Aeronautical sport is a sport that combines flights in various types of lighter-than-air craft (air balloons, stratostats, airships) with setting record-breaking results in distance, altitude and duration.
The founding of the Society for Aeronautics in 1874 in France is considered the beginning of aeronautical sport. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, flying clubs were established to bring together aeronautical athletes, with the Imperial All-Russian Flying Club in St. Petersburg being one of these.
In December of 1989, Balloon Federation of the USSR was established, succeeded by the Hot Air Ballooning Federation of Russia (since January of 1992, a collective member of the National Aero Club of Russia, and since February of 2001, a collective member of the Russian Air Sports Federation). It represents Russian balloonists on the Ballooning Commission of the World Air Sports Federation - the highest governing body uniting balloon pilots worldwide. Since 1993, the Russian Hot Air Ballooning Championships have been held (since 1996, in the city of Velikie Luki). The promotion and development of ballooning in Russia is supported by traditional International Ballooning Festivals held in the North Caucasus, Kaluga, and Moscow.
The postage stamp provides an image of hot air balloons.
| Paper |
Printing method |
Format of the envelope |
| Envelope paper |
Offset |
114 × 162 mm |