The skies over Wieselburg in Austria will play host to a colourful and vibrant arena from 16-23 August 2025, as top pilots from 22 nations put their skill and strategy to the test in the 23rd FAI European Hot Air Balloon Championship.
The upcoming 2025 FAI F3K World Championships for Model Gliders – taking place from 26 July to 2 August in Tarp, Germany – will feature the first-ever Female Individual World Champion title in the history of the F3K class, marking a milestone in gender recognition. The event also represents the first time Germany has hosted the F3K class of aeromodelling at world championship level.
The upcoming 2025 FAI F3K World Championships for Model Gliders – taking place from 26 July to 2 August in Tarp, Germany – will feature the first-ever Female Individual World Champion title in the history of the F3K class, marking a milestone in gender recognition. The event also represents the first time Germany has hosted the F3K class of aeromodelling at world championship level.
Have you been entranced by the beautiful colours and graceful flights of hot air balloons, but wondered how an aircraft with no way of steering can enter a competition? You are not alone!
National, Continental and World Hot Air Balloon Championship events bring together top pilots who battle it out to complete the challenging competition tasks and gain enough points to make it to the podium. But what makes a pilot stand out from the crowd, how does scoring work, and exactly how do you become a champion in this air sport?
FAI congratulates Ronald Schnitker of the Netherlands on the receipt of his FAI Air Sport Medal for his efforts to improve and protect the rights of air sports and his long, dedicated and outstanding services to aviation.
Header image shows (left to right): Joonas Sjöroos received the Pilvenveikkot trophy, Matias Rautava, representative of Tervalentäjät ry, winner of the community series of the Airfield Competition, Jukka Helminen received the golden medal of merit, Esko Tilli received the Finnish Aviation Statue, Kim Toppari received the Harmon statue and Sara Salonen received the Plum trophy.
By Aika Hotta, Japan (Balloon pilot /Official PR, Tokyo Gakugei University)
From 14-16 March 2025, the 29th All Japan Inter-College Hot Air Balloon Championship took place in the Watarase area of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Organised by students from the Ibaraki University and two universities in Tokyo – Gakugei and the Metropolitan University International University of Health and Welfare – a total of 18 enthusiastic pilots (representing 12 universities) with varying experience gathered to compete in the tasks.
