moyes delta gliders
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john harris, president of the rogallo foundation, which is dedicated to honoring the original designer of what became hang gliders, said mr. bennett' s company, delta wing kites and gliders in los angeles, was among the first to make and sell hang gliders in the united states .
but by the mid - 1980' s, mr. bennett' s aircraft could not keep pace with more innovative designs by competitors, and delta wing kites and gliders folded in 1989, the smithsonian said .
john dickenson, an australian electronics technician, saw a picture of the rogallo invention in a magazine, and used it as the basis for making the first human - carrying gliders in 1963, according to the smithsonian. mr. bennett and his friend bill moyes, friends of mr. dickenson through water - skiing, took up the sport; mr. moyes began making and selling hang gliders in australia, mr. bennett in california .
a flight that breaks a world record of 760kms. a story of two men setting history in hang gliders .
' a boy with wings' is the story of how bill moyes turned a childhood dream of flying into the worldwide sport of hang gliding .
we’re generally not prone to extolling our own virtues, but we figure if you intend to launch yourself thousands of feet into the air in one of our aircraft, you might want to hear a little of our credentials, and how our single - minded commitment to the sport of hang - gliding contributes to make beautifully engineered and performing gliders with utmost durability and safety. moyes delta gliders is a company solely dedicated to hang gliding. we started back in 1967 - rich in history, yet focused beyond the future. at moyes, we’re combining vision, expertise and relentless testing to create evolutionary hang gliding technology. we continually strive to lead the hang gliding world by developing hang gliders of the highest calibre, working with some of the best pilots in the world to ensure our products are stringently made and tested in order to improve their performance, handling and safety .
so, in 1968, with the right set of wings, bill foot - launched his glider from mt crackenback in the australian alps, setting the first world record for unassisted launched flight, and from that moment on pioneered and developed the sport of hang gliding we know and love today. bill never anticipated when he first flew off the mountains that it would explode as a sport, but it wasn’t too long before friends began asking bill to build them a hang glider. he made 12 gliders for friends in the first year, perfecting and refining as he went along and with 20 orders in the second year, moyes delta gliders was born .
“it’s a moyes! ” this rx is so much fun to land! i can’t believe how much energy it can hold so close to the ground. love the pool swoop
mr. bennett and mr. moyes both added design improvements. mr. harris said mr. bennett' s most important contribution was a better system for bracing the wings .
following lilienthal there were many other hang glider inventors and pilots, but none of these hang gliders had the required characteristics to become popular in the way the dickenson wing did .
the duncan brothers, well known for their flying exploits in hang gliders and their company airbourne followed on from their father who was a ski wing pilot in the early years .
the term “modern hang glider” is used to separate the “dickenson wing” and its descendants and spin - offs, from the earlier hang gliders that followed on from lilienthal. the hang gliders of today can trace their evolutionary roots back to john dickenson' s ski wing. john used the lee and darrah type airfoil on his wing, the same airfoil that nasa was experimenting with in the 1960' s, and while the airfoil has changed, one can still see the influence of the dickenson ultralight minimum structure airframe and his pendulum weight shift control system in the gliders being manufactured now, in 2009 .
bill bennett took dickenson' s glider to the usa in 1969, and he was soon followed by bill moyes. the exploits of these two men are legendary, but many other people were also involved in the sport and the evolution of the hang glider .
dick rangott, another exponent of flying the flat water - ski kites became the first journalist to cover the delta wings. dick was an integral part of the story in the early years and his articles in the water ski magazines are a wonderful record of the early years. dick was also closely involved with bill moyes, it was dick rangott who held the rope when bill first soared the ski wing, unfortunately he reports that when he tried to emulate bill' s feat after bill landed he crashed the wing. dick was in the stadiums for many of bill' s publicity flight and his account is an important part of australian hang gliding history .
mr. bennett, who moved to the united states from australia in 1969, was known for his bold barnstorming flights in hang gliders in the late 1960' s and early 1970' s. he circumnavigated the statue of liberty in 1969 and landed at its base .
steve cohen, recognised as the most prolific designer of ultralight aircraft in australia started with designing and building hang gliders, his company ultralight flight systems was once the largest hang glider manufacturing company in australia, and his wing was flown by the first ever world champion, terry delore of new zealand .
in 1972, he was hired as the stunt pilot double for the actor roger moore, playing james bond for a hanggliding scene in the film
live and let die .
the smithsonian national air and space museum said in an article on its web site that the exposure helped make hang gliders more popular .
in the 1997 book
sky adventures ,
the editors jim palmieri and maggie palmieri said mr. bennett' s other stunts after moving to the united states included flying higher than a mile and being the first to launch a hang glider from a hot - air balloon, thereby setting a world altitude record of 10, 000 feet for hang gliders .
hang gliders were originally pulled by boats, then by planes. mr. bennett, probably in 1969 or 1970, according to a 1990 article in the los angeles times, was demonstrating a hang glider towed by a car at the ontario motor speedway in california when the rope broke .
bennett was forced to maneuver and land the glider for the first time without being attached ,
the times reported .
the crowd, assuming it was part of the act, gave rousing applause .
steve moyes took over the competition reigns in 1974 – an unenviable task, given the achievements of his father, yet steve more than rose to the challenge to dominate the sport from the outset with performances that have re - written the standards at every event. steve kicked off his senior career by winning the very first world tow championships in florida in 1974. an event he won 5 of the 8 years of its duration and placing in the top 3 for the other 3 occasions. steve had, in fact begun his flying career at the age of 14, winning the junior australian championships in 1968, and every year until he became a senior .
it all started with the birdman himself – the legendary bill moyes, when in 1967 he astounded aeronautical experts by flying his wing to 1045ft over lake tuggerah and set the first world altitude record – incredibly, only 6 weeks after he began flying. australian engineer john dickenson had read of a wing nasa had developed to replace the steerable parachute for rocket re - entries and built the first flying wing that we fly today, with bill as test pilot – at this stage being towed by a motor boat. in 1968 bill extended the altitude record to 2870ft on lake ellesmere, new zealand. this may have been enough for some but bill had always dreamed of running to a rock ledge and flying away with a pair of wings. he was convinced that it could come true. it was just a matter of finding the right set of wings .
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we’re modestly proud of our reputation for excellence and our standing in the industry – our combined experiences, knowledge and skills are manifested in every product we produce to give you the assurance you need to take flight with absolute confidence, every time. those experiences are both plentiful and pioneering – and arguably reckless on occasion! here’s a little of our journey to date…
throughout the 1970s, bill continued to push the boundaries of flight, making the first grand canyon flight in 1970. then, having developed his wings further so they were capable of high speed made the first aeroplane tow in 1971, setting a new altitude record of 8610ft. and in 1972, after his water - tow altitude record had been broken by an american, bill returned to new zealand to raise the altitude to 4750ft and regained the world record. he also won the north american championships despite recovering from a broken pelvis from an earlier accident and still walking on crutches !
1973 saw bill set yet another altitude record by being lifted with a hot air balloon and dropped from 10, 700ft – then gliding for a record 13. 7 miles .
finally in 1974, bill retired from the competition circuit, to focus his significant experience and expertise on glider design and development. he still flies recreationally and is invited to every international event - and is involved with the organisation of many of these. bill continues to influence the sport and has gained worldwide recognition for his incredible contribution to sport and aviation, including this prestigious list of honours :
steve placed 3rd in both the first unofficial and the first offical world foot - launch competitions, in 1975 and 1976 respectively, and in 1979 was invited to compete in the us masters among the worlds top 27 pilots. he won this meet and repeated the win in 1980 to become the only pilot to win the prize twice. incredibly, steve went on to win the us masters in 1981 with a greater margin than ever to create an almost impossible record of three straight wins at this prestigious event !
in 1980, steve had set a european distance record, when he flew 115 miles from the italian alps into switzerland and back to land on the italian planes. he went on to break this record, flying a distance of 137 miles, while winning the aero gordo cup in 1981 .
steve took the gold medal at the 1983 world championships, following which the sport australia foundation presented him with awards for the best male athlete, the best single performance, and the best team of the year .
steve continued to compete in every world championship event and was awarded silver medal in 1985 and bronze medal in 1988, which, combined with his bronze medal of 1976, make him the only pilot in the history of hang gliding to hold 4 fai medals .
not content with a european record, steve set a new world distance record, flying 187 miles in a return flight from california to nevada in 1986 .
steve has been a formidable presence in hang gliding competitions and the sport in general, placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (usually 1st) in more than 65 prestigious competitions around the world over a 20 year career in competitive hang gliding. he was rewarded in 1992, along with his father, bill with a dual induction to the sports hall of fame in recognition of excellence in representing australia in sport. steve for a 20 year history of competition wins in hang gliding, and bill for his contribution to the development and pioneering of hang gliding .
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if you would like to pick up parts or visit the factory, please place an order prior and make an appointment for collection .
the gecko is designed for the upcoming and experienced recreational pilot. originally designed to bridge the gap between the malibu and the litesport class, the glider exceeds expectations, in handling just as much as in glide performance .
the gecko is the perfect intermediate glider to introduce pilots to xc flying, with a powerful vg on an otherwise intermediate planform .
carbon divestick with unique spoon bill tip design, tapered to the trailing edge. reduced weight reduces roll inertia .
cable geometry allows the gecko to lay flat and pack up without any tricks .
coloured batten tapes. adds a new dimension to customise your glider. available in a range of colours
unit 4 / 5 clerke place (7, 440. 97 mi) kurnell, new south wales 2231
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amazing and peaceful area. it was a great pleasure meet so nice people. i love it! ! !
🎶sound up! # repost @ harrisonrowntree winding it up in the gecko 155! ・・・ got dropped in this 1000fpm thermal off tow today and beamed out to 12 grand. the task was a 78km downwind flight where 4 pilots made goal. during the flight there was 14 grand cloudbase and convergence. it made for a fast task in the gecko where i won the day! @ flymoyes
mat barlow lands after completing the 150km first task of the dalby big air in queensland, australia. # flymoyes # hanggliding # litespeed
nsw state titles 18th – 24th of february saw the nsw state titles take place at mt borah near manilla. over 45 pilots descended on ...
dalby 2018 dalby 2018 is done and dusted with a clean sweep of the podium. congratulations to attila bertok taking out 1st place w ...
stuck at home not able to fly because of the weather so decided to upload another video about my new pride and joy .
glocknerflug - flight level 4. 000 m / 13. 000 ft from tom weissenberger on vimeo .
into the blue / / lanzarote - fuerteventura one way from tom weissenberger on vimeo .
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bill bennett, a pioneer aviator and entrepreneur who helped introduce the fledgling sport of hang gliding to america in the 1960' s and 70' s, died on oct. 7 in an accident during takeoff at the airport in lake havasu city, ariz. , where he lived. he was 73 .
margo brown, his fiancée, said mr. bennett was piloting a powered hang glider with an instructor in order to be recertified to fly. the instructor, drew reeves, received multiple injuries in the crash, the los angeles times reported .
mr. bennett' s death gradually became public through word of mouth in the hang gliding community .
no one at that time did a better job of promoting the sport ,
said josh criss, a hang gliding enthusiast and filmmaker who recently completed a documentary on the early history of the sport .
william edward norman bennett was born in korumburra, australia, on sept. 26, 1931. he served in the australian royal navy as a machinist, and afterward continued to pursue activities related to water, in particular water - skiing. he was ranked eighth in the world in barefoot water - skiing in the 1960' s, ms. brown said .
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even then, the path to hang gliding was being established. first, francis rogallo, working with his wife, gertrude, developed a
flexible kite
for nasa to use for spacecraft re - entering the atmosphere. the space agency opted for cheaper parachutes instead .
in addition to his fiancée, mr. bennett is survived by his sons, gary and glenn, of australia; his daughters, michelle martin and nicole mckinney, both of lake havasu city; his stepson, dennis firestone of loma linda, calif. ; his brother, raymond, of australia; his sister, cheryle winkler of australia; seven grandchildren; and one great - granddaughter .
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australian hang gliding history really is the story of modern hang gliding for the entire world because it certainly started in australia. modern hang gliding in fact started when john dickenson invented his “improved gliding apparatus” in 1963 at grafton, nsw, australia .
modern hang gliding has its roots firmly set in the water ski kite sport that was started in the united states of america, in 1951 by paul updike and vern crary. john dickenson came up with his aircraft because he was not able to make a flat kite that worked, it was to a large degree an accidental invention, but that makes it no less significant .
hang gliding itself started with german inventor otto lilienthal. lilienthal flew the first successful heavier than air aircraft and as such he is regarded as the father of not only hang gliding, but all heavier that air aviation .
john dickenson' s improved gliding apparatus, which he marketed as the “ski wing” changed all of that. by 1965 others were copying john dickenson' s invention without his knowledge, and without bothering to give him the credit he deserved. to read read more about john dickenson .
on the british hang gliding history website you can see how john dickenson' s invention arrived in the uk. this australian hang gliding history website is intended to be the australian equivalent of our british hang gliding history website, and to achieve that end we request the help of any and everyone involved in the sport in australia .
these hang gliding history sites are aimed at presenting the stories of all who were involved in the sport, they are not aimed only at the famous pilots, we aim to record and present the history of the amazing explosion in hang gliding and ultralight aviation that resulted from the success of the ski wing' s design .
here you can learn about the amazing duo revelle. john revelle was the first person to copy the ski wing, he built the first all aluminium air - framed ski wing. he was the first to replace the swing seat with a converted parachute harness and he is the original designer and builder of the first prone harness .
ron nickel, the quiet and unassuming gentleman from the northern rivers in nsw who flew the first hang glider that john dickenson ever sold .
chris brandon, a bare foot water skier and ski wing pilot is still involved in the sport with his weight shift microlight business based in alice springs .
this is just a short summary of the beginning of australian hang gliding history, there are many more names that deserve to be mentioned, there is, or will be, a place on the site for everyone, it is a big task but one that can be completed with your help. can you provide us with leads, articles or photographs? our water ski magazine collection is not complete, can you help with that ?
this project and website is run by volunteers, it has no affiliations to any commercial interests.
moyes delta gliders is an australian aircraft manufacturer based in kurnell , new south wales . the company was founded by bill moyes in 1967 and specializes in the design and manufacture of hang gliders . the company 's designs have won many world , national and regional championships . one of the oldest hang glider manufacturers in the world , the company 's litespeed line monopolized world competition throughout the 2000s . an affiliated company , moyes microlights , builds the moyes dragonfly hang glider tug and at one time built the moyes tempest microlight sailplane . 
moyes delta gliders is an australian aircraft manufacturer based in kurnell, new south wales. the company was founded by bill moyes in 1967 and specializes in the design and manufacture of hang gliders. the company's designs have won many world, national and regional championships. one of the oldest hang glider manufacturers in the world, the company's litespeed line monopolized world competition throughout the 2000s. an affiliated company, moyes microlights, builds the moyes dragonfly hang glider tug and at one time built the moyes tempest microlight sailplane.
moyes delta gliders is an australian aircraft manufacturer based in kurnell, new south wales. the company was founded by bill moyes in 1967 and specializes in the design and manufacture of hang gliders. the company's designs have won many world, national and regional championships. one of the oldest hang glider manufacturers in the world, the company's litespeed line monopolized world competition throughout the 2000s. an affiliated company, moyes microlights, builds the moyes dragonfly hang glider tug and at one time built the moyes tempest microlight sailplane.