HOW TO SET A RECORD
1. Look at the CATEGORIES AND RECORDS page to see what area you are interested in setting a World Record in. Contact the WAA to find out what the current record is. This can be done by e-mail or by checking the listing on the WAA Internet WORLD RECORDS page (under construction at this time). If your are attempting to set a record in new area that is not listed, contact the WAA to get approval for it.
2. Review and print out the forms neccessary for your record attempt. These forms are available on the WAA FORMS PAGE (see below). If you must, forms are available by e-mail or, last resort, by regular mail. Requests for forms by regular mail are charged $5, payable in advance. As you can see, we wish to avoid sending things out by regular mail. If you have an e-mail address, or know someone that does, we can send the forms to that address.
3. Complete the sanction form and send it with the sanction fee of $20 to the WAA.
4. Determine who your designated observers will be for your flight and contact the WAA with their names BEFORE the flight. Members of other aviation organizations or news organizations are eligible as designated observers. In the case of a city-to-city record between two airports with control towers, the tower personnel will usually certify the start and finish times (at least in the USA). In addition, a video tape of the flight (or critical portions of the flight) is required with pictures of the pilot, crew and designated observers included.
5."Go for it!" Make the flight.
6. Notify the WAA within seven (7) days that the flight was successful.
7. Send to the WAA within thirty days the completed forms detailing your flight with the $30 evaluation fee.
8. If your record is approved, a World Record Diploma (suitable for framing) will be sent to the pilot. Additional Diplomas are $10 each for each member of the crew. The pilot and crew are inducted into the World Aeronautics Hall of Fame and are listed in the WAA World Record Repository. The pilot also receives a one year membership in the Experimental Test Pilot Club.
Pilot, crew HOW TO FILE FOR A RECORD THAT HAS BEEN SET WITHOUT A SANCTION
It is possible to have a world record approved without having had a sanction first. This is available for those pilots who are able to fully document their world record attempts. Sometimes weather conditions may be so advantageous that the pilot will go ahead without a sanction. Or perhaps a record has already been set for a category that had not been created at the time of the attempt. Or the pilot just may not have bothered to get a sanction. In any event, a $20 Late Sanction Fee will be added to the other fees that are required. ($20 Sanction Fee + $30 Evaluation Fee + $20 Late Sanction Fee = $70)
To file for a record that has already been set without a sanction, contact the WAA stating what category your record attempt is in. If the category is approved by the WAA, then an authorization for the pilot to send all documentation of the record attempt along with the fees will be issued. After the documentation and fees are received by the WAA, an evaluation of whether or not the record attempt is a world record will be made.
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