Charlie Hillard | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1938-03-22)March 22, 1938 |
| Died | April 16, 1996(1996-04-16) (aged 58) |
| Known for | Aerobatics |
Charlie Hillard (March 22, 1938 – April 16, 1996) was an Americanaerobatics pilot, and the first American to win theworld aerobatics title.[1]
Hillard formed the Red Devils aerobatic team in 1971 with fellow pilotsGene Soucy andTom Poberezny. In 1979 the three re-formed as the Eagles Aerobatic Team, which they would fly as for more than 25 years, setting the record for the longest-running aerobatic team with the same members in the world.[2]
In 1996, he was killed at theSun 'n Fun fly-in in Lakeland, Florida, when theHawker Sea Fury he was flying overturned after landing in a crosswind.[3]
Charlie R. Hillard was born March 22, 1938, inFort Worth, Texas. At the age of 16, he secretly began taking flying lessons, having saved enough money working at his father's car dealership.[2] He would purchase his first airplane, aPiper Cub a few years later, while attendingGeorgia Tech.
In 1958, at the age of 20, Hillard joined the US skydiving team, and became the first person in the US to pass a baton in freefall.[2] The same year, he began flyingaerobatics at airshows. In 1967, he won theNational Aerobatic Championship, In 1970 he competed in theSpinks Akromaster, an aircraft of his own design,[4] and in 1972, won theWorld Aerobatics Championship, the first American ever to do so.[2]
Hillard formed the Red Devils Aerobatic Team in 1971, with fellow pilots Gene Soucy and Tom Poberezny. The Red Devils flew thePitts Special aircraft, and were a popular draw at airshows around the country. In 1979, aircraft designer Frank Christensen invited the team to test fly a new aerobatic aircraft he had designed: theChristen Eagle. The Devils were so impressed that they switched their team aircraft to the Eagle, and renamed the Red Devils to the Eagles Aerobatic Team,[5] with Charlie Hillard as the lead pilot. The Eagles Aerobatic Team would fly together for more than 25 years, and 1000 performances, setting a record for the longest-running aerobatic team with the same members.[2]
During this time, Hillard also flew as a pilot for Hollywood, in the moviesAces: Iron Eagle III andCloud Dancer, as well as the TV movieSkyward.[6]
In 1995, the Eagles team disbanded. Hillard began to fly solo performances in aHawker Sea Fury. It was in this aircraft that he was killed on April 16, 1996, when the aircraft flipped over upon landing, following an aerobatic performance at theSun 'n Fun fly-in in Lakeland Florida. He had over 15,000 hours of flight time at the time of his death.[2] Hillard's Sea Fury was rebuilt and is owned by Joe Thibodeau of Denver, who entered the aircraft in theReno Air Races Unlimited Class as race #21. His 1931 Great Lakes 2T1E has been restored in 2011 and attends airshows. Hillards' Pitts and Christen Biplanes are on display at theEAA AirVenture Museum inOshkosh, Wisconsin.[7]
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