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Old December 30th 19, 06:04 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Jan R
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Posts: 8
Default FAI ratifies records of illegal flights.

Op 12/28/2019 om 19:43 schreef krasw:
On Saturday, 28 December 2019 18:56:03 UTC+2, Jip wrote:

A few years ago, the Dutch NAC told me that he was claiming a records
for somebody who flew with a speed of 146 kmh. I checked the minimum
performance list of the FAI for Africa and saw that the minimum
performance was set on 152 kmh for that record. Claiming a regional
record costs about 160 dollars, so I informed the Dutch NAC on this
point. What do you think what happened? The Dutch NAC claimed the record
and the pilot got it from the FAI. So I asked the FAI what the minimum
performance list was for. Then, the record was withdrawn. That's why I
am not so impressed by all the NAC's FAI's etc. that "carefully" check
record claims.


Surely there cannot be anything more stupid than setting a minimum threshold for a record category? Worst possible scenario would be that someone flies a record "not worthy enough", followed by some other one who tries to better it. I mean worst scenario: several pilots try to fly record flight. What a nightmare.

When I got the chance, I removed all these minumum thresholds from our national records and after that we had a surge of record attempts. One by one these records exceeded the old minimas. We have had more record flights in last 5 years than previous 30 years.


You may have a point.
The minimum performance list I'm talking about was written on another
basis than the lists that you mean.
Before the regional records were introduced around 2011, there were of
course already several records flown before that time.
National records, and even world records.
The FAI did not want to have regional records with a lower speed than
the the speed of (previous) world records or National records that were
flown in that region, before the regional records existed.
That's why the minimum performance list was created.