Awarded to any person in aviation, at any time, for an act or other achievement in aviation considered worthy of the Medal, as soon as the facts of the event are clear. This is intended to be an immediate award, made at the discretion of the Master. It is done so on the advice of the Trophies and Awards Committee, after careful consideration and due diligence.
(Amended Terms of Reference 2019)
2020 Awarded to: Flight Lieutenant Richard Davoren RAF
On the 10th December 2019, Flight Lieutenant Davoren was a conducting an operational Close Air Support sortie in support of Coalition Forces in a Eurofighter Typhoon when his aircraft suffered a serious fuel leak. The cockpit indications were ambiguous, and the leak could easily have been mis-diagnosed. Working under intense time pressure over potentially hostile territory, Davoren acted decisively and diverted safely to an airfield in a neighbouring country. There is no doubt that the fuel leak could have been catastrophic and Davoren’s swift and decisive actions averted the realistic possibility of losing the aircraft as it ran out of fuel.
The first indications were an aircraft Fuel Transfer caption which normally indicates a minor valve failure in the fuel system. However, when he deployed the in-flight refuelling probe the aircraft displayed a Fuel Valve caption which meant he was unable to take on any more fuel. Now running low on reserves, an aircraft centre of gravity warning initiated. It was at this point that Davoren noted that his overall fuel contents were depleting much faster than normal and that there was a significant lateral imbalance developing between his wing fuel tanks. He made the crucially important decision to get a visual inspection from his wingman who confirmed that a large amount of fuel was gushing from between the engine jet pipes. The severity of the situation was now fully apparent.
Davoren had precious few minutes before an engine failed, or the aircraft potentially ran out of fuel. Despite the intense pressure, he remained decisive and calm. He declared an in-flight emergency and executed an extremely expeditious recovery to the nearest suitable airfield. The recovery was complicated by an overcast cloud layer yet Davoren positioned himself perfectly to break cloud on the extended centreline and execute a text-book landing. He even had the capacity to take account of his aircraft weight and centre of gravity in order to touch down at the optimum approach speed, pulling the brake chute to bring the aircraft to a safe stop on an unfamiliar airfield.
As a first-tour Typhoon pilot, throughout this unusual, complex and frightening emergency, Davoren demonstrated levels of airmanship, decision making and technical knowledge that were far in excess of that which could have been expected from a pilot with his experience. Many more experienced pilots in the same situation could have mis-diagnosed the fault or could have taken much longer to react. Simply put, Davoren’s swift and correct actions saved his aircraft and potentially saved himself.
For his exceptional airborne performance in the most unprecedented and challenging of circumstances, Flt Lt Richard Davoren is eminently worthy of recognition by the award of the Master’s Medal.
1976 F A Laker Esq
1977 Captain J Schuman (posthumously) and Herr J Veito
Lufthansa Flight 181
The Royal Air Force Red Arrow Aerobatic Team
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The Master's Medal
1985 Captain John Testrake
1986 PO ACMN L Slater
1987 R Branson Esq and Per Lindstrand
1988 Captain S Yousif
1989 Not Awarded
1990 FO A Atchison
1991 Miss H Sharman
1992 Not Awarded
1993 Captain E J Wyer
1994 Not Awarded
1995 Air Commodore A N Nicholson OBE QHS RAF
1996 - 1998 Not Awarded
1999 Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard of the Breitling Orbiter 3
2000 Not Awarded
2001 Polly Vacher
2002 Caroline Gough-Cooper and Imogen Asker
2003 David K Hempleman-Adams OBE
2004 HMS ENDURANCE
2005 Not Awarded
2006 CREW OF 7 FLIGHT ARMY AIR CORPS, Warrant Officer Class 1 Challis (Aircraft Commander), Sergeant Khanlarian and Corporal Leah
2007 Apache Patrol Members of 656 Sqn AAC
Petty Officer Aircrewman James O'Donnell QGM
2008 Not Awarded
2009 The Crew of US Airways Flight 1549
Captain Charles "Chalkie" Stobbart
2010 Captain Michael Fairhurst and First Officer James Brown
Captain Stephen Noujaim
2011 Lieutenant Commander William Strickland USCG
2012 David "Wheely Dave" Sykes
2013 Lieutenant Commander Vincent Jansen USCG
Sergeant Rachael Robinson QGM
2014 Not Awarded
2015 Solar Impulse - Dr Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg
2016 Tracey Curtis-Taylor
Timothy Peake CMG BSc(Hons)
2017 Flight Sergeant Mike Rowlands
Commander Matthew Grindon RN
2018 Not Awarded
2019 Winchaman Paramedic Carlton Real
Wing Commander Rob Caine MBE MA RAF
James Ketchall
2020 Flight Lieutenant Richard Davoren RAF