by : Richard Meredith-Hardy

Could you fly around a 50 Km triangle at an average speed of 132 Km/h (71.2 Kts) in a microlight solo, or 10 Km/h in a paramotor? If you can then you could claim a World record.

From time to time pilots ring me up to say they have just done a World Record and how do they claim it? After a few simple questions it quickly becomes clear that they may indeed have done something of significance, but they have no chance of making a successful record claim. Why? Very simple: Because they haven't read the rules. 'What about a National record then?' They ask. 'It doesn't matter', I say, 'the rules are the same, for the simple reason that before a claim for a World record can be made it must have already been accepted as a National record, and if the rules were more lenient for National records then the situation could arise where a valid World claim might subsequently be denied for the simple reason that it did not beat a current National record'....

So, before you do anything, get a copy of the rules. The rules are set by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the world governing body for all things aeronautical. The rules for microlights, powered parachutes, paramotors and powered hang gliders are all embodied in the "FAI Sporting code for Microlights" which is a combination of FAI Section 10 and the General section. The 2000 editions are available from the FAI web site.

Both of these documents contain vital information about record attempts. Chapter 6 of the General section (3 pages) tells you about deadlines and how records should be administered. For records you should mostly be interested in Section 10, Chapters 1 (Definitions) and 3 (Records), and Annex 1, (more definitions).

Before you make your record attempt there are certain things you must do:

1. Get a FAI Licence for Microlight aircraft. If you have a Microlight pilot license or BMAA or BHPA foot-launched pilot rating and are a current BMAA or BHPA member they cost £5 for initial issue and the annual renewals are FREE! Get in touch with Lew Perring on 01494 483492 for further details.
2. Get your observers organised. Any record claim must have been overseen by a minimum of two BMAA or BHPA accredited observers. Lew Perring will supply you with a list of existing BMAA observers but you can also recruit your own. Virtually anyone who is reasonably sensible and a bona-fide third party (so not your Wife) can be accredited as a BMAA observer. It is preferred that they are BMAA members, and you might find it sensible to choose people who are familiar with microlights and their operation or they might not observe what you were hoping they would! Observer accreditation is FREE. Again, Lew Perring is the man to talk to. Observers should have a current copy of the "Observers Handbook" which outlines their duties and responsibilities. It is available from the BMAA office; tel. 01869 338888, E-Mail general@bmaa.org.

You are also strongly advised to discuss your proposed plans with the BMAA records representative before you make your record attempt. Richard Meredith-Hardy, Tel. 01462 834776, Email: rmh@flymicro.com

Before you make any record attempt you need to be sure what you are trying to beat. Check out the existing UK records, the existing World records, and any World record claims pending ratification. It would be daft indeed to go to all the trouble of attempting a record only to find that someone has already done better, or worse, that the record doesn't exist.

Most people think of records as the "speed over a recognised course", things like "Land's end to John O'Groats" or "London to Sydney", but unlike all other powered aeroplane categories these don't exist for Microlights. The only exception is a "Round the World" record, which will hopefully come into existence from Jan 2001. Neither do any of the more esoteric records such as "The greatest combined age of Pilot and Passenger" or anything "in an open cockpit" exist in any official form, though they are sometimes kept in an informal way by the BMAA.

The records that are available fall into three basic groups, Speed, Distance and Height. As from 1 Jan 2000, all available records are open to all types of Microlights, (PPG's were previously denied any speed records.). This means there are more than 200 different World records for Microlights. Check out section 10 or the FAI website for the details.

If you recall, World records have to be National records before they are accepted as a valid claim, and a National record can only be claimed in the country in which it was done. You cannot do a flight in France, for example, and claim a UK National record, your claim would have to go initially to the host country's Aero Club. This is likely of course, to make the whole process a lot more difficult, but it is not impossible, the UK Hang gliding and Paragliding fraternity frequently attempt and achieve World records abroad. It is also possible to claim records attempted during international flights. If you do intend to do either of these however, get advice from the BMAA records representative before you go. There are many extra questions which need to be asked, not least, "Is that country a current FAI member?", a surprising number fail to pay their subs to FAI and are therefore temporarily struck off the eligibility list!

So you've got your FAI license and your observers are raring to go. All you need now is the weather and you can attempt your record.... The flight itself might be simple (or not so simple - it depends on what you are attempting) but your claim will fail unless you have put some thought into preparing the paperwork. The key thing to remember is:

To succeed; your claim must be utterly and 100% convincing in every detail to someone you don't know, and doesn't know you, and whose job is to be highly sceptical, and indeed, in the case of a World record claim, is probably a foreigner.

This means your claim must answer every question that might be asked in great detail, from the simplest like:

• "Was the aircraft a microlight of the declared class - according to the FAI definition - at all times during the record attempt?" (answer, yes, because our claim includes observer endorsed evidence of the aircraft gross mass and photographs of the machine both before and after the attempt and a "minimum speed declaration".)
  To more complex record - specific questions like:
  
• "Was the distance flown measured as the length of the arc of the great circle at sea level?" (Answer: yes, because we did not measure our claimed distance flown on a map, but include evidence proving the distance according to the FAI approved mathematical formula)
  or
  
• "Was the route on this closed - circuit course pre-declared?" (Answer: Yes, because our claim includes a paper with this declaration, dated, timed and countersigned by the official observers.)
  or
  
• "How do we know this barograph record is accurate?" (Answer, because the official observers noted the barograph serial number on the trace, dated, timed and countersigned it, and our evidence includes a valid calibration certificate and an observer's note that it was properly sealed before the attempt and was still sealed after the attempt.)

.... And so on. In fact anybody who has successfully made a record claim will tell you that it is the paperwork that is the difficult bit, not the flying, and time is not on your side: If you intend to claim a World record, a written preliminary claim from the Aero club of the country where the record was attempted must be received by FAI HQ in Switzerland within 7 days of the attempt. Thereafter the record must be accepted as a National record within 90 days, and the full dossier received by FAI within 120 days.

So how can you make it easy for yourself? Back in 1991 I did no less than 3 World record attempts in a day. What I did was read the rules very carefully and made up a series of forms for the observers. As far as I can remember there were 10 or 12 forms per attempt, which took the observers sequentially through all the requirements for each particular record and ensured nothing vital was forgotten in the heat of the moment. As each form was completed it was countersigned by each observer as a true record of events. This was later collated together with the barograph trace, maps, photos and other evidence and submitted in the full claim.

As a result I now have a nice "Diplome de Record" certificate on the wall signed by the Secretary General of the FAI and Prince Andrew, President of the Royal Aero Club. Amazingly, all of my three World records still stand.

Anyone care to beat them?