www.fai.org/casi
4. Absolute World Record
FAI has the pleasure to inform that a new Absolute World Record has been ratified in Class B - Airships category.
Claim number : 8368
Size category : Absolute
Type of record : Altitude
Course/location : Drumheller, AB (Canada) - Gull Lake, SK (Canada)
Performance : 6 234 m
Pilot : Hokan COLTING (Canada)
Crew : Tim BUSS
Airship : Hokan Colting SPS 62.5
Date : 12.06.2003
Previous record : 5 059 m (05.08.1988 - Brian BOLAND, USA)
FAI congratulates the pilots on their splendid achievement.
For further information on airship World Records : //records.fai.org/balloons/.
5. World Record Claims
Please find below a selection of the new World Record Claims received since our last Newsletter :
Class D - Gliders / Claim number : 8374
Sub-class : DO - Open Class Gliders / General Category
Type of record : Free triangle distance
Course/location : Chapelco (Argentina)
Performance : 1 458 km
Pilot : Klaus OHLMANN (Germany)
Crew : Claus-Dieter ZINK (Germany)
Glider : Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4 DM
Date: 16.01.2004
Current record : new
Class C (Aeroplanes) / Claims number : 8385 & 8386
Sub-classes : C-1 (Landplanes) and C-1l (Landplanes - Take-off weight 35 000 to 45 000 kg)
Group 3 : turbo-jet
Type of records : Speed over a recognised course
Course/location : New York, NY (USA) - Kuwait City (Kuwait)
Performance : 953 km/h
Pilot : Henry K. GIBSON (USA)
Date: 17.01.2004
Current records : new
Class C (Aeroplanes) / Claim number : 8387
Sub-class : C-1 (Landplanes)
Group 3 : turbo-jet
Type of record : Speed over a Commercial Air Route
Course/location : Dallas, TX (USA) - Miami, FL (USA)
Performance : 983 km/h
Pilot : Angela MASSON (USA)
Airline : American Airlines
Aircraft : Boeing 777
Date: 20.01.2004
Current record : 940.52 km/h (17.04.1998 - James O. GROSS, 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).
For further information on World Records, please consult the latest news, including all claims pending ratification, at :
- Gliding World Records
- General Aviation World Records
6. 97th FAI General Conference 2004
FAI Members will find below preliminary information about the Airport of Madrid - Cuatro Vientos, the location of the 97th FAI General Conference 2004 :
Organization : The Royal Spanish Aeronautics Federation and the Royal Aero Club of Spain.
Dates : 30 September to 3 October 2004
Location : Airport of Madrid - Cuatro Vientos
Created in 1911, Cuatro Vientos Airport is located south of the City of Madrid. In its early years, Cuatro Vientos Airport hosted the first flying camp in Spain. Today, apart from its civil flight training and military activities, the airport hosts the "Museo del Aire", an FAI Recommended Museum, and the "Fundación Infante de Orleans". Covering 60 years of history, a collection of 29 aircraft may be seen at the Museum, 21 of which are in perfect flying condition.
Registration : Hotel rooms have already been booked by the Organizers in three different hotels, two of which are located in the Center of Madrid, with the main hotel near Cuatro Vientos. Detailed Program and Registration Forms will be provided to FAI Members in the spring.
Lausanne, 28 January 2004
