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FAI World and continental championships (CAT.1)

27 Aug
-
01 Sep 2019
2019 Slovenian Open National Hot Air Balloon Championship
Murska Sobota,
SLO
09 Sep
-
14 Sep 2019
1st Women European Cup and 3rd Central European cup and 39th Hungarian National Championship and 4th Szeged Balloon Cup
Szeged,
HUN
12 Sep
-
21 Sep 2019
63rd Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett
Montbéliard,
FRA
22 Oct
-
27 Oct 2019
21st FAI European Hot Air Balloon Championship
Mallorca,
ESP

Other FAI-Sanctioned events (CAT.2)

01 Aug
-
04 Aug 2019
21st Coupe d'Europe des Montgolfières & 26ème Coupe du Monde des dames
Mainfonds-Aubeville Sud Charentes,
FRA
17 Oct
-
20 Oct 2019
2019 Mallorca Balloons Trophy
Mallorca,
ESP

Ballooning

 The FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA) conducts FAI ballooning activities, in particular World Records and International Competitions.

 Competitive ballooning test pilots' skills in Distance, Speed (over short and long distances) and Navigational Precision. Each flight usually involves several tasks.

 Competition balloons are usually 180-2200m3 in size. Competitions often take place in the early morning or late afternoon, times more suitable for the light wind conditions needed for initial inflation and safe landings. Each balloon carries a GPS flight recorder and a tracker-unit that transmits the balloon's position back to the starting area - enabling spectators to follow the competition.

The most historic ballooning event is the annual Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett for gas balloons, created in 1906 and revived in 1983 after being discontinued at the outbreak of World War II. The balloon which flies the furthest distance from the start-point wins.