Abu Dhabi (UAE) – Defending World Champion Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) and 2017’s overall second-place pilot, Martin Šonka (CZE), fly over the new Louvre Abu Dhabi museum ahead of the 11th consecutive season opener of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in the Emirates capital.

Muroya and Šonka will renew their rivalry, along with an international field of the world’s best pilots, when Qualifying takes off above the famed Corniche on Friday, February 2, followed by Race Day on Saturday, February 3, 2018.

Photo: Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool

The rivalries of a fiercely contested 2017 World Championship will reignite on 2-3 February, as the Red Bull Air Race kicks off for the record 11th consecutive year in sizzling Abu Dhabi. New pilots, raceplane innovations and updated rules will only add fuel to the fire.

Abu Dhabi (UAE) – With glittering skyscrapers reflecting the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is home to one of the most dramatic skylines in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship – and the 2018 season promises thrilling action to match.

The competitors of the Red Bull Air Race are among the best aviators in the world – well trained and extremely experienced in multiple disciplines.

Yet even with that deep background, the pilots will tell you that they could always learn more. One critical part of the pilots' training and development, as with any motorsport, is making sure they are well prepared should the unexpected happen.

Today, marks the 10th anniversary of Pauline Baker's record hot air balloon flight. On 24 January 2008, the Irish pilot broke the female altitude FAI World Records in class AX-03 (Hot-air balloons: 400 to 600 m³) and AX-04 (Hot-air balloons: 600 to 900 m³) after taking off from Mondovi (ITA) and reaching the altitude of 4272m. The records are still standing.

The theme for the 2018 FAI Young Artists Contest is ‘Flight into the Future’ – and entries are open.

The FAI has announced the theme for its popular annual FAI Young Artists Contest for 2018. Youngsters between the ages of 6 and 17 are invited to submit drawings and paintings working under the theme of ‘Flight into the Future’.

Gold, Silver and Bronze FAI Medals will be awarded to the winners for three age categories (6-9, 10-13, 14-17 years old) following a Jury decision next year in April 2018.

The first transatlantic crossing in a gas balloon, two of the longest human-powered flights ever recorded, and an over-6000 km airship flight completed in 1928: just four of the incredible, record-breaking feats the anniversaries of which will be celebrated by the FAI in 2018. 

Dating back to the early 1900s, each one still stands as a record in the air sports field, and represents the triumph of human determination, bravery and skill when pitted against often seemingly insurmountable odds.

In 1955, Yvonne van den Dool became the first woman to hold a Senior Commercial Pilot's Licence in South Africa.

She remained the only female pilot to do so for the next 17 years.

Born in Johannesburg in 1930, van den Dool began flying at the age of 19 and was forced to work for free, and to take on dangerous missions her male peers didn’t want, to achieve her dreams.

Brazilian parachute, hot air balloon, paraglide, hang glide, microlight, aeromodelling , paramotor, glider and aerobatics champions came together last month at the 1st Brazilian Airsports Champions Dinner.

Organising and running a world-class air sports event is now easier than ever before, thanks to the eNavigator system designed by FAI Global Technical Partner Noosphere Ventures, founded by Max Polyakov.

The cutting edge event management system, which continues to be developed by Noosphere in cooperation with the FAI, aims to provide everything needed to organise and host a successful sports competition.

Reigning F3A World Champion Team USA triumphed once again in the 2017 FAI F3A World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft, claiming the gold medal and hanging on to the “MAP Trophy” for another two years period.

More than 60 pilots took part in the championship which took place at Villa Gesell Airport in Villa Gesell, Argentina.

The event ran from November 4 (Opening Ceremony) to November 12 (Closing Ceremony).

Completing the team podium line up were Team Japan in silver medal position and Team France in third place.