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

version française

The deadline to submit the required Bid Dossiers for the second phase of the Bid Process to host the 3rd FAI World Air Games in 2005 expired on 22 June 2003. Italy decided to postpone its Bid due to the extensive work needed at Rieti airfield before it could host the WAG. Given that the Malaysian and Polish Bids both contained several incomplete elements, these countries have been allocated an additional period to fully prepare their Bid Dossiers.

At the end of the first phase of the Bid Process to host the 3rd FAI World Air Games (see our Press Release 08/03 of 20 May 2003). Australia, Italy, Malaysia and Poland were invited to confirm their interest, and to provide FAI with detailed information regarding their proposed venues and infrastructure, initial program of events, budgets and marketing strategy. The deadline to submit the Phase 2 Bid Dossiers was set at 22 June 2003. At the beginning of this second phase, Australia decided to postpone its bid to a later date due to the close proximity of the next Commonwealth Games in 2006.

Italy Postpones Bid to Later Year
Italy, whilst confirming its interest to host the FAI World Air Games (WAG), gave notice that the extensive and essential work needed to improve the infrastructure on the airfield at Rieti was not expected to be terminated in good time for the World Air Games in 2005. On 20 June 2003, Italy therefore informed FAI of its decision to postpone its Bid to a later year.

Phase 2 of Bid Process Extended
Having confirmed their interest in hosting the 2005 FAI World Air Games, Malaysia and Poland did a great amount of work to assemble the information contained in their Bid Dossiers, which they submitted in due time. When the WAG Coordinating Committee (WAGCC) carried out a careful evaluation of both Bid Dossiers, it soon appeared that essential elements were missing or were incomplete, preventing the WAGCC from reaching a final decision on the admission of the Bidders to the last part of the Bid Process. To allow Malaysia and Poland to carry out further specific work on the incomplete elements of their bids, WAGCC decided to extend Phase 2 of the Bid Process to 31 August 2003, and to provide both Bidders with a detailed list of the information to be submitted.

Final Decision on Schedule
Despite this delay, FAI is continuing preparatory work for the final phase of the Bid Process, and a decision concerning the 3rd FAI World Air Games will be taken in October 2003, as planned in the initial schedule.

Lausanne, 17 July 2003

At the closing date for submission of bids to organise the next FAI World Air Games, four valid bids had been received. The bids, from Australia, Italy, Malaysia and Poland, are being evaluated by the World Air Games Coordinating Committee. A decision will be made at the end of this month on which bids are allowed to proceed to Stage 2 of the bidding process. A further announcement will be made early in May.

For further information about FAI World Air Games, please refer to :
a) our Press Release of 3 February 2003, or to
b) our specially dedicated Webpages at www.worldairgames.org.

Lausanne, 22 April 2003

Inspired by the Olympic model, the leaders of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI - the World Air Sports Federation) collaborated to develop the World Air Games (WAG). This three-dimensional Olympiad of air sports is the elite forum where the world’s finest aerial athletes are crowned champions in Aerobatics, Aeromodelling, Air Racing, Ballooning, Gliding, Hang Gliding, Helicopters, Microlights, Paragliding and Parachuting.

A New Concept
Progressing beyond the first two WAGs (Turkey 1997 / Spain 2001), the 3rd FAI World Air Games have evolved into a tightly choreographed 1-week aerial extravaganza. A multitude of dramatic air sport competitions will be staged on a time-shared basis at three unique venues – all in close proximity to one another. Participation is limited to the world’s top ranked athletes in each air sport, so the competition is assured to be at the highest possible level.

The 3rd FAI World Air Games have been designed with the public in mind – both for on-site spectators and for TV audiences. Each competition event will be presented to the public using the latest in digital technology, including aerial bird’s-eye-view cameras, video walls, computer graphics, GPS displays and professional announcers.

In addition to viewing the competition events, spectators will be able to get up close and personal with air sports by visiting the fascinating static displays of aircraft and equipment used by the athletes. Interactive display booths will also be on-site – manned by the top athletes when they’re not up in the sky competing. There will even be opportunities for the public to participate as passengers in most of the air sports featured in the World Air Games.

Interested in Hosting the 3rd FAI World Air Games ?
FAI is now inviting professional event organizers to collaborate with National Aero Clubs, pro-active municipalities and geographic regions, and other interested entities to participate in the Bid Process to select the Host and Organizer for the next quadrennial FAI World Air Games. For event organizers with minimal aviation knowledge, FAI representatives can provide the technical expertise required to conduct the World Air Games.

A Dedicated Internet Page
All the relevant information on how to bid for the 3rd FAI World Air Games has been published at www.worldairgames.org. This dedicated FAI Web page will be the home of the 3rd FAI World Air Games, from the beginning of the Bid Process to the conclusion of the farewell celebration in 2005. There, you will find the following WAG materials :

a) WAG Structure Document : Comprehensive presentation of the WAG framework.
b) 36 FAI-approved competition events available for inclusion in the WAG.
c) Instructions for Prospective WAG Bidders : Describes the detailed procedures to be followed when bidding to host and organize the 3rd FAI World Air Games.

Bid Process – Phase 1
If, having studied these documents, you wish to pursue this exciting challenge and apply as a Prospective WAG Bidder, please follow the Instructions for Prospective WAG Bidders for submitting the bid documents.

Applications received after 15 April 2003 will not be considered for the 2005 WAG. All candidates who submit applications before this date will be informed of the results of their applications by 30 April 2003 at the latest.

Obtaining Support from FAI National Member
Applicants other than FAI Member organizations must obtain approval in principle from the respective FAI Member organization in the country concerned (see WAG Structure Document, section 8). If necessary, please contact FAI to find one of its national members.

Should you have any questions concerning the 3rd FAI World Air Games in general, or Phase 1 of the Bid Process in particular, please do not hesitate to contact FAI at :

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
World Air Games 2005
Avenue Mon-Repos 24
CH – 1005 Lausanne

Phone : +41.(0)21.345.10.70
E-mail : wag2005@fai.org
Internet : www.fai.org

FAI especially looks forward to receiving applications from event organisers with strong track records in organizing sports and outdoor events, and who wish to move into an exciting new dimension of air sports.

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
FAI World Air Games

version française

The 95th FAI General Conference held from 7 to 13 October 2002 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, approved a new concept for the 3rd World Air Games. A reduction in size and more centralization of the competition venues will further improve the popularity and the attractiveness of the event. A two-phase Bid Process will start early in 2003 to select the Organizer of the 3rd World Air Games 2005.

A Short History of the World Air Games
Starting in the mid-eighties, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) worked on emulating the concept of an Olympiad for its Air Sports and developed the idea of World Air Games (WAG). The objective of this quadrennial, elite and multidisciplinary unique sports festival was to determine champions in all participating Air Sports, to motivate camaraderie among the world’s top athletes, to showcase Air Sports to the public and to promote public participation in Air Sports. The first World Air Games took place in Turkey (1997), the second in Spain (2001). Both events included around 3500 participants, with 2000 athletes competing in more than 20 events spread over eight different competition venues.

New Concept for the 3rd World Air Games 2005
In an effort to render Air Sports even more popular and attractive to the media (see our Press Release of 3 September 2002), the FAI Executive Board appointed the WAG Coordinating Committee (WAGCC) to work out a new concept based on the experiences collected during the previous WAGs. The 95th FAI General Conference held two weeks ago at Dubrovnik was an excellent opportunity for Mr. B.J. Worth, Executive Chairman of the WAGCC, to explain the guidelines according to which the 3rd World Air Games will be organized in 2005. The most significant elements intended to establish an event with more impact are a reduction in size (max. 1000 participants), centralization and reduced number of competition venues (max. 3 venues within 100 km), a reduction in the length of WAG events (max. 6 to 7 days) and time-sharing between events at the competition venues. To attract a maximum number of spectators, the Opening Ceremony will take place on a weekend at a central venue with all participating athletes parading; a show segment will be included to present all WAG Air Sports : Aerobatics, Aeromodelling, Ballooning, Gliding, Hang Gliding, Helicopters, Microlights, Paragliding and Parachuting.

Interactivity with the Public
To improve attendance of spectators and enhance their interest in Air Sports, a static display of aircraft and equipment used by the athletes, competitor profiles, and a description of each event with its objective will be available at the competition venues.

Launch of Bid Process in early 2003
The next WAG Organizer will be selected by a two-phase Bid Process. Early in 2003, FAI will invite FAI Members, cities, regions and corporations to bid for the right to organize and host the 3rd World Air Games. A Bid Package will be provided to qualified entities that submit requests to FAI; the package will include all relevant instructions, information and documents for completing the WAG Bid Form.
A dedicated Internet page with detailed information will be published at www.fai.org later this year.

Lausanne, 25 October 2002