By Taylor Mershon, Editor, IAC 442603
IAC Achievement Awards: Celebrating Dedication & Skill in Aerobatics
The International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Achievement Awards program, conceived in 1970 by then-IAC President Verne Jobst, serves as a prestigious recognition of proficiency in aerobatic flight. Jobst, a seasoned glider pilot, envisioned the program as an equivalent to the popular soaring badges of his day, aiming to encourage and acknowledge the development of aerobatic skills. The program emphasizes the importance of coaching and mentoring for safely advancing aerobatic abilities.
Program Structure and Participation
The Achievement Awards are structured into distinct categories, each represented by a different color, featuring both Smooth Awards and Stars Awards, with stars appearing in the concentric circle design. These awards are available for both powered aircraft and gliders across various proficiency levels: Primary, Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, and Unlimited.
How to Participate:
Smooth Awards are earned by performing prescribed figures in a non-contest environment. There are two methods for qualification:
◦ Method A (Ground-based Judging): Figures are judged by an IAC judge from the ground, often at a critique day. Each figure must be scored better than 5.0 on a 0.0 to 10.0 scale to qualify.
◦ Method B (In-Aircraft Grading): Figures are 'scored' by a 'Grading Observer' from inside the aircraft. The observer determines if the figure would have "Qualified" as a 5.0 or better as if observed from the ground. This method is only permitted for Primary, Sportsman, and Intermediate Smooth Awards. The 'Grading Observer' must be a current IAC member and possess an Achievement Award (Smooth or Star) that is at least one level higher than the one being sought. The previous requirement for the observer to hold an FAA CFI rating was removed to streamline the process.
• Stars Awards must be earned while actively flying competition aerobatics at an IAC sanctioned contest.
Beyond individual level awards, the program also recognizes cumulative achievements such as the "All Five" award for earning all five Power Smooth Awards, and the "ALL Ten" award for achieving all five Power Smooth and all five Power Star Awards. Special recognitions include the Mastery of Flight and the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was rolled out in early 2023, recognizing pilots who have flown 70, 90, or 110+ contests.
2025 Smooth and Stars Achievement Award Winners
The following individuals have been recognized for their achievements in the 2025 Achievement Awards program, earning various Smooth and Stars accolades in the first half of the year:
Smooth Awards:
• Primary - Smooth:
◦ Christopher Fussner [#1299]
◦ Don Henry [#1300]
◦ Chloe le Lievre [#1301]
◦ Anna Maronick [#1302]
◦ Josh Sittler [#1303]
◦ Chad Romney [#1304]
◦ Flore Rulleau [#1305]
• Sportsman - Smooth:
◦ Justin Miller [#986]
◦ Christopher Fussner [#987]
◦ Julian Campillo [#988]
◦ Alexander Ponomarev [#989]
◦ Carter Evans [#990]
◦ Josh Sittler [#991]
• Intermediate - Smooth:
◦ Justin Miller [#1626]
◦ Josh Sittler [#1629]
Stars Awards:
• Primary - Stars:
◦ Louise Franco [#812]
◦ Jonathan Griffith [#813]
◦ Martin Michaelis [#814]
◦ Dillon Johnson [#815]
◦ Gavin Henderson [#816]
◦ Chris Kleinhenz [#817]
◦ Ann Story [#1306]
• Sportsman - Stars:
◦ Jennifer Watson [#1625]
◦ Justin Miller [#540]
◦ Julian Campillo [#1627]
◦ Alexander Ponomarev [#1626]
◦ Carter Evans [#1628]
◦ Philippe Sabbagh [#1630]
◦ Josh Sittler [#541]
◦ Martin Michaelis [#1631]
◦ Chris Kleinhenz [#1632]
• Intermediate - Stars:
◦ Joe McMurray [#777]
◦ Chris Kleinhenz [#778]
• Advanced - Stars:
◦ Josh Horwich [#352]
Glider Stars Awards:
• Glider Primary - Stars:
◦ Katherine Daley [#4]
◦ George Fish [#5]
◦ Brennan Hughes [#6]
◦ Amelia Anderson [#7]
◦ Victoria Thom [#8]
• Glider Sportsman - Stars:
◦ Robin A Simmons [#40]
◦ Payton Nunn [#41]
◦ Daniel Russell [#42]
• Glider Advanced - Stars:
◦ Shad Coulson [#7]
◦ Dave Watson [#8]
2024 Annual Aerobatic Dedication Award Winner
The recipient of the 2024 Annual Aerobatic Dedication Award is Ekaterina "Kat" Volkova.
- Her dedication to the sport is evident in her participation in seven contests in 2024:
• 2024 Mark Fullerton Memorial Bear Creek Bash!
• 2024 AKROFEST West Open Championships
• U.S. National Championships
• Apple Turnover
• NorCal Aerobatic Contest
• The Hammerhead Round up - Power
• Snowbird Classic in memory of Nikolay Timofeev
The IAC continues to encourage members to participate in the Achievement Awards program, recognizing their dedication and skill as they advance safely in the exciting world of aerobatics. To learn more about the Achievement Awards program and to see these winners listed in each of their respective categories' Award Winners' Lists, go to the Achievement Awards Program main page on the IAC website by clicking HERE.
