FAI World Air Games

The FAI World Air Games Dubai 2015 was the biggest multi-air sports competition ever organised. From 1 to 12 December, 951 athletes from 52 countries competed for the much sought-after title of FAI World Air Games Champion. Eleven sports were in the competition programme: Aerobatics, Aeromodelling, Aerostats, Amateur-Built Aircraft, General Aviation, Gliding, Microlights, Paramotors, Parachuting, Paragliding and Rotorcraft. Never before were so many athletes from so many air sports given a stage to display their talents.

The Symposium on Medical Challenges in Extreme Air Sports and in Aviation, a side-event at the Games, attracted world-leading health and aviation experts on 4 and 5 December.

The Emirates Aerosports Federation, since being awarded the Games in June 2014, put great effort into making this event an unforgettable success, in close collaboration with FAI and its community of volunteers.

CELEBRATION OF AIR SPORTS

Great care was given to the format of the competitions. The objective was to present all the sports at their best, in a way that would equally satisfy the athletes and the spectators, while ensuring they be adapted to the special flying conditions of the desert and over water. The Glider Match Racing event was created especially for the Games. Staying in view of the public located at the venue, identical gliders competed against each other in an exciting oneto-one regatta-style competition.

AIR SPORTS IN THE CITY

Another particular feature of these Games, beyond their exceptionally large scale, is that they brought air sports to the people, as all the six venues were only a short distance from Dubai and its over two million inhabitants.

The main competition venue was Skydive Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Its location on a strip of land reclaimed from the sea at the edge of the city allowed the various activities of the Games to be visible to anyone living or working in the high-rise buildings of the area. Another field of play was the ice rink of the Dubai Mall, where the Indoor Aeromodelling event took place. Its wide open space at the heart of what is one of the world’s busiest shopping centres gave the opportunity to the many passers-by to discover and enjoy the skilled manoeuvres of the model aircraft flying to the sound of music.

A GLOBAL IMPACT AND A LASTING LEGACY

Sharing the host’s concern to make the Games a global event, the Federation participated in ensuring international coverage, whether it be on TV, press or social media. The positive response to the communication efforts proved once again the great potential for air sports. The success of the Games in Dubai and their worldwide impact were also crucial for the Federation in the longterm. Building upon this success, FAI now looks to the future of the FAI World Air Games optimistically.