The Bill Moyes Flight of the Year Award

In memory of Bill Moyes, founder of Moyes Gliders, we're proud to honour the most inspiring hang gliding stories from around the world. Whether it’s a flight that left you in awe, brought a deep sense of accomplishment, or created an unforgettable moment - we want to hear your story.

Congratulations to our March winner, Fuyu Shan!

Fuyu’s recent flight marks an inspiring comeback after a five-year hiatus from hang gliding due to injury. It’s uplifting to hear about his renewed adventures as he takes to the skies once again over the stunning landscapes of Guyuan, China.

Here is his story:

Guyuan, China

By Fuyu Shan

Since the arm fracture I suffered during a cross-country flying accident in 2018, I haven't engaged i cross-country flying for these past five years. After several years of psychological recovery, I now feel ready to start cross-country flying again.

Weather forecasts indicate that on May 28th, the cloud base will reach around 4,000 meters, and the cumulus distribution is very favorable. Based on past experience, this is a rare and excellent weather window.

Today's plan is to fly from the Guayuan County Paragliding Club to Sanggiin Dalai in Inner Mongolia, with a straight-line distance of 120 kilometers.

Around noon, after 12 PM, the pilots preparing for today's cross-country flight began to take off one after another via tow launch. However, after getting airborne, they found the thermals were broken and difficult to utilize, so nearly all of them ended up landing.

By 2 PM, the cumulus clouds in the sky started to improve significantly. The three Malibu gliders preparing for the cross-country flight began their tow launches. The three Malibu pilots were Fuyu Shan, Shi Hu, and Mengfei Han. Additionally,

Longfei Yang was flying a Litespeed glider.

After takeoff, Han was the first to reach the cloud base. I was the second to launch, but the thermals were weak, and it took me a long time to climb to 3,000 meters. By then, Han had already set off, and I was trailing behind by more than 5 kilometers. I radioed him to wait for me, since team flying makes cross-country much more fun.

At that point, Shi Hu's radio and flight computer malfunctioned, forcing him to turn back and land. In the end, only Han and I continued the journey.

After about half an hour of chasing, I finally caught up with Han around 15:20. By then, we had already flown 30 kilometers and reached an altitude of around 4,000 meters. The thermals were strong at this point, allowing us to maintain high altitude effortlessly as we progressed.

By 16:20, we had covered approximately 70 km and arrived near the town of ZhengLanQi. Since we were still at high altitude beneath the cloud base, the temperature was extremely cold—so cold that we encountered snowfall while flying under the clouds.

North of ZhengLanQi, while crossing a mountain range, we encountered the most challenging moment of the flight. The clouds began to dissipate, and the thermals seemed to vanish, leaving us struggling to stay aloft. At our lowest point, we had a mere 300 meters of clearance above the ground, and I was already preparing for a potential landing. It was then that Han and I separated—he veered northeast, while I continued northwest.

Just when hope seemed lost, luck turned in my favor. On the leeward side of the mountain, I stumbled upon a thermal that grew steadily stronger over time. This "elevator" lifted me back up to 3,000 meters—an altitude that would allow the Malibu to reach the 100-kilometer cross-country mark. I deliberately avoided climbing all the way to the cloud base, as I had already covered 85 kilometers by 17:00.

After regaining altitude, I pressed on toward the target. Over the radio, I learned that Han had already landed after flying 102 kilometers.

I pressed onward. Over the radio, I learned that Longfei Yang in the Litespeed had already reached the target waypoint and begun his return flight, but he didn’t make it far before landing. At that point, I still had some altitude remaining, so I scoured the area from above, hoping to spot his landing site and touch down nearby. When I couldn’t locate him, I settled for a relatively flat field and landed.

Final stats: 119 kilometers covered in 3 hours and 33 minutes.

Though I’d previously flown 150 km in a Gecko, this marked my first 100+ km cross-country flight in a beginner-level glider like the Malibu. With two more hours of flight time, I might even have pushed past 200 kilometers.

Here’s a little insight into Fuyu Shan

Age: 41
Occupation: Developer as Programmer
Where do you live? Beijing,China
How long have you been flying? Started flying in 2013
Who taught you to fly? Longfei Yang
How many airtime hours do you usually fly each year? More than 30 hours
What is your favourite flying site?
Guyuan, Hebei, China. When the season comes, there are abundant thermal currents here, with plains everywhere suitable for landing, making it stress-free to descend.
Do you have any goals for your hang gliding career?
I want to go gliding at world-famous gliding spots in the future.

How to Enter:

• Write about your most inspiring flight (minimum 250 words).
• Include photos or videos to bring your story to life.
• Submit via the Dropbox link below:
• https://www.dropbox.com/request/hYqCEArKJSzSjaS2qcYK
• or email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  Note: Your flight must have taken place in this calendar year.

Prizes:

• Monthly winners will receive a $200 voucher and entry into the grand final.
• The grand final winner will get a $1000 voucher and their name engraved on the Bill Moyes Flight of the Year trophy!
• The winners will be chosen by the Moyes family. The monthly winners will be announced in the first week of each month, and the grand final winner will be revealed in January.

We can’t wait to see your stories! Fly high, share your journey, and celebrate the spirit of flight with us!