The FAI Gliding Commission (formerly known as the 'International Gliding Commission' (IGC)^[1] is a division of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)^[2], or "International Aeronautics Federation," the world record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. The Gliding Commission is the body within the FAI responsible for all international aspects of air sports involving gliders and motor gliders. It does not cover hang gliders and paragliders, which belong to the CIVL,^[3] which stands for "Commission Internationale de Vol Libre," the Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission of FAI. A further exception is the sport of glider aerobatics, which is handled together with powered aerobatics by the FAI Aerobatics Commission CIVA,^[4] which stands for "Commission Internationale de Voltige Aerienne."^[1] The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is a standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. ... Six F-16 Fighting Falcons with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team fly in delta formation in front of the Empire State Building. ... Astronautics is the branch of engineering that deals with machines designed to work outside of Earths atmosphere, whether manned or unmanned. ... Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ... Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ... Paragliding (known in some countries as parapenting) is a recreational and competitive sport that is best described as a hybrid of hang gliding and parachuting. ... Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... The Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force, flying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, England, in 2005 The UK Utterly Butterly display team perform an aerobatic maneuvre with their Boeing Stearmans Red Arrows Hawks in Concorde formation Aerobatics is the demonstration of flying maneuvers for recreation...

GNSS Flight Recorders

With the advent of satellite navigation equipment at an affordable price, the Commission developed a Technical Specification ^[5] for approved Flight Recorders. The flight recorders provide precise evidence of position for gliding competitions, world records, and FAI awards, without using either ground-based observers or photography. The recorders include a pressure altitude sensor and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver.^[6] GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite System In 1994 in a meeting of the ECAC, a satellite strategy was approved, with as targets: - firstly developing items for an European supplement on the current satellite systems, now called GNSS-1 - secondly designing and defining future satellite systems for civil use (called GNSS-2...

GNSS and pressure altitude data is recorded in the form of regular fixes stored in non-volatile memory inside the logger. Most approved GNSS recorders are units which integrate the GPS and other functions all in one sealed case. The pressure altitude system in an approved recorder has the same function as a barograph. The GNSS data replaces the need for photography to document reaching turnpoints. Non-volatile memory, or non-volatile storage, is computer memory that can retain the stored information even when not powered. ... A barograph is a recording aneroid barometer. ...

The Commission set up a "GNSS FR Approval Committee" (GFAC) to test recorders for their suitability for documenting badge and record flights according to the Commission's rules. To be approved, the recorder must apply a security code to the data file using Public key infrastructure to ensure that the data file cannot be altered without detection. This allows the data to be used for documenting flight performances up to and including world records. In cryptography, a public key infrastructure (PKI) is an arrangement that provides for trusted third party vetting of, and vouching for, user identities. ...

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