Representatives of the 13 FAI Air Sports Commissions combined work with pleasure on their recent trip to the stunning venues chosen for the FAI World Air Games 2020 in Turkey.

Led by FAI Sports and Events Director Markus Haggeney, and hosted by Turkish Aeronautical Association Türk Hava Kurumu, the trip started in the cosmopolitan Turkish capital of Ankara.

The objectives were to introduce the delegates to THK officials, visit the proposed venues, and start looking into how to ensure the successful management of the games.

In other words, it was the first step on the road to building the WAG2020 team!

Visiting the venues

On arrival in Ankara, delegates visited a number of the city’s most fascinating sites, including the Hippodrome, which will be the venue for the Opening Ceremony of the FAI World Air Games in early September 2020.

The next stop on their itinerary was Eskişehir, which is where the drone and aeromodelling competitions will be held, followed by Efes – the location chosen for both the freestyle canopy piloting and the ballooning events.

Here, they also enjoyed a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is sure to prove a hit with all those who travel to Turkey for the FAI World Air Games.

Then it was on to Honaz/Denizli, home to another skydiving venue, and Fethiye, from where the delegates were able to take in Pamukkale, another UNESCO World Heritage site.

The trip rounded off with a visit to Ölüdeniz/Fethiye on the southwest coast, where the paragliding and hang gliding, and some paramotoring and microlighting events will take place, before finishing in the popular resort of Antalya.

The Antalya Karain airfield will be the location for a number of competitions, including rotorcraft and aerobatics.

Antalya will also be the venue for the Closing Ceremony of the games, which will take place sometime in mid-September according to the current schedule.

Between them, these great cities and resorts will make a glorious backdrop to what is shaping up to be a fantastic FAI World Air Games.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Photo credit: Türk Hava Kurumu