FAI Sporting Code Section 1 Aerostats Amendment
No. 1/03.95
The record shall be the shortest time around the world in a single flight.
After the flight the pilot must choose:
1.A selection of position check points which need not be the same as those
which are selected to claim a distance record and need not conform to its
distance limits.
2.Two circular caps on the surface of the earth. The radius of each cap
must be 3335.85 km (30 degrees of great circle arc), and each cap must enclose
one of the poles, not necessarily at
its center.
3.A meridian which shall be the Start and Finish Line.
The position check points and the great circle arcs joining successive check
points must lie outside both circular caps, although parts of the flight
may pass inside. The track must cross all
meridians after crossing the Start line and before crossing the Finish line.
The start time is the time of the last check point at or before crossing
the start line, and the finish time is the time of the first check point
at or after crossing the finish line.
Definitions and Explanations
The radius of the earth is defined by the Sporting Code as 6371.0 km for
the purpose of converting angles to distances.
The Great Circle Distance between two points is the shortest arc of the
great circle passing through the two points.
A typical arrangement of requirements is shown in the diagram. The cap must
enclose the pole and the great circle arcs joining the check points pass
outside it. The actual track of the aerostat
must cut all meridians, but may pass inside the cap.
A check point is an identifiable point where it can be proved the balloon
passed over or through. If many check points are available, those used for
calculation may be selected according to
the rules to the applicant's best advantage.