Heuer Was First IAC President and Aerobatic Pioneer

Mike Heuer, son of legendary aerobatic aviator Robert Heuer, recently announced that the Robert L. Heuer Aerobatic Contest is being brought back to life. It will be hosted by former IAC Vice President Doug Bartlett in Platteville, Wisconsin just before the 2025 EAA Oshkosh AirVenture.

Robert Heuer was the first President and one of the founding members of the International Aerobatic Club. He began his career in commercial aviation, building up over 30,000 hours of flight time and too many type ratings to count.

In the 1940s, Heuer decided to give aerobatics a try. He started regularly performing in airshows in 1965 and became part of the original “Red Devils” aerobatic team. Heuer purchased and restored a Navy N3n, a Ryan ST-A, and a Pitts S-1S, which later went on to win the 1972 World Aerobatic Championship with Charlie Hillard. The Pitts, “42 X-Ray”, is currently on display at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Throughout his aerobatic journey, Heuer played a major role in the sport’s development. He valued accessibility that stretched beyond the Unlimited category, leading him to form three new categories for beginners: Sportsman, Intermediate, and Advanced. Heuer was also essential in the creation of SPORT AEROBATICS magazine, the IAC Chapter network, and the Technical Safety program.

“Every new idea, every organization, every political or social or religious movement has always started with one person,” stated Mike Heuer, Robert Heuer’s son. “The credit for this wonderful sport, which hundreds of people now participate in, has to rest with Dad. He had the courage to stand up and say, ‘This is what we’ve got to do,’ and then did it.”

To honor Heuer’s contributions to aerobatics, IAC Chapter 1 named and sponsored a competition named after him. This was retired several years ago, but is now being revived under Doug Bartlett.

The new competition will be held at Platteville Municipal Airport (PVB) from July 16 to 18, 2025. It will include all categories of power aerobatics.

“I hope many of you will support the contest and participate. I am delighted that Doug Bartlett will be the contest director and his idea to revive the name,” Mike Heuer continued. “Please give your support to Doug and this contest by participating.”

FMI: www.iac.org