A long overdue awards presentation was made by IAC President Mike Heuer at the US Nationals on Wednesday, September 24th. This was the presentation of the CIVA Gold Medal to John Morrissey.
John was the winner of the Known program at the 1997 World Advanced Aerobatic Championships in Lawrence, Kansas and was one of the first Americans to participate in WAAC in 1995 (then called the AWAC). At that time, CIVA did not award medals in the Known (then called the “Q”) as the results did not count. Later, however, those rules were changed so the Known would count if only two flights were flown due to weather delays.
About that time, the rules were also changed to always award Medals for the Known -- no matter what. Under current rules, it now always counts. Thus, the winners in 1997 did not get Medals that later winners did receive and this was something that America’s CIVA Delegate Mike Heuer felt should be corrected.
After working for a long time on this project, Mike Heuer presented the medals proposal to the CIVA Bureau in person at a meeting last year and they agreed in November 2013 that the Medals should be awarded. Silver and Bronze medals were also to be presented.
The Gold Medal with FAI Diploma arrived in the USA some months ago but it was only at the Nationals that a personal presentation of the Medal to John could be made. It was done at an Advanced pilot briefing where he could be recognized by his peers and some of the people he has trained over the years. Over 150 pilots have perfected their competition skills under his tutelage and he was the winner of the Robert L. Heuer Judging Award last year.
Congratulations to John for this long overdue award. John is shown at left below with this prestigious medal around his neck. He is one of America’s finest aerobatic pilots, a valued and proven coach, and a great promoter of aerobatics.
