Jerzy Czerniawski is an inescapable figure in the history of Polish ballooning. An engineer by training, an aviation enthusiast by vocation, he has been continuously involved in hot air ballooning for over four decades, both as a pilot, trainer, organizer, and promoter of this extraordinary discipline. A champion.
During the Pre Worlds 2025 Awards Ceremony in Krosno, he was honored with a special distinction from the FAI Ballooning in recognition of his career achievements. This distinction is a tribute to his long-standing commitment, sporting achievements, and contribution to the development of ballooning on the international stage.
Roman Mikielewicz, president of the Lithuanian Balloon Federation, said this in 2005: "We learned to fly balloons from Poles. I learned from Bogdan Prawicki, Jurek Czerniawski, and Ireneusz Cieślak. We could learn something from each of them, and now we have quite good results and we teach balloon flying in Lithuania."
He began his ballooning adventure in 1980, obtaining his pilot license. Since then, he has gained extensive experience and numerous qualifications, including becoming Poland's first hot-air airship instructor and a Civil Aviation Authority examiner. As a first-class instructor, he has trained dozens of pilots, imparting not only technical knowledge but also the spirit of this passion.
