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The FAI Aeromodelling Gold Medal

This Medal, established in 1987, may be awarded annually on recommendation by the FAI Aeromodelling Commission to an aeromodeller of an FAI member for outstanding merit in organization activities. The recipient shall have fulfilled at least twice the function of Competition Director or a similar function at World or Continental Championships, or fulfilled at least three times the function of an FAI jury member at World or Continental Championships, or fulfilled at least five times the function of a judge or a similar function at World or Continental Championships, or served at least three years as a delegate to the FAI Aeromodelling Commission, or served another function therein, or shown outstanding merits in developing aeromodelling by organizational activities.
 
year recipient
2009 Jiri HAVEL (Czech Rep.)
FAI Competition Director at World or Continental Championships - EC Scale 1999 Vodochody, Czech Republic - WC F3D 2003 Melnik, Czech Republic FAI Jury Member at World or Continental Championships : Mr Jiri Havel has been Member of the FAI International Jury at 5 FAI World and Continental Championships. NAC delegate to FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) or another function within CIAM : - Since 1975 continuously member of CIAM F3A S/C till now - total 30 years! Shown outstanding merits in developing aeromodelling by organisational activities: Starting from 1974 active international F3A judge who was nominated on 4 World Champs and 9 European Champs. For many years he is passing over his judging experiences to the new judges and he is publishing articles and manuals for judging. Beside of it he was and still is active in several functions in Czech Association of Aero-modelers.
 
2008 Alexander ("Sandy") PIMENOFF (Finland)
FAI Competition Director at World or Continental Championships - WC Free Flight 1965 Kauhava, Finland - WC Control Line 1968 Helsinki, Finland - WC Control Line 1972 Helsinki, Finland
FAI Jury Member at World or Continental Championships : - Mr Sandy Pimenoff has been President or Member of the FAI International Jury at more than 40 FAI World and Continental Championships. NAC delegate to FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) or another function within CIAM : - From 1962 to 1967 the Finnish delegate to CIAM and Chariman of CiAM Free Flight Technical sub-committee Shown outstanding merits in developing aeromodelling by organisational activities: - Sandy Pimenoff was CIAM Vice-President from 1965 to 1967, after that he was CIAM President 40 years, from 1967 to 2007. FAI CIAM Expert for aeromodelling events at the first World Air Games in Turkey in September 1997. He was awarded a Paul Tissandier Diploma for 1977, FAI Bronze Medal for 1986 and the FAI Gold Medal for 1996.
 
2007 Narve JENSEN (Norway)
FAI Jury member at World or Continental Championships: - WC Scale -1986 - Oslo, Norway, - WC Scale - 1996 - P�rigueux, France, - EC Scale - 1997 - Suceava, Romania, - WC Scale - 1998 - Pretoria, South Africa, - EC Scale - 1999 - Vodochody, Czech Republic,
- WC Scale - 2000 - Interlaken, Switzerland, - EC Scale - 2001 - Wloclawek, Poland, - WC Scale - 2002 - Tillsonburg, Canada, - EC Scale - 2003 - Gras, Austria, - WC Scale - 2004 - Deblin, Poland, - EC Scale - 2005 - Pombal, Portugal, - WC Scale - 2006 - Norrkoeping, Sweden. Judge or similar function at World or Continental Championships : - WC Scale- 1992 - Muncie, USA. - EC Scale - 1993 - Lappenranta, Finland. - WC Scale - 1994 -Arnhem, The Netherlands. - EC Scale - 1995 - Deblin, Poland. NAC delegate to FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) or another function within CIAM : - Norwegian Delegate to CIAM since 1973 for 34 years and still today. Chairman of the Scale Subcommittee since 1995 up to the present day. Shown outstanding merits in developing aeromodelling by organisational activities: - Was the elected President of the Modelling Section of the Norwegian Aero Club for 19 consecutive years 1977 -1996. - Also founded and was the publishing Editor of the national Modelling magazine for 18 years 1978 - 1996 and is still the editor of the scale section of the magazine today.
 
2006 Antonis PAPADOPOULOS (Greece)
Competition Director of the F3J World Championships in July 2000 at Corfu and NAC Delegate to FAI Aeromodelling Commission: from 1985 till today, Antonis Papadopoulos has shown outstanding merits in developing aeromodelling through his organisational activities: Head of the Aeromodelling Division in Greece from 1988, he has been Contest Director of more than 200 National events, and has organized many aeromodelling educational seminars in Greece and Cyprus.
 
2005 Matti JYLLILÄ (Finland)
The Aeromodelling Gold Medal is awarded to Matti Jyllil� for his outstanding merit in organisational activities, and in particular for having served as Judge at no less than 17 World and Continental Championships and as Alternate Delegate and Delegate of Finland for 28 years.
 
2004 Lawrence BARR (United Kingdom)
This person is a specialist in organizing aeromodelling championships in the indoor duration discipline, F1D. He organized highly successful World Championships 4 times between 1972 and 1986, and in early 2002, was instrumental in obtaining use of the �Millennium Dome� in London for indoor flyers. Access to this facility has provided a great boost to high-ceiling indoor duration flying for competitors from many countries. The 2003 European F1 D Championships were held there at very short notice, and thanks to his intervention and personal commitment, teams from 15 nations enjoyed an excellent contest. His actions have revitalized the European F1D Championship tradition and greatly contributed to the continuing stability and development of this aeromodelIing class. Medal no XVI
 
2003 Tomas BARTOVSKY (Czech Rep.)
The Aeromodelling Gold Medal is awarded to Tomas Bartovsky for his outstanding merit in organisational activities, and in particular for having served as Jury President at no less than 9 World and Continental Championships, and Jury Member at another 10, as well as serving for over 10 years as Chairman of the CIAM FAI RC Soaring Subcommittee. Medal no XV
 
2002 Frank ZAIC (USA)
Frank Zaic was already famous among Free Flight model airplane enthusiasts long before the concept of forming an Academy of Model Aeronautics came into being in America. He was famous both in America and in Europe. He founded �JASCO� company, Junior Aeronautical Supplies Company, offering products and pieces for Indoor and Outdoor modelers to build their own airplanes. In addition, he published Junior Aeronautics Year Books beginning in 1934. His yearbooks explained slow flight aerodynamics and contained many 3-view plans. The National Aeronautic Association, NAA, was hosting a Nationals each year and keeping records. It began encouraging the modelers to run their own business. Concerned flyers thus began considering forming an independent organization with self-government and keeping their own records. Zaic handed out the first issue of Model Aviation magazine as Editor and Publisher in 1934, a 16-page jewel containing, among other things, a Statement Of Purpose of the proposed new American Academy of Model Aeronautics. It was a big hit among the flyers. Frank Zaic became an AMA Executive Committee member. The NAA invited the new officers and organizers of AAMA to a meeting in New York to re-form under the NAA Chapter Plan and become a Division of NAA. There was no money in the AAMA treasury, so the officials had to pay their own way to the meeting. Six showed up. NAA President Enyart offered a 13-point draft agreement, which was carefully reviewed and modified. Then AAMA President Brown signed, together with Zaic, representing the Executive Committee, and representatives of AAMA�s membership. Enyart signed for NAA. Thus was the American Academy of Model Aeronautics born as an NAA Division. The arrangement worked well. Later the name of the new group was shortened to the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Frank Zaic�s contributions and enormous influence to the embryo AAMA cannot be over emphasized. He and Alden hatched out the Model Aviation magazine. He and Alden named the new organization. It is fair to say he led his wide following modelers into a new venture in model airplane history. He is a true pioneer in the organisation of world aeromodelling. Medal no XIV
 
2001 Srdjan PELAGIC (Yugoslavia)
Medal no XIII
 
2000 Dr. Helmut K. ZIEGLER (Switzerland)
Medal no XII
 
1999 Radoslav CIZEK (Czechoslovakia)
Medal no XI
 
1998 A.L. "Tony" AARTS (Netherlands)
Medal no X
 
1997 Ian KAYNES (United Kingdom)
Medal no IX
 
1996 Huang YONGLIANG (China (People's Republic of))
Medal no VIII
 
1995 Pawel WLODARCZYK (Poland)
Medal no VII
 
1994 Vernon HUNT (United Kingdom)
Medal no VI
 
1993 Otakar SAFFEK (Czech Rep.)
Medal no V
 
1992 Karlis PLOCINS (Latvia)
Medal no IV
 
1991 Pierre CHAUSSEBOURG (France)
Medal no III
 
1990 not awarded
1989 Howard R. KHUN (USA)
Medal no II
 
1988 Peter FREEBREY (United Kingdom)
Medal no I
 
1987 not awarded