Air sports

Range of aerial activities

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Air Sports

T-6 Gold Start passing the finish pylon at the 2014 Reno Air Races

Highest governing body| Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Characteristics
Contact| No
Mixed-sex| Yes
Type| Outdoor recreation
Presence
Country or region| Worldwide
Olympic| No
Paralympic| No
World Games| 1997–2021

The term "air sports" covers a range of aerial activities, including air racing, aerobatics, aeromodelling, hang gliding, human-powered aircraft, parachuting, paragliding, soaring, and skydiving.[1]

## Recognized and regulated air sports

[edit]

Hang gliding

Many air sports are regulated internationally by the Switzerland-based Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and nationally by aero clubs such as the National Aeronautics Association (NAA)[2] and the Royal Aero Club (RAeC). The FAI has separate commissions for each air sport. For example, the commission for ballooning is the Commission Internationale de l'Aérostation (CIA) and Federation of International Dronesoccer Association (FIDA).[3][4][5]

Sports within the categories of air sports and their respective commissions are as follows:[1][6][7]

### Motorized

[edit]

* Aerobatics (CIVA)
* Aeromodelling (CIAM)
* Air racing (GAC)
* Drone racing (CIAM)
* Dronesoccer (FIDA)
* Flyboarding
* Powered hang gliding (CIMA)
* Powered paragliding (CIMA)
* Rally flying (GAC)
* Rotorcraft (CIG)
* Ultralight aviation[a] (CIMA)

### Wind/Gliding

[edit]

* Ballooning (CIA)
* Cluster ballooning
* Hopper ballooning
* Canopy piloting (ISC)
* Gliding[b] (IGC)
* Hang gliding[10] (CIVL)
* Human-powered flying (CIACA)
* Kiteboarding/kitesurfing
* Kiting
* Kite fighting
* Paragliding (CIVL)

### Gravity

[edit]

* BASE jumping
* Cliff jumping
* Bodyflight
* Bungee jumping
* High diving
* Parachuting/skydiving (ISC)
* Banzai skydiving
* Skysurfing
* Trapeze
* Wingsuit flying (ISC)

## Other activities

[edit]

Other aerial activities not governed by the FAI rules:

* Rocket Racing League (an attempt to create a new air sport)[11]

## Competitions

[edit]

* FIDA World Championship[12]

* Reno Air Races
* FAI World Grand Prix
* World Air Games

## See also

[edit]

* Lawn chair Larry
* Airsport, a Czech aircraft manufacturer

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ "Ultralight aircraft provide a new form of air sport and of leisure activity open to all."[8]
2. ^ "Sailplane soaring is both a safe and widely accessible new air sport."[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Air Sports". topendsports.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
2. ^ "Air Sports - NAA: National Aeronautic Association". naa.aero. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
3. ^ "Dronesoccer". Federation of International Dronesoccer Association. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
4. ^ "FAI Ballooning Commission (CIA)". fai.org. 2 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
5. ^ Levinson, D.; Christensen, K. (1996). Encyclopedia of World Sport: Acrobatics to gymnastics. Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient Times to the Present. ABC-CLIO. p. 71\. ISBN 978-0-87436-819-2. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
6. ^ "List of Air Sports A-Z". rookieroad.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
7. ^ "World Air Sports Federation". fai.org. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
8. ^ Official Journal of the European Communities: Information and notices. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 1983. p. 288-3. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
9. ^ "The Rotarian". The Rotarian. Rotary International: 28. November 1976. ISSN 0035-838X. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
10. ^ Technical Soaring. 21–22\. Soaring Society of America: 53. 1997. ISSN 0744-8996 https://books.google.com/books?id=NzxWAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 21 October 2021. `{{cite journal}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
11. ^ Richards, Rashna Wadia (20 May 2021). ""This Isn't Some TV Show, Okay?"". Cinematic TV. Oxford University Press: 154–195\. doi:10.1093/oso/9780190071257.003.0005. ISBN 978-0-19-007125-7. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
12. ^ "Drone soccer scores big at 2024 Korea Drone Expo". YouTube. 9 May 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air sports.

* Federation of International Dronesoccer Association (FIDA)
* Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)
* National Aeronautic Association (NAA)

* v
* t
* e

Sports of the World Games program

Artistic and dance sports|

* Artistic roller skating
* Dancesport
* Gymnastics
* Acrobatic gymnastics
* Aerobic gymnastics
* Parkour
* Rhythmic gymnastics
* Trampolining
* Tumbling

Ball sports|

* Beach handball
* Canoe polo
* Fistball
* Floorball
* Inline hockey
* Korfball
* Lacrosse (women)
* Racquetball
* Softball
* Squash

Martial arts|

* Ju-jitsu
* Karate
* Kickboxing
* Muaythai
* Sumo

Precision sports|

* Archery
* Billiards sports
* Boules sports
* Bowling

Strength sports|

* Powerlifting
* Tug of war

Trend sports|

* Air sports
* Parachuting
* Canoe marathon
* Finswimming
* Flying disc
* Lifesaving
* Orienteering
* Speed roller skating
* Road
* Track
* Competition climbing
* Water skiing
* Wakeboarding

Past official sports|

* Badminton
* Baseball
* Beach volleyball
* Bodybuilding
* Casting
* Indoor cycling
* Netball
* Roller hockey
* Rugby sevens
* Sambo
* Taekwondo
* Triathlon
* Weightlifting (women)

Invitational sports|

* Duathlon
* Flag football
* Lacrosse (men)
* Wheelchair rugby
* Wushu

* Sports at the World Games
* International World Games Association

Authority control databases

National|

* Germany
* Czech Republic

Other|

* Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine
* Yale LUX

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