An
air speed record is the highest
airspeed attained by an
aircraft of a particular class. The rules for all official aviation records are defined by
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which also ratifies any claims. Speed records are divided into multiple classes with sub-divisions. There are three classes of aircraft: landplanes,
seaplanes, and
amphibians; then within these classes, there are records for aircraft in a number of weight categories. There are still further sub-divisions for piston-engined,
turbojet,
turboprop, and rocket-engined aircraft. Within each of these groups, records are defined for speed over a straight course and for closed circuits of various sizes carrying various payloads.