SETTING UK NATIONAL AND WORLD AVIATION RECORDS
Setting aviation National and World Records can be both an exciting challenge and hugely rewarding in terms of obtaining either National or World Record certificates. There are many records not yet set and there are categories from gyrocopter, helicopter, ultralights through all types of general aviation aircraft and commercial air transport.
If you are thinking of setting a record, your first stop should be to make contact with the UK Record Coordinator Geoffrey Boot or his assistant Hannah Bevan at geoffreyboot@gmail.com or 01303 227222. Geoff or Hannah will be able to confirm whether or not the intended record attempt is possible - then you will work your way through the check list below.
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There are fees to pay, firstly to the RAeC RRRA for their administration of the records and secondly a confirmation fee to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) for their administration and issue of a World Record Certificate.
If there are no record categories listed within the FAI sporting code and you have a particular type of record that you think might be feasible then it is always worth checking with the Record Coordinator as the RRRA is able to set up protocols for different categories of National Records e.g. within England, Wales etc. There are also some protocols for National Records that are not listed with the FAI.
01
Check on the FAI record pages to find out what the best previous performance is, if any, for the record you would like to set.
02
Review the FAI Sporting Code, General Section and relevant Specialised Section, to get an understanding of the rules and documentation requirements.
03
For the definition of the course used for your record attempt, you will need the exact distance given by the World Distance Calculator.
04
Obtain an FAI sporting license from the RAeC RRRA (Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association) if you do not already hold a valid one. Please note that the FAI Sporting Code - General Section, Item 8.1.3 says: A SportingLicence shall only be considered issued and valid, if the holder is listed on the FAI Sporting Licence database by the NAC that is issuing the particular Sporting License.
05
Your flight will have to be properly monitored and controlled. Determine with Record Coordinator for RAeC RRRA who will serve as Official Observer(s). If the flight is a 'speed over a recognised course' record between 2 airports, each with a control tower, the tower personnel are entitled to certify the times of start and finish.
06
If required you should get in touch with your Official Observer(s) to discuss the flight and the procedures for documenting the record.
07
You make the record attempt.
08
Within 7 days of the record attempt, FAI must be officially notified that the flight was successful and provided with basic details of the performance, this should be done through the Record Coordinator for RAeC RRRA who will require notification as soon as the record attempt has been completed.
09
Send the Record Coordinator for RAeC RRRA the complete details of the flight (on the supplied forms if applicable) including any evidence required such as certificates of start/finish, photographs etc.
10
After the Record Coordinator for RAeC RRRA receives and reviews the documentation file, your record will be certified as a UK National Record (assuming a record has been set and verified) before application is made to the FAI for formal recognition of a world record.
If a World Record is being claimed, Record Coordinator for RAeC RRRA must then forward a complete dossier containing the original evidence to FAI in Lausanne within 120 days requesting that FAI approves the national record as a World Record.
Please note that FAI charges NACs an administrative fee for processing each World record dossier. This charge will be included in the total free to the claimant(s).