FAI

FAI stands for Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the world governing body for air sports and aeronautical world records. It was founded in 1905 in Paris by national aero clubs to standardize rules for international air sports. The federation is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and has more than 100 member organizations representing national federations, clubs, and athletes worldwide.

FAI's mission is to oversee sport aeronautics by establishing competition rules, certifying and ratifying world records, and sanctioning international events. It recognizes records across multiple disciplines, including ballooning, gliding, aeromodelling, paragliding, parachuting, and fixed-wing and rotorcraft aviation. It also supports the development of air sports, safety standards, and youth participation.

FAI operates in cooperation with national aviation authorities and international sports bodies. It maintains official records, publishes competition rules, and coordinates world championships in its disciplines. It also sanctions major events such as the World Air Games, a multi-discipline international event organized under its auspices.

Membership consists of national air sport and aviation organizations; members elect a General Conference and a Council that govern the federation. The acronym FAI is widely used in official records and competition results to denote the federation.