The CIAM Legends Medal has been introduced to honour the remarkable pilots who have won the title of FAI World Champion in any Aeromodelling or Spacemodelling Competition at least three times.

Public recognition to inspire future generations

The CIAM Legends Medal, established by the FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) in 2022, will be presented for the first time this year. This significant award aims to acknowledge the exceptional contributions of the most skilled aeromodellers and spacemodellers. It also seeks to recognise these individuals as icons of their sport for all aspiring pilots, who demonstrate the hard work, dedication, and passion required to achieve greatness in air sports.

Who is eligible to become a CIAM Legend?

To be eligible for the CIAM Legends Medal, a pilot must have obtained at least three World Champion titles in any Aeromodelling or Space Models class. The World Champion title may be gained in different classes. The award is reserved for individuals only and can only be attributed once.

The first recipients

In 2023, the inaugural year, the CIAM Legends Medal will be awarded to 59 individuals, as CIAM have searched through the archives to analyse results from almost 800 World Championships in different classes, starting from 1951.

The United States currently boasts the most medal recipients, with ten individuals receiving the award. The pilots with the most world championship titles are Andreas Lüthi from Switzerland and Christophe Paysant-Le Roux from France, both with nine titles each. They are both currently active pilots. Paysant Le Roux earned his first title in 1999 and his ninth title at the 2019 FAI F3A World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft in Italy. Lüthi won his first title in 2000 and his ninth at the 2022 FAI F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft in Norway.

FAI Medals and diplomas

The CIAM Legends Medal has been added to FAI’s list of prestigious medals and diplomas. These awards are intended to acknowledge individuals who have made valuable contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, specifically in the realm of sporting aviation. The awards ceremony takes place annually at the FAI General Conference's Opening Ceremony. This year's Conference is scheduled to take place in Dayton, Ohio, USA on 26 and 27 October.

Recipients

Sorted by National Airsport Control (NAC)

WORLD CHAMPIONS	NAC	YEAR	CLASS	WORLD CHAMPIONS F2C MECHANIC - F3D / F3E CALLER
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2001	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2003	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2005	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2011	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2013	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
CALLOW Chris	AUS	2019	F3D	CALLOW Kevin
BRUCKMANN Gernot	AUT	2013	F3P
BRUCKMANN Gernot	AUT	2015	F3P
BRUCKMANN Gernot	AUT	2017	F3P
BRUCKMANN Gernot	AUT	2019	F3P
BRUCKMANN Gernot	AUT	2023	F3P
FREUDENTHALER Rudolf	AUT	1986	F5B
FREUDENTHALER Rudolf	AUT	1988	F5B
FREUDENTHALER Rudolf	AUT	1990	F5B
FREUDENTHALER Rudolf	AUT	1992	F5B
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1977	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1981	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1983	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1985	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1987	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1989	F3A
PRETTNER Hanno	AUT	1993	F3A
PAVLOV Jordan	BUL	1980	SM-S4
PAVLOV Jordan	BUL	1983	SM-S6
PAVLOV Jordan	BUL	1985	SM-S6
HAN Xinping	CHN	1994	F2B
HAN Xinping	CHN	1996	F2B
HAN Xinping	CHN	1998	F2B
HAN Xinping	CHN	2000	F2B
HAN Xinping	CHN	2002	F2B
HUCALJUK Arijan	CRO	2016	F3J
HUCALJUK Arijan	CRO	2018	F3J
HUCALJUK Arijan	CRO	2019	F5J
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	1996	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	1998	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2000	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2002	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2004	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2006	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2008	F2A
PARRAMON Luis	ESP	2012	F2A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	1999	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2001	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2003	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2005	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2009	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2011	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2013	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2015	F3A
PAYSANT-LE ROUX Christophe	FRA	2019	F3A
HERRIG Martin	GER	2007	F3B
HERRIG Martin	GER	2015	F3B
HERRIG Martin	GER	2009	F3B
MERCKENSCHLAGER Max	GER	1986	F4C
MERCKENSCHLAGER Max	GER	1996	F4C
MERCKENSCHLAGER Max	GER	2010	F4C
WEISSGERBER Franz	GER	1996	F5B
WEISSGERBER Franz	GER	1996	SM-S8
WEISSGERBER Franz	GER	2000	SM-S8
WEISSGERBER Franz	GER	2002	SM-S8
WEISSGERBER Franz	GER	2006	SM-S8
WIMMER Robert	GER	1998	F5D - F3E	BARTELS Jens
WIMMER Robert	GER	2000	F5D - F3E	BARTELS Jens
WIMMER Robert	GER	2002	F5D - F3E	BARTELS Jens
FICKENSCHER Wolf	GER	2004	F5B
FICKENSCHER Wolf	GER	2006	F5B
FICKENSCHER Wolf	GER	2012	F5B
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2004	SM-S1
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2006	SM-S9
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2010	SM-S3
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2010	SM-S9
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2014	SM-S1
MAZZARACCHIO Antonio	ITA	2014	SM-S3
HASHIMOTO Manabu	JPN	1997	F3C
HASHIMOTO Manabu	JPN	1999	F3C
HASHIMOTO Manabu	JPN	2003	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2005	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2007	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2009	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2011	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2015	F3C
ITO Hiroki	JPN	2019	F3C
TIMOFEJEV Maksim	LTU	2002	SMJ-S9
TIMOFEJEV Maksim	LTU	2008	SM-S9
TIMOFEJEV Maksim	LTU	2012	SM-S1
WURTS Joe	NZL	1991	F3B
WURTS Joe	NZL	1998	F3J
WURTS Joe	NZL	2011	F3K
KAZIROD Marian	POL	1992	F4B
KAZIROD Marian	POL	1994	F4B
KAZIROD Marian	POL	1996	F4B
KAZIROD Marian	POL	2002	F4B
KAZIROD Marian	POL	2004	F4B
KAZIROD Marian	POL	2008	F4B
KUMOR Michal	POL	2004	SMJ-S9
KUMOR Michal	POL	2006	SMJ-S6
KUMOR Michal	POL	2006	SMJ-S9
MALMYGA Leszek	POL	2006	SM-S6
MALMYGA Leszek	POL	2012	SM-S9
MALMYGA Leszek	POL	2014	SM-S6
MALMYGA Leszek	POL	2021	SM-S6
PRZYBYTEK Krzysztof	POL	2002	SM-S3
PRZYBYTEK Krzysztof	POL	2002	SM-S9
PRZYBYTEK Krzysztof	POL	2004	SM-S9
KOSZELSKI Wojciech	POL	2016	SMJ-S7
KOSZELSKI Wojciech	POL	2018	SMJ-S7
KOSZELSKI Wojciech	POL	2021	SMJ-S8
ANDREEV Sergei	RUS	2012	F2C	VOROBYEV Oleg
ANDREEV Sergei	RUS	2014	F2C	VOROBYEV Oleg
ANDREEV Sergei	RUS	2018	F2C	VOROBYEV Oleg
BELIAEV Vlacheslav	RUS	1990	F2D
BELIAEV Vlacheslav	RUS	1992	F2D
BELIAEV Vlacheslav	RUS	1996	F2D
KORIAPIN Alexey	RUS	1985	SM-S1
KORIAPIN Alexey	RUS	1990	SM-S1
KORIAPIN Alexey	RUS	1994	SM-S1
LEVYKH Alexander	RUS	1998	SM-S7
LEVYKH Alexander	RUS	2004	SM-S7
LEVYKH Alexander	RUS	2006	SM-S7
LEVYKH Alexander	RUS	2010	SM-S7
LEVYKH Alexander	RUS	2012	SM-S7
MENSHIKOV Vladimir	RUS	1996	SM-S4
MENSHIKOV Vladimir	RUS	1998	SM-S1
MENSHIKOV Vladimir	RUS	2006	SM-S1
TRIFONOV Igor	RUS	2004	F2D
TRIFONOV Igor	RUS	2006	F2D
TRIFONOV Igor	RUS	2010	F2D
BOHLEN Andreas	SUI	2003	F3B
BOHLEN Andreas	SUI	2005	F3B
BOHLEN Andreas	SUI	2019	F3B
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2000	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2002	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2004	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2006	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2008	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2012	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2016	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2018	F4C
LUTHI Andreas	SUI	2022	F4C
BURGER Igor	SVK	2012	F2B
BURGER Igor	SVK	2014	F2B
BURGER Igor	SVK	2022	F2B
KOTUHA Jan	SVK	1987	SM-S5
KOTUHA Jan	SVK	1994	SM-S7
KOTUHA Jan	SVK	1996	SM-S7
KOTUHA Jan	SVK	2000	SM-S5
MOKRAN Stefan	SVK	1974	SM-S4
MOKRAN Stefan	SVK	1994	SM-S8
MOKRAN Stefan	SVK	2004	SM-S4
TREGER Ivan	SVK	2008	F1D
TREGER Ivan	SVK	2009	F1E
TREGER Ivan	SVK	2010	F1D
TREGER Ivan	SVK	2011	F1E
TREGER Ivan	SVK	2017	F1E
ZITNAN Michal	SVK	2000	SM-S4
ZITNAN Michal	SVK	2002	SM-S4
ZITNAN Michal	SVK	2006	SM-S3
ZITNAN Michal	SVK	2018	SM-S9
ZITNAN Michal J	SVK	2016	SMJ-S1
ZITNAN Michal J	SVK	2016	SMJ-S5
ZITNAN Michal J	SVK	2018	SMJ-S5
REPA Anton	TCH	1978	SM-S6
REPA Anton	TCH	1983	SM-S3
REPA Anton	TCH	1985	SM-S3
TABORSKY Jiri	TCH	1974	SM-S1
TABORSKY Jiri	TCH	1983	SM-S4
TABORSKY Jiri	TCH	1985	SM-S3
ANDRIUKOV Alexander	UKR	1991	F1B
ANDRIUKOV Alexander	UKR	1993	F1B
ANDRIUKOV Alexander	UKR	1997	F1B
Kulakovskiy Oleg	UKR	2001	F1B
KULAKOVSKY Oleg	UKR	1999	F1B
KULAKOVSKY Oleg	UKR	2005	F1B
KULAKOVSKY Oleg	UKR	2007	F1B
VERBITSKYY Yevhen	UKR	1987	F1C
VERBITSKYY Yevhen	UKR	1997	F1C
VERBITSKYY Yevhen	UKR	2011	F1C
BARKOV Victor	URS	1976	F2C	SURAEV Vladimir
BARKOV Victor	URS	1986	F2C	SURAEV Vladimir
BARKOV Victor	URS	1988	F2C	SURAEV Vladimir
FEDOSOV Vladimir	URS	1984	F4B
FEDOSOV Vladimir	URS	1986	F4B
FEDOSOV Vladimir	URS	1988	F4B
FEDOSOV Vladimir	URS	1990	F4B
BIEDRON Robert	USA	1992	SM-S7
BIEDRON Robert	USA	1994	SM-S5
BIEDRON Robert	USA	1998	SM-S5
BROWN Steve	USA	1994	F1D
BROWN Steve	USA	1996	F1D
BROWN Steve	USA	1998	F1D
FLANIGAN Chris	USA	1980	SM-S2
FLANIGAN Chris	USA	1980	SM-S5
FLANIGAN Chris	USA	2021	SM-S4
MCDONALD Les	USA	1976	F2B
MCDONALD Les	USA	1980	F2B
MCDONALD Les	USA	1982	F2B
PERKINS Daryl	USA	2010	F3J
PERKINS Daryl	USA	1995	F3B
PERKINS Daryl	USA	1997	F3B
PERKINS Daryl	USA	1999	F3B
PERKINS Daryl	USA	2001	F3B
RICHMOND James	USA	1968	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	1978	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	1984	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	1986	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	1988	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	1990	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	2002	F1D
RICHMOND James	USA	2004	F1D
SHADEL David	USA	1987	F3D	SHINOHARA Jim
SHADEL David	USA	1989	F3D	SHINOHARA Jim
SHADEL David	USA	1995	F3D	SHINOHARA Jim
WERWAGE William	USA	1970	F2B
WERWAGE William	USA	1972	F2B
WERWAGE William	USA	2004	F2B
YOUNGBLOOD Curtis	USA	1987	F3C
YOUNGBLOOD Curtis	USA	1993	F3C
YOUNGBLOOD Curtis	USA	2001	F3C