FAI Announces Awards

This past week, the FAI head office in Lausanne, Switzerland announced the recipients of major FAI awards for 2011. These prestigious medals and diplomas will be presented at the FAI General Conference on Thursday, 18 October 2012, at the Topkapi Palace Hotel, Antalya, Turkey.  Three members of CIVA's international aerobatics community were honored.

Recipient of the FAI Silver Medal - Osmo Jalovaara of Finland

The Medal is reserved for persons who have occupied high office in FAI or in an aeronautical organization in one of its member countries, and in the discharge of their duties have shown exceptional powers of leadership and influence, to the benefit of the whole international air sport community.

Osmo Jalovaara is a former Vice President of CIVA, CIVA Delegate of Finland, and a current member of the newly-formed CIVA President’s Council. His sport aviation career began in 1954 and he previously served as Vice Chairman of the Finnish Aeronautical Association, a member of FAI, and President of the Aerobatic Club of Finland.

In the international arena, he served as Delegate of Finland not only to CIVA but to CIEA as well (the FAI’s Education Commission) and has been deeply committed to youth involvement in aviation all his career. He also served as a member of FAI’s Business Development Committee. As Vice President of CIVA and a member of the Bureau, his advice and counsel has always been valued due to his extensive experience in business and diplomacy.

Not only a pilot, Mr. Jalovaara served as an official in 26 FAI First Category events and many Nordic and national championships. He was one of the 17 founding members of the Aerobatic Club of Finland in 1986 and was pivotal in making Finnish aerobatics international.

His awards include the Finnish Ministry of Education Merit Cross of Sports, the Gold Medal of the Finnish Aeronautical Association, and the FAI’s Paul Tissandier Diploma.

Recipient of the Sabiha Gökcen Medal – Elena Klimovich of Russia

The Medal is reserved for the woman who performs the most outstanding achievement in any air sport in the previous year.

Elena Klimovich currently serves as Russia’s Delegate to CIVA. She has been engaged in aerobatics since 1978. The list of her accomplishments in aerobatic competition is a very long one and include Overall Women’s World Aerobatic Champion (2009); Overall Women’s European Aerobatic Champion (2010); and various Champion titles in the USSR and Russia. She has also received numerous team medals as a member of the Russian National Team participating in World and Continental Championships. She is an Honored Master of Sports of Russia in aerobatics.

In addition to her flying awards, she was presented the FAI’s Paul Tissandier Diploma in 1992 and several State and Departmental Awards in her home country.

Recipient of the Paul Tissandier Diploma – Oleg Shpolyansky

This Diploma, established by the FAI in 1952, is named after Mr Paul Tissandier, Secretary General of FAI from 1919 to 1945. It may be awarded to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular, by their work, initiative, devotion, or in other ways.

A graduate of the Tula Polytechnical Institute in 1989 and the Kaluga flying and technical school in 1998, Mr. Shpolyansky was Overall Champion of Russia in aerobatics in 1991, 1992, 2003, and 2007. He has also won medals in various European Championships in both powered and glider aerobatics and as a member of the winning Russian Team at these competitions. He is very active in bringing young people into air sports activity in Russia.

Our congratulations to these fine people from the international aerobatics community!