The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, FAI - The World Air Sports Federation, was
founded in 1905. It is a non-governmental and non-profit making international organisation
with the basic aim of furthering aeronautical and astronautical activities worldwide, ratifying
world records and coordinating the organization of international competitions. After a century
of steady growth, FAI is now an organisation of some 100 member countries, forming a strong
network linking all those who participate in air sports worldwide
Introduction to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
1. The Origins
2. Organization
3. Championships & World Air Games
4. World Records
5. Education
6. Awards
7. International Commissions & Air Sports
8. FAI in the World Community
9. FAI in the 21st Century
10. To learn more about FAI
1. The Origins
At the start of the 20th Century, the pioneering flights of pilots such as Clement Ader, the Wright Brothers
and Santos-Dumont, the proliferation of aeronautical competitions, and increasingly rapid technological
advances marked the real birth of the modern aviation era.
A small group of visionary men recognized the need for an international federation to coordinate and give
direction to the rapidly growing aeronautical activity.
On 10 June 1905, Count Henry de la Vaulx, Vice-President of the Aero-Club de France, Major Moedebeck
of the German Airship League and Fernand Jacobs, President of the Aero-Club of Belgium, gave a
presentation to the Olympic Congress of Brussels on their proposal for a « Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale ». The Delegates received the idea warmly, and to demonstrate its support, the Olympic
Congress adopted the following resolution : “This Congress, recognizing the special importance of
aeronautics, expresses the desire that in each country, there be created an Association for regulating the
sport of flying and thereafter there be formed a Universal Air Sports Federation to regulate the various
aviation meetings and advance the science and sport of Aeronautics”.
On 12 October 1905, an international aeronautical conference was convened in Paris. After two days of
debate, the representatives of Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the
United States adopted the entire package of proposed Statutes. The Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale was founded on 14 October 1905. From its inception, the FAI defined its principal aims as
being to "methodically catalogue the best performances achieved, so that they be known to everybody; to
identify their distinguishing features so as to permit comparisons to be made; and to verify evidence and
thus ensure that record-holders have undisputed claims to their titles."
A century later, in spite of the emergence of new technologies and of several air sport disciplines, the
objectives of the FAI as expressed in its Statutes have essentially remained the same. Today, FAI’s
Statutes describe its aims and objectives as follows :
· To make evident the essentially international spirit of aeronautics as a powerful instrument for bringing
all people closer in mutual understanding and friendship regardless of political, racial or religious
considerations, thereby helping to create international good will and thus build a better and more
peaceful world.
· To promote physical and moral qualities, technical knowledge and skill as basic to astronautical
activities and air sports.
· To bring together the air sports men and women of the world in international competition.
· To educate young people through sport in the spirit of mutual understanding and friendship.
· To co-ordinate its Members' separate efforts to further aeronautics and astronautics throughout the
world.
· To ensure adequate access to airspace for all who wish to fly.
· To provide a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of mutual problems with other
elements of civil aeronautics.
2. Organization
To fulfil its objectives and meet the evolving needs of each air sport and area of activity, the FAI has
constantly adjusted its organisational structure. Today, the FAI comprises the following elements :
· The General Conference, the supreme policy-making body, defines the aims of FAI, determines its
Statutes and By-Laws, and elects the President, the Executive Board and the Secretary General. The
General Conference convenes once a year.
· The Executive Board is the principal executive body of FAI, responsible for implementing the policies
and decisions made by the General Conference.
· The Air Sport Commissions control the activities of the different disciplines governed by FAI :
Ballooning, General Aviation, Gliding, Rotorcraft, Parachuting, Aeromodelling, Aerobatics, Hang Gliding
& Paragliding, Microlights and Astronautical Records (see paragraph 7a below).
· The Technical Commissions control non-sporting activities such as aviation and space education,
amateur-built aircraft, aviation medicine and environmental matters (see paragraph 7b below).
The member nations of FAI are represented by their “National Air Sport Controls” (NACs). At the General
Conference, voting powers are held by FAI Active Members and by the Air Sport Commissions.
The FAI Secretariat is managed by the Secretary General, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations
of the federation. In 1998, after 93 years in Paris, the FAI moved its headquarters and Secretariat to
Lausanne, the Olympic Capital.
3. Championships & World Air Games
The awarding and supervision of international competitions is one of the main tasks of FAI. The rules – the
Sporting Codes – drawn up by the Air Sport Commissions are used by national members to organize
numerous competitions each year. World championships are generally held every two years, alternately
with continental championships. Every year, over 30 world or continental championships are listed on the
FAI Sporting Calendar (http://events.fai.org/), and many other sporting events such as Grand Prix, Cups and
miscellaneous international competitions are organized in accordance with FAI Sporting Codes.
The first World Air Games took place in 1997 in Turkey and, starting in 2009, this multi-disciplinary event will
be held every two years. The World Air Games is the only competition that brings together the various air
sports. It is a combination of elite competition and spectacular demonstrations, and has been developed to
become FAI’s flagship event at which top athletes compete for the title of "World Air Games Champions" –
the Champions of the Champions. The next World Air Games will be held in 2009 in Turin (Italy).
4. World Records
Since the beginning of aviation, pilots have always tried to surpass themselves, to fly further, faster and
higher. A pilot often needed great determination and courage just to take-off, let alone to put his aircraft
through its full paces and try to push back the frontiers of the possible. Even today, adventurers such as
non-stop round-the-world balloonists Bertrand Piccard and Steve Fossett often still venture into uncharted
territory.
New technology enables constant progression in aviation records, and generates useful spin-off
applications: for example, the pressurized cabin invented by Professor Auguste Piccard to carry out the first
flight in the stratosphere in 1931 – a world altitude record – today allows millions of passengers to travel
comfortably on board aircraft that fly at the outer edge of the atmosphere.
Drawing up rules, and controlling and ratifying aeronautical and astronautical World Records still represent
an important part of FAI activities. Since the first flights were recorded in 1906, some 14’000 World Records
have been registered by FAI to date. Every year, FAI receives between 200 and 450 world record claims,
and approximately 90 % of these attempts are ratified as new world records.
Charles Lindbergh’s historical flight across the Atlantic Ocean, and Yuri Gagarin’s first human flight into
space are amongst the great aeronautical and astronautical achievements recorded by FAI. All air sport
disciplines are represented in the FAI World Record Archives, from human-powered flight at one extreme, to
space flight at the other (www.fai.org/records/).
5. Education
Fifty years ago, the FAI established an Aviation & Space Education Commission to raise public awareness
and understanding of air and space activities, especially amongst young people. Conscious that young
people represent the future of aviation and air sports, the Commission developed several programs aimed
at explaining flight, and raising the interest of young people in the highly demanding and motivating air
sports and aviation careers.
Experience shows that teachers and pupils have a latent interest in aeronautics. When correctly integrated
into traditional school programs, themes relating to aviation and space add a new dimension to the teaching
of history, geography and physics. The educational material made available helps teachers to create a
stimulating and motivating environment for their pupils. FAI also runs an annual Young Artists Contest and
the “FAI Recommended Museum” scheme (www.fai.org/education/).
6. Awards
Prestigious medals and diplomas allow FAI to give public recognition to those who have made outstanding
contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, especially in the field of sporting aviation. Many of the
recipients honoured by FAI have had their names closely associated with the history and developments of
aeronautics and astronautics (www.fai.org/awards/).
7. International Commissions & Air Sports
a) Air Sport Commissions
Competitions and related activities are administered and developed by the FAI’s Air Sport
Commissions :
· The FAI Air Sport General Commission (CASI) seeks to further the development of air sports and
keeps current the General Section of the FAI Sporting Code.
· FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA) : www.fai.org/ballooning/
· FAI General Aviation Commission (GAC) : www.fai.org/general_aviation/
· FAI Gliding Commission (IGC) : www.fai.org/gliding/
· FAI Rotorcraft Commission (CIG) : www.fai.org/rotorcraft/
· FAI Parachuting Commission (IPC) : www.fai.org/parachuting/
· FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) : www.fai.org/aeromodelling/
· FAI Aerobatics Commission (CIVA) : www.fai.org/aerobatics/
· FAI Astronautic Records Commission (ICARE) : www.fai.org/astronautics/
· FAI Hang Gliding & Paragliding (CIVL) : www.fai.org/hang_gliding/
· FAI Microlight Commission (CIMA) : www.fai.org/microlight/
b) Technical Commissions :
· FAI Aviation & Space Education Commission (CIEA) : see paragraph 5 above.
(www.fai.org/education/).
· The FAI Amateur-Built & Experimental Commission (CIACA) promotes the design, construction,
restoration and use of amateur-built and experimental aircraft and vintage collector’s pieces.
(www.fai.org/homebuilt/)
· The FAI Medico-Physiological Commission (CIMP) studies all medical and physiological factors
influencing human performance and behaviour in air sports. (www.fai.org/medical/).
· The FAI Environmental Commission (EnvC) Provides information on the environmental impact of
aviation on nature, and establishes codes of conduct for practising air sports disciplines while
respecting the natural environment (www.fai.org/environment/).
8. FAI in the World Community
Represented at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), FAI takes an active part in the decisionmaking
process relating to flight safety, pilot training and licensing, and air space regulations.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised the FAI as an Olympic federation in 1985, and three
disciplines – gliding, parachuting and hang gliding/paragliding – are potential Olympic sports.
The FAI is a member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), of the
Association of IOC Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF), and of the International World
Games Association (IWGA). Since 1997, sport parachuting has been part of the official program of the
IWGA World Games (www.worldgames-iwga.org).
9. FAI in the 21st Century
Just like their predecessors who, at the beginning of 20th Century, envisioned the huge potential of
aeronautics and founded the FAI, today’s decision-makers are already planning how FAI will face 21st
Century trends and challenges.
At the start of this new century, one of FAI’s main priorities is to encourage new recruits to take up air
sports, and to improve the visibility and attractiveness of these sports to the media, the general public and
young people. Among FAI’s long-term projects are the exploitation of FAI’s aeronautical heritage and fund
of expertise, the further development of the World Air Games concept, and the encouragement of new
technologies.
The FAI celebrated its first century of existence in 2005. On this occasion, FAI published “High Flyers, A
Century of Sporting Achievement in the Air”, the first book covering the history and development of FAI and
of Air Sports in general. The FAI Centenary celebrations were of course also an excellent opportunity to
look to the future and plan how to open the skies to all those who dream of flying (www.fai.org/centenary/).
10. To learn more about …
… FAI activities : Please consult the various Internet links provided throughout this document, as well as
those listed below :
· News : www.fai.org
· Statutes : www.fai.org/documents/constitution
· Sporting Codes : www.fai.org/documents/sportingcode
· National Member organisations : www.fai.org/fai_members/
· Air Sports : www.fai.org/about/commissions
· Competitions (Sporting Calendar & Results) : http://events.fai.org/
· World Air Games : www.worldairgames.org/
· World Records : www.fai.org/records/
· FAI Awards : www.fai.org/awards/
· Young Artists Contest : www.fai.org/education/contests/artists/
· FAI Centenary 2005 : www.fai.org/centenary/
· « High Flyers, A Century of Sporting Achievement in the Air » : www.fai.org/centenary/highflyers
· FAI eSHOP : http://shop.fai.org
… flying : Please contact the national organisation representing FAI in your country. The complete list of FAI
Members is available at www.fai.org/fai_members/.
We thank you for your interest in air sports and invite you to discover the camaraderie, enthusiasm and
passion of all those in FAI and its member organizations, who form the international air sports community.
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Avenue Mon Repos 24
CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
Tel. +41 21 345 1070
Fax. +41 21 345 1077
Email: info@fai.org
Lausanne, July 2007