The third report on the 96th FAI General Conference, which was held from 9 to 11 October 2003 in Krakow, Poland, focuses on the new FAI Strategic Plan and on one of the projects launched within the context of the FAI Centenary in 2005.

FAI 100th Anniversary Publication
As already mentioned in our Press Release 04/03, FAI will mark its Centenary by publishing a 224-page book (English and French) covering the history and the development of FAI and Air Sports. Mr Pierre Morath, a sports historian, started research work in March 2003 and we now have pleasure in publishing the provisional Table of Contents. In 2004, a subscription campaign will be launched, inviting you to place pre-orders for the book which will be published in March 2005. FAI Members, Air Sport Commissions, Museums and Companies wishing to personalize their books will have the opportunity to have their own logo printed at the beginnning of the book.

Provisional Table of Contents
(subject to later adjusments)

1. Introduction (approx. 20 pages)
- Introduction by the IOC President
- Foreword by the FAI President
- Preface by Mr Eilif Ness
- The FAI : role and mission at the dawn of the 21st Century.

2. Main Part (approx. 130 pages)
Six thematic articles, which put together constitute the history of FAI :
- Development of aeronautics before the founding of FAI
- Birth of FAI and its first years of development (1905-1914)
- The FAI during First and Second World Wars
- Relations between the traditional and new FAI Air Sports
- The FAI and the Olympic Movement
- Relations between sporting and civil aviation; fight for airspace

3. Annexes (approx. 50 pages)
- FAI Presidents (list and biographies)
- FAI Secretary Generals (list)
- FAI Members (list)
- FAI General Conferences (list, dates, locations)
- FAI Gold Air Medals (list and short biographies)
- Chronological development of FAI Air Sports
- Aviation museums world-wide (list and description)

4. Bibliography & Guide for FAI Archives (approx 20 pages)

New Guidelines for the Future of FAI
Adopted by the Executive Board at the beginning of 2003, the new FAI Strategic Plan presented at the General Conference forms a long-term vision to guide FAI activities for the next 3 to 5 years. The main goals depicted in the Strategic Plan are to modernize and promote the image of FAI and Air Sports, to develop attractive international competitions, products and services, and finally to increase the proportion of financial revenues coming from external commercial sources.

The first projects resulting from the new FAI Stratetic Plan have already been launched in 2003, and should bear fruit in 2004 and 2005 : among other projects, a new Corporate Identity and Communication Strategy will be introduced in the course of 2004, the exploitation of FAI Archive and World Record Files will be improved, and the organization of several public events has been launched to celebrate the FAI Centenary in 2005 (further details about the FAI Centenary will be given in a forthcoming FAI-News).

The success of the FAI Strategic Plan relies on the whole FAI Community sharing responsibility for achieving these goals. Each person involved in Air Sports can contribute to these efforts and create positive effects for the whole Air Sports community.
Therefore, we invite you to read the basic principles, visions, goals and priorities contained in the FAI Strategic Plan by downloading the leaflet (242 ko) available at http://www.fai.org/documents. (To better understand its content, please print this PDF file recto-verso on an A4 sheet of paper, then fold the document in 3 equal parts).

Lausanne, 17 November 2003

version française

In 2005, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale intends to publish a work retracing its first century of existence and the parallel history of air sports. The writing of this book has been entrusted to Pierre Morath, an historian specialising in sport and the Olympic movement. Although the archives of the FAI will provide the bulk of the material needed for this future publication, the FAI is now launching an appeal to its members and associated organisations, and to custodians of historical archives, asking that they also contribute material to this project, which is destined to become an authoritative work of reference.

An Experienced Editorial Team
A former elite athlete, Mr. Pierre Morath is an historian with a well-established reputation in the world of sport; amongst other publications, he was the co-author of the book published by the International Cycling Union (UCI) on the occasion of its hundredth anniversary, and of a work covering the history of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne. For the research on the history of the FAI and air sports, Mr. Morath will be assisted by Mr Eilif Ness, President of the FAI from 1994 to 2000, whose wide knowledge of these subjects will add great value to the work.

A Work of Reference
So as to ensure that the appeal of the book is not restricted solely to dedicated aviation enthusiasts, the FAI has decided to set its sights on publishing a book that can serve as an authoritative work of reference in the future. With this in mind, the book will include, apart from a section devoted to the development of FAI and its air sports, more specialised topics such as the technological progress made thanks to sporting aviation, the development of human performance, and the future of aeronautical sports.

An Appeal to all Custodians of Historical Archives
To be published in English and French, this book will contain about 220 pages and the text will be abundantly supported by historical photographs and illustrations. Although the FAI itself has impressive archives, it would like to give the opportunity to its members, and associated organisations, as well as to custodians of historical archives, to contribute material to this project, which is destined to be a significant landmark in the first century of FAI’s existence. The FAI is representative of the rich diversity of its member nations, and wishes to ensure that this aspect is properly reflected in the book it plans to publish. The history of sporting aviation resides above all amongst FAI’s member organisations, and is just waiting to be collected and presented to the public at large. Therefore, the FAI hereby invites any person or organisation to provide information about the existence of rare documents, photographic archives, documentary films, or any other reference material that might be relevant for inclusion in a publication of international scope (records, competitions, sporting or historical events, personnalities, etc.).

World Aviation Heritage
All material received will be carefully analysed to see if it might be suitable for inclusion in the book. Unfortunately, there will not be space for everything received to be mentioned. However, one of the tasks of the FAI is to preserve the world’s sport aviation heritage, so any material that is sent to FAI, whether in the form of copies or originals, will be carefully conserved in our archives for consultation and as an important part of the collective memory that FAI will transmit to future generations.

In the hope that this appeal will be widely supported, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale thanks in advance all those who wish to make a contribution to the creation of a high quality 100th Anniversary book.

All material, or requests for further information, should be adressed to :

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, Centenary Book Appeal, Avenue de Mon-Repos 24, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
Tél. +41.(0)21.345.10.70 / e-mail : jmb@fai.org

All material sent will be acknowledged. As we are appealing to the sense of shared values and generosity of the aviation community, we much regret that the FAI is not in a position to purchase or reimburse costs incurred in dispatching material.

Lausanne, 17 February 2003