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Melissa Dawn Burns (born 1984), also known as Melissa Andrzejewski, is an American extreme sports athlete best known for being an aerobatics pilot, skydiver, B.A.S.E jumper, climber and technical scuba diver.[2][3] She has won awards at home and internationally for her aerobatics and competitive flying.[citation needed] Melissa works internationally as an airshow display pilot and skydiver.[citation needed]
Melissa Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born | Melissa Dawn Burns June 22, 1984[1] |
| Alma mater | Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University |
| Occupation | Extreme sports athlete |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
editAndrzejewski started flying when she was 18.[citation needed] She became one of the youngest female pilots to compete in Unlimited World Aerobatics and the youngest female to ever make the US Unlimited Aerobatic Team at 22 years old.[4] Andrzejewski is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.[5]
Career
editAndrzejewski won the Wingsuit B.A.S.E. race to become women's world champion in Voss, Norway at Extreme Sports Week in 2015 and took part in the 164 way vertical world record that same year. Melissa has participated in the Wingsuit World League in China several times for the women's race.
She was inducted into the Embry-Riddle Chancellor's Hall of Fame in 2015.
In June 2016, Andrzejewski participated in a first-of-its-kind aviation stunt where she flew her stunt airplane underneath a motocross freestyle rider, ‘Fitz’ doing a backflip and a slackline artist, ‘Sketchy’ Andy Lewis, on his slackline at the same time.
Also in 2016, Andrzejewski was removed from the US Aerobatic Team by the IAC and its removal committee, and disinvited from flying as a featured airshow performer at the EAA AirVenture Fly-In and airshow by the Oshkosh Advisory Team. There was controversy surrounding these actions, which Andrzejewski attributed to corruption, sexism, and sexual harassment in a field dominated by men.[6]
Filmography
edit- Sky dancers
- Bush Air
- Keen 'n Able
- 60 Minutes Australia
- Caught on Camera
- CBS Sunday Morning Show.
Personal life
editAndrzejewski and Rex Pemberton divorced in May 2016.[7] In 2017, Andrzejewski married Trent Burns and changed her name to Melissa Dawn Burns. Their daughter Isla Sky Burns was born on November 5, 2017, and their son Koa Dean Burns was born November 5, 2019.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "About".
- ^ "Don't miss South Tahoe's 19th annual Lake in the Sky Air Show on June 28". 3 June 2008.
- ^ "Melissa (Andrzejewski Pemberton) Burns ('13, WW)".
- ^ "Unlimited Team - 2015 - Bios | International Aerobatic Club".
- ^ "Melissa (Andrzejewski Pemberton) Burns ('13, WW)".
- ^ "US Aerobatic Team Member Removed from Team Roster, Oshkosh Airshow (Part 1) | Aero-News Network". www.aero-news.net. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "As Long as They Both Shall Live". 25 January 2012.