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BILL MOYES:
Date of Birth: 12/7/32
Years of Involvement in Hang Gliding: 27
Sporting Involvements - History of Water Sports includes Surf, Surf Boards, Surf Club and Surf Boats then ski boats and water skiing till 1966.
At the age of 34, discoverer and inventor John Dickenson became test pilot for the original Rogallo wing.
1st World Altitude Record, Toukley NSW Australia 1967
1st Mountain Launch, Mount Crankenback, Thredbo, NSW Australia 1968
2nd World Altitude Record 1969
1st Grand Canyon Flight 1970
1st Aeroplane Tow, Wisconsin, USA 1971
1st Boat Tow Record 1972
1st Balloon Record 1973
The record attempt necessitates the constant development of new equipment. Bill owns and manages an Auto Electrician workshop and motor repair shop, all mechanical devices and modification are within reach. The devices invented are developed to achieve these results include:
Pay Out Winch 1967
Negative Rigging 1968
Increased Aspect Ratio 1969
Sail Design and Keel Pocket 1971
Bill competed in every competition possible until 1975. Steve Moyes was a junior at the time. When Steve became a senior pilot Bill retired from competition.
Bill toured the world mainly as a performer flying behind a Dune Buggy (winched equipped), at American state fairs and race courses until 1975. "During those 7 years I had 5 bad tumbles from structural failures on loads from over tows and from altitudes between 100 and 5000 feet, some months even years were lost to hospitalisation.
Bill became the natural choice for the C.L.V.L. Australian representative when hang gliding control moved from the Water Ski Association to the F.A.I. and served as the Australian delegate until 1989.
The Australian hang gliding team had instant success from the early years while still a water ski sport, an un-official team travelled with Bill and Steve to visit the compete in foreign countries, these pilots were nicknamed the "Moyes Boys". The "Moyes Boys" were favourites and won almost every event for 8 years.
The formation of C.L.V.L. encouraged foot launch ahead of tow launch, and hang gliding became more popular and more nations participated. Towing took a back seat for 10 years between 1980 and 1990.
BACK TO THE EARLY DAYS
In 1969 I performed at a boat show in Sydney Showground. I was booked for tours by a promoter to fly all over the world. This led to a lot of exposure and complicated my life as I was torn between two activities, water-skiing and flying.
I had arranged to visit Denmark and perform as a bare foot water skier in 1969. I took my glider along but was flying by a hand tow with team members when one of them tripped and left me above some trees. I came down through the trees and smashed a wrist and elbow to end my chance to ski in Denmark.
I met an Italian, Alfio Caronti, and sold him my glider. He was to become the first hang glider pilot in Europe. Alfio was the Sports Master in the Villa Deste and he invited me to visit and thus became many pleasant visits to Lake Como.
Alfio commenced the Company Icaro 2000, but was forced to sell it as he was studying to be a Chiropractor and is now a very successful doctor, and still one of my very best comrades. Lake Como is still my favourite European spot, and a water ski venue at Lezzeno owned by Vittorio Posca, Italy’s bare foot ski coach, is a second home.
Exposure led to several Command performances, Prince Phillip on a visit to Australia requested a special performance in Sydney Showground. He stood in the middle of the arena and had to duck the tow rope as I passed by to the amusement of the crowd. His comment was that the flight was the greatest demonstration of skill and daring that he had seen.
A second Royal Command came from the Shar of Iran, with an invitation to visit Iran and fly with General Khatami. I visited that country several times, but the General died in a gliding accident and hang gliding was forbidden thereafter. I was planning a flight from Mt. Damavand in 1975 but the accident cancelled this possibility.
A film company became interested and the compare Ian Finlany of Towards 2000 fame directed the film “A Boy With Wings” in 1972. This film was successful and encouraged backers to back a flight from Mt Kilimanjaro by Steve and myself in 1982 for a 76 minute documentary named “Bird Man of Kilimanjaro”.
During my 27 years of activity a number of films were made and most of them have been successful. A film in 1989 of a flight from Mt. Fuji with two Australian team members and myself is shown regularly on TV.
Now that I am a senior citizen there is fresh interests from an older audience. I don’t know what suggestion a film director will want to prepare next, but the Dragonfly is the most exciting development in my life at the moment.
I intend to visit Europe for Bassano with the Dragonfly, Tempest and our full range of gliders and demonstrate throughout Europe during the 1994 season.
The introduction of the trike as an Air Tow vehicle sparked some interest but the risks and fatalities that followed discouraged me. I was left with pleasant memories of the successful Aero tow with a Super Cub that I did in 1972, and I could see the trike with it’s thrust line out of sink with the drag and the mass of pilot engine and frame could never be a successful safe tow vehicle, and I did not participate in trike tow development.
MOYES HISTORY OF THE TRIKE
Bill discovered bungee launch in 1970 using this system to launch in Italy from inaccessible launch places.
In 1989 I visited Florida and saw Bob Bailey’s development of an Air Tow Aircraft. I invited Bob back to Australia and we developed the Dragonfly. This Tow vehicle will help me re-develop the Horten Wing and the Tempest Ultralight Sailplane that I hope will bridge the price gap between hang gliders and Sailplanes and revitalise Junior Club Sail Plane membership as this ultralight can be towed by powered ultralights.
Today I am writing these notes in an Airpark in Florida that I am opening. Outside are two Dragonfly tow planes that will prove to be the greatest contribution that I will have made to hang gliding. Yesterday, these planes from flat ground launched 44 flights. Soaring flights of up to 4 hours were achieved by pilots that must drive 500 miles to the nearest hill. These aircraft will open the skies all over the world.
Also tandem instruction opens the door to beginners. Two novice pilots commenced 8 days ago, within 3 days they had 18 and 13 flights. The more adaptable pilot went solo after 3 days, now 5 days later he has had 3 thermal flights with the big boys and has had one flight of 55 minutes. Next week he moves to an intermediate glider and the sky will be the limit.
Aero towing has assisted us to develop our new gliders in this Airpark, the Wallaby Ranch. The Dragonfly will open up the flatlands to much more of the world’s population and without mountain turbulence. The excitement of these possibilities is the stimulant that drives me.
HONOURS AWARDED TO BILL MOYES
1977 Queen Elizabeth Anniversary Medal Silver Medal
1978 Russian Aero Club Bronze Medal
1980 Royal Australian Aero Club Oswald Watt Gold Medal
1980 N.S.W. Hall of Champions Plaque
1982 N.S.W. Government Advance Australia Award
1983 CIVL Diploma of Honour
1992 Australian Sports Hall of Fame Associate Member
1995 NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame
1995 Smithsonian Institute Invention Award
1999 Order of Australia Medal - OAM
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