Hang gliders father and son Bill (right) and Stephen Moyes, January 28, 1983. Photo: Getty Images
The "Birdman of Australia", Bill Moyes was a pioneer in the pursuit of hang gliding. In the 1960s he was one of the first to take to the air on a home-made kite towed behind a waterski boat — in 1968 he reached a height of 874m while being towed on Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury. The same year Moyes is believed to have become the first hang glider pilot to launch by foot, taking flight from Mount Crackenback in the Australian Alps. People clamoured to try the sport and after a year making gliders for friends and perfecting his design, Moyes opened a hang glider building business, becoming one of the world’s largest manufacturers. The venture was aided by various high-profile flights by Moyes, which included making the first flight in the Grand Canyon in 1970. Moyes was inducted into the Order of Australia in 1998 for contribution to sport, and was awarded the FAI’s Gold Air Medal in 2013 for his contribution to the development of aeronautics. Moyes died on September 24 aged 92. — Agencies
