That thing looks light as a kite. I'd not want to fly that in any area that has unpredictable winds. I happen to live in an area where the air is basically dead still all summer, but many areas in the USA have winds that can come out of nowhere.
I met Bobby in Australia and he is a true gentleman. I remember speaking to BIll Moyes as he was assembling a Dragonfly in Moyes factory and discussing the aircraft. He gave full credit to Bobby and all I can say is two amazing aviators and designers who have brought much happiness to thousands of pilots across the globe. God bless them both.
I love diving. I don’t want to be eaten by a shark. I bet his family aren’t happy that they didn’t get to say goodbye. “Died doing what he loved” is the stupidest cliched phrase I’ve ever heard.
Most people are unable to find personal fullfilment and are more dependent on fame, wealth etc. Bobby was someone that clearly found his personal happiness, which is of all things, the most important you could possibly have
Some people dream of things. Other people go out and DO THEM- I'm a perfectly normal man, an airline pilot by trade. An office job as an engineer like my dad had just wasn't good enough for me, so I went a different route and now I fly 767's around the world. This is why I also support transgender persons: While I have no desire at all to be one, I appreciate that they have the balls to give the world a big middle finger and do what they WANT.
@@Flies2FLL What does Transgender persons have to do with any of this? They don't give the world a middle finger they cry and complain about pronouns destroying the lives of children around the Western world. You can't give the world the middle finger if you are always looking for approval from others and pretend to be something you're not. It's disingenuous. If they kept to themselves nobody would care but they are trying to indoctrinate children which is disgusting. Such a weird place to pledge your support to those who are invading real women's sports and private spaces.
Thank you for this video. You were able to capture Bobby Bailey‘s essence and do him some justice. He is an absolute legend within the hang gliding community, but because the community is so small I believe he is underrated overall. He had tens of thousands of hours in dozens of Dragonflys and the way he flew them was so masterful and artistic that it was an inspiration to watch. Even into his 70s, he could fly so aggressively that it made me woozy as a passenger. He was still flying these almost every day until his last moment. Your understanding of the accident is exactly correct. I was there.
I flew a few months ago with him, he did all kinds of aerobatics and that day turned out to be one of my most memorable days in my life. Thank you Bobby fly high
That is some of the coolest crabbing ever in the entry clip!! RIP Bobby!!! I've wanted to get a Dragonfly for a long time but never got around to it (yet)... Very grateful you shot the video! Thanks!
Thanks for. making this video. Bobby was a long lost friend of mine since the days of the Buccaneer that he came to Mobile Al. to help me complete. He was a most giving gentle soul.
@FloridaFlying, you did a beautiful job of telling this man's story. You managed to make the story all about who he was and the remarkable life he lived despite the recency and circumstances of his passing, which you handled with absolute class. Well done.
Thanks for an appropriate tribute to a wonderful pioneer. I am 68 and was introduced to UL aviation by the same crew of people in this tight knit club. Starting in 1982, my hobby became secondary career when I became a flight instructor in 1989 and enjoyed introducing hundreds of people to the spiritual experience of flight along the beach at Plum Island Massachusetts in our MU 582 Drifter. I’m sad that Bobby passed that’s all I can say. His Dragonfly and work on tandem HG equipment brought safe hang gliding and instruction to the industry that only few had a chance to experience.
In the 1990s he helped me out with a couple of free tows out of Mt Beauty Vic Aus. I had a Moyes Hang Glider and he and Moyes sponsored me and others with free tows. He was very helpful to me as a nervous pilot.
I was fortunate enough to also fly with a legend. The author of "Rolls Around a Point", Duane Cole. That was 40+ years ago. I was a 90 hour private pilot and decided to take an aerobatic course so I would never find myself in any attitude which I hadn't experienced. So I paid an extra 50% over the general cost of such a course so I could learn from Duane Cole. I had seen him lecture at Oshkosh and he was "revered" by all. It was a trip. Tons of tales; really good ones and a helluva experience. Not to mention that involuntary spin later where the training saved my bacon. And "no", I wasn't the PIC but I was the guy that recovered from that spin while the PIC was freaking out.
Met him in 1980 in Ft Worth, what nice guy. All during the seventies the FBO I worked at sold his book on acro and we would watch him do his show at Falcon Field many times. That rolling 360 always blew my mind.
Well done, your prsentation has a kind and grateful feel to it. I am not a pilot and chose not to be but my father was a pilot, instructor and crop duster for 40 yrs and is still a mechanic at 88. I bet he's heard of Bobby. He will obviously be missed by many.
Thanks so much for making this video. I met Bobby through my brother Dixon who worked with him at Epcot during that crazy air/water show they did there. Later I would learn to hang glide with some of those guys behind a boat, but Bobby's invention, The Dragonfly, changed the sport forever. I was lucky enough to fly with Bobby in the front seat of his cooked shrimp colored personal Dragonfly and was also towed to cloud base by him many times. I had to give up hang gliding 16 years ago but i still work in the Town of Groveland and could watch his graceful acrobatics out the warehouse doors. I'm hoping he's teaching angels to do wingovers and flat spins in heaven.
Very sad to hear about Bobby's accident, thank you for the terrific interview. I'll allways remember Bob as the quiet humble guy sitting over on his own when he was here in Australia. But put him in the Dragonfly he was the star attaction, just amazing to watch. I have wonderfull memories of Bobby after dropping us into a thermals out in Forbes and Hay then seeing him plumet and cork screw his way down 2000 ft for the next tow. His skill and grace landing in the most difficult conditions just extraordinary, just like watching a dragonfly! Thank you Bobby we'll miss you, my condolances and best wishes to all his family. 🙏
So sad to hear of these things when a person is testing someone else's work to find a pointless neglected flaw that takes them from the world. RIP gr8 aviator Bobby!
Thanks for putting this great video together. You did it perfectly, capturing some life achievements in his own words and presenting in a way not many could do. This is an amazing video! Thanks Ken
Great interview! You really got some good conversation there that is now preserved forever. I haven't flown in a DF but did spend time in a Drifter near Sebring FL. It was equipped with floats and we got to land and take off on an alligator filled lake lol. Took a few lessons. A nice craft and facility.
I've been an aviation nut for decades and I recall seeing tons of videos of Bobby but I had no idea this man's body of work was so diverse!!! RIP to the legend!
A friend brought the first Dragon flyer into Canada; as far as I know, I was the first to be towed behind it. Thank you for everything you did for the world of hang gliding Bobby Bailey. I'm certain you will be missed tremendously. A true legend of a man.
A fantastic journey we might say was a career. Bobby most likely just thought of it as a chance to continue to do what he loved. He will be missed. RIP.
I towed behind him once when I had just gotten my aerotow rating. He took off and immediately reefed into a sharp turn, which continued.... Turns out he had dumped me off directly into a thermal. He waved me off and I kept climbing. Truly an amazing pilot, designer and man.
I have a T-Bird II that I'm restoring and a KR2 that I'm restoring. I just got home from KC talking to the FAA about paperwork and I saw this video. Thanks for a great video! I'm gonna double check everything before I go flying!
I just learned who Mr. Bailey was this morning only to find out tonight that he is gone. Goodbye to an extraordinary designer and pilot. One of the coolest aviation videos I have ever seen is the dreadlocks video.
WOW... been away from the computer for a week and then I hear about this😭 I'm kinda sad... Love and Prayers for his family , his Dragonfly Videos were the best . R.I.P. Sir.🙏🙏🙏
Bobby Bailey was a legendary man. A real man, a modest man. He definitely lived a very bright life. I own Dragonfly, and it's my favorite plane! Such a pity it happened with Bob. Very sad news
I met Bill Moyes many times as he was both my auto electrician and builder of my hang gliders. I worked in the post office across the road from his shop and Vicky Moyes came in every day. Such a humble legend.
Thank you for posting this. I didn't know him but feel I have a little connection to what he loved....flying. My dad flew and rebuilt a small wrecked plane and I flew with him as a child. He loved flying too but the bug didn't bite me. He bought me a set of golf clubs when I was 13 and I think he was glad I went in that direction. I'm almost 70 and still play today. Bobby was a lucky one to do what he loved doing throughout life. We're not all fortunate to have a job that we really love. May he RIP.
R.I.P Bob Bailey ❤ I had the honour to watch him in action at the Forbes Flatlands competition in Australia. Bob in the Dragonfly was really something special 😎
ok, that guy was cool (my old man got into gliders in the late 70’s and I like them too) Dragonfly looks amazing. Sorry about his accident, thanks for sharing the interview.
Thanks for sharing this interview. My condolences to his friends and family. I live just over 10 miles north of Paradise Airsports / Wilotree Park. I often see ultralights flying over my house.
Love and condolences to his family and friends. I've known is name since the early 90's. When the Dragonfly came out it was a game changer! Only a couple weeks ago I saw a TH-cam video of him doing incredible aerobatics in one. Its tough to hear this news!
When I was in the Navy in San Diego in the early 1970s I would visit the cliffs of Torrey Pines, site of the Salk Institute, where all sorts of ultralights - whatever were flitting about.
Just heard the news of Bobby's passing. I had to privilege to fly with him. And I believe it was 2020 when they had the nationals at Hern Texas. He was in the process of traveling around beefing up the front leading edge. And I got to help him one evening. It was. A pleasure he will be missed.
The drifter had a "Jesus" bolt too. I noticed that mine was bent after spinning out of a soaring attempt. Port wing was not in the column I was riding and suddenly I was upside down. Just kept rolling through it and recovered up right. Pulled maybe 2 Gs? Anyway, I took it apart and found that the alum bracket had 1/16" left before the bolt pulled through the bracket. The landing gear transferred load up the column to hammer that bolt into the soft alum. bracket. I was not inspecting enough! Rebuilt the whole area with tubing doublers and beefier brackets. Love the design of Phil's planes, so easy to work with. Pre-flight matters.
Bobby Gordon was a great pilot,flying every day over Cutler ridge,down to Gilbert's in the keys,landing at Jet Ski Pat's in key largo ,land or sea and every where in between,he was the ultra- lite king!!
I've never flown much (have always prefer fast motorcycle) but my father built, maintained and flew a lot of airplanes, from ultralights to Pitts Specials and he even did some work on a Sukhoi aerobatic plane, all here in Florida. Anyway, I'd be shocked if he didn't know Mr. Bailey and even though I never met the man it obvious that he was an awesome person. RIP Bobby...
I got a weed hopper in 78 at Oshkosh. Then a Rotec Super Sport. Then a Buccaneer X1. The Buc was an absolute dream to fly and the places you could go were unmatched. Did airshows in My Decathlon for 33 years. Now a Kolb Firestar 2. About 4k hours in ULs. Thanks Bobby. I don't think people know how good the Buc was.
Sad. Thanks for the video. Aviation is so unforgiving. If you fly long enough, you will know someone to die from an accident. Condolences to his family and friends.
I came across this video via recommended and I hope this man is at peace. I want to wish the woman who spoke highly of him, his friends, and family my sincere condolences. Rest in peace.
Didn't know him, but as a former HG pilot (well before the concept of towing via UL came into vogue) I had heard nothing but good about the Dragonfly bird. I'm also an old fart, been flying 52 years, HG's, UL's and fixed wing homebuilts, and the one thing that sticks in my mind is, no matter how experienced one is as a pilot, in fact the MORE experienced one is as a pilot, that evil bitch complacency never sleeps. The more hours you fly, mutiple decades, the more insidious the hazard of complacency is. I'm not typing this so much as to comment on his demise, but just as a reminder to myself.
Bobby Bailey’s Gofundme
www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-bobbys-legacy-help-for-connie?modal=donations&tab=top
That thing looks light as a kite. I'd not want to fly that in any area that has unpredictable winds. I happen to live in an area where the air is basically dead still all summer, but many areas in the USA have winds that can come out of nowhere.
RIP sir. Thank you for your enduring legacy.
@@Anon54387 Looking at the specs it weighs 514 pounds without passengers or fuel with a top speed of 46mph.
What a Lovely gentle man. Thanks for your great contribution to aviation. God bless you and your family.
So nice to see a very talented man give an interview to you whilst just sitting on the Grass. A very humbling and talented man. R.i.P Bobby.
I met Bobby in Australia and he is a true gentleman. I remember speaking to BIll Moyes as he was assembling a Dragonfly in Moyes factory and discussing the aircraft. He gave full credit to Bobby and all I can say is two amazing aviators and designers who have brought much happiness to thousands of pilots across the globe. God bless them both.
G'day and Kia Ora! NZ saved my life literally. Both countries are amazing & gorgeous.
He lived to be a respected old man and he died doing what he loved, not laying in a hospice bed. I think he won life.
You got that right.
@@iridium8341 why do you say that?
I love diving. I don’t want to be eaten by a shark. I bet his family aren’t happy that they didn’t get to say goodbye.
“Died doing what he loved” is the stupidest cliched phrase I’ve ever heard.
@@iridium8341Hell, yeah. A life, and an ending which you and I can only dream of !
Rest in Peace Bobby. You were a true aviation hero and legend. Gone but not forgotten. ❤
Thanks Man! Hadn’t heard of him but now I have and I will remember him! 🇺🇸🙏🏻
Most people are unable to find personal fullfilment and are more dependent on fame, wealth etc. Bobby was someone that clearly found his personal happiness, which is of all things, the most important you could possibly have
Some people dream of things.
Other people go out and DO THEM-
I'm a perfectly normal man, an airline pilot by trade. An office job as an engineer like my dad had just wasn't good enough for me, so I went a different route and now I fly 767's around the world. This is why I also support transgender persons: While I have no desire at all to be one, I appreciate that they have the balls to give the world a big middle finger and do what they WANT.
@@Flies2FLL👍😎👍 same here, humans are.
@@Flies2FLL What does Transgender persons have to do with any of this? They don't give the world a middle finger they cry and complain about pronouns destroying the lives of children around the Western world. You can't give the world the middle finger if you are always looking for approval from others and pretend to be something you're not. It's disingenuous. If they kept to themselves nobody would care but they are trying to indoctrinate children which is disgusting. Such a weird place to pledge your support to those who are invading real women's sports and private spaces.
Thanks so much for doing this video. A quiet guy who was amazing and is relatively unknown. A real Legend as you said. Good job!
Thank you for this video. You were able to capture Bobby Bailey‘s essence and do him some justice. He is an absolute legend within the hang gliding community, but because the community is so small I believe he is underrated overall. He had tens of thousands of hours in dozens of Dragonflys and the way he flew them was so masterful and artistic that it was an inspiration to watch. Even into his 70s, he could fly so aggressively that it made me woozy as a passenger. He was still flying these almost every day until his last moment. Your understanding of the accident is exactly correct. I was there.
I flew a few months ago with him, he did all kinds of aerobatics and that day turned out to be one of my most memorable days in my life. Thank you Bobby fly high
Sorry hear about Mr Bailey He did what he loved...Deepest condolences to the family..Rest in Peace...
I had not known of him. Excellent, well put together introduction and interview. An 'introview' and a tribute as well. WELL DONE.
😢 Fascinating guy. I feel a loss, but a far greater gain now, having got his story 👍
That is some of the coolest crabbing ever in the entry clip!! RIP Bobby!!! I've wanted to get a Dragonfly for a long time but never got around to it (yet)... Very grateful you shot the video! Thanks!
Thanks for. making this video. Bobby was a long lost friend of mine since the days of the Buccaneer that he came to Mobile Al. to help me complete. He was a most giving gentle soul.
What a charming guy. Thanks for sharing this interview. I'm sure he'd be great to talk to. Thanks for sharing.
From an Air Force Veteran - RIP Bobby fly high with the angels.
@FloridaFlying, you did a beautiful job of telling this man's story. You managed to make the story all about who he was and the remarkable life he lived despite the recency and circumstances of his passing, which you handled with absolute class. Well done.
Wow such a loss. He seemed like a real special person. Thanks for putting this together
Thanks for an appropriate tribute to a wonderful pioneer.
I am 68 and was introduced to UL aviation by the same crew of people in this tight knit club. Starting in 1982, my hobby became secondary career when I became a flight instructor in 1989 and enjoyed introducing hundreds of people to the spiritual experience of flight along the beach at Plum Island Massachusetts in our MU 582 Drifter.
I’m sad that Bobby passed that’s all I can say. His Dragonfly and work on tandem HG equipment brought safe hang gliding and instruction to the industry that only few had a chance to experience.
Thank you. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch this video until today. It's wonderful.
Aviation has brought a lifetime of joy to me. I am sorry I missed out on Bobby. It is people like him that have brought the blessings in my life.
In the 1990s he helped me out with a couple of free tows out of Mt Beauty Vic Aus. I had a Moyes Hang Glider and he and Moyes sponsored me and others with free tows. He was very helpful to me as a nervous pilot.
I was fortunate enough to also fly with a legend. The author of "Rolls Around a Point", Duane Cole. That was 40+ years ago. I was a 90 hour private pilot and decided to take an aerobatic course so I would never find myself in any attitude which I hadn't experienced. So I paid an extra 50% over the general cost of such a course so I could learn from Duane Cole. I had seen him lecture at Oshkosh and he was "revered" by all. It was a trip. Tons of tales; really good ones and a helluva experience. Not to mention that involuntary spin later where the training saved my bacon. And "no", I wasn't the PIC but I was the guy that recovered from that spin while the PIC was freaking out.
Duane was a nice man
Met him in 1980 in Ft Worth, what nice guy. All during the seventies the FBO I worked at sold his book on acro and we would watch him do his show at Falcon Field many times. That rolling 360 always blew my mind.
I had a copy of that book.... brilliant stuff
@@sonnyburnett8725 Hi, could you help with the name of the Book...
@@adityasingh1051 “Roll Around a Point: Aerobatics”
Well done, your prsentation has a kind and grateful feel to it. I am not a pilot and chose not to be but my father was a pilot, instructor and crop duster for 40 yrs and is still a mechanic at 88. I bet he's heard of Bobby. He will obviously be missed by many.
Thanks so much for making this video. I met Bobby through my brother Dixon who worked with him at Epcot during that crazy air/water show they did there. Later I would learn to hang glide with some of those guys behind a boat, but Bobby's invention, The Dragonfly, changed the sport forever. I was lucky enough to fly with Bobby in the front seat of his cooked shrimp colored personal Dragonfly and was also towed to cloud base by him many times. I had to give up hang gliding 16 years ago but i still work in the Town of Groveland and could watch his graceful acrobatics out the warehouse doors. I'm hoping he's teaching angels to do wingovers and flat spins in heaven.
❤
Thanks for all that you gave to aviation, Mr Bobby Bailey. You will be remembered. RiP.
Very sad to hear about Bobby's accident, thank you for the terrific interview.
I'll allways remember Bob as the quiet humble guy sitting over on his own when he was here in Australia.
But put him in the Dragonfly he was the star attaction, just amazing to watch.
I have wonderfull memories of Bobby after dropping us into a thermals out in Forbes and Hay then seeing him plumet and cork screw his way down 2000 ft for the next tow.
His skill and grace landing in the most difficult conditions just extraordinary, just like watching a dragonfly!
Thank you Bobby we'll miss you, my condolances and best wishes to all his family.
🙏
Thank you so much for sharing this video- it means alot to those of us who knew him
Rest in price to this legend! Glad I was able to fly with him.
So sad to hear of these things when a person is testing someone else's work to find a pointless neglected flaw that takes them from the world. RIP gr8 aviator Bobby!
What an incredible guy my thoughts go out to family and friends 😢 fly high Bobby
Awesome video man! And it's truly amazing that you go to capture some last great moments with Bobby...
Rest In Peace, it’s sad to have a man die, it’s much sadder for that man to have never lived,
This man lived!
I tow behind those, I've never ridden in one. You met an icon. Basically everything I do when I tow was invented or refined by him.
Thanks for putting this great video together. You did it perfectly, capturing some life achievements in his own words and presenting in a way not many could do. This is an amazing video! Thanks Ken
What a fantastic and also sad story.
Great video, so sad to see that he is gone from us for now.
Lovely tribute to a great aircraft designer. Lovingly presented
Great interview! You really got some good conversation there that is now preserved forever.
I haven't flown in a DF but did spend time in a Drifter near Sebring FL. It was equipped with floats and we got to land and take off on an alligator filled lake lol. Took a few lessons. A nice craft and facility.
Thanks for nice, sweet, respectful, to the point, fun, informative 12 min vid.. Perfect. God Bless Bobby...
My heart goes out to Bobby and his family and friends. What a sweet man.
Great guy, exellent pilot. I wish great blessings for Bobby.
This video was so good. RIP Bobby
I've been an aviation nut for decades and I recall seeing tons of videos of Bobby but I had no idea this man's body of work was so diverse!!! RIP to the legend!
Thank You for this wonderful video. Wow! Bobby Bailey did so much for aviation. I bet I have a few old hang gliding friends that knew him.
Great interview and respectful. Thanks.
What a great aircraft, a very sensitive piece, well done.
A friend brought the first Dragon flyer into Canada; as far as I know, I was the first to be towed behind it. Thank you for everything you did for the world of hang gliding Bobby Bailey. I'm certain you will be missed tremendously. A true legend of a man.
A fantastic journey we might say was a career. Bobby most likely just thought of it as a chance to continue to do what he loved. He will be missed. RIP.
Thank you so much for capturing this very sepcial footage of such a legend and wonderful man! Blue skies, Bobby ❤
He truly was a barnstormer when it came to this aircraft.
Well done in honouring Bobby, you did a fine job.. Blue sky's from Scotland 😢
thank you for sharing and filming.
I towed behind him once when I had just gotten my aerotow rating. He took off and immediately reefed into a sharp turn, which continued.... Turns out he had dumped me off directly into a thermal. He waved me off and I kept climbing. Truly an amazing pilot, designer and man.
The aviation world salutes you Bobby !!!!!!!!
Mad respect to you, your dedication to make this video. While i didn't know him, you did a great interview with him.
Bravo
I have a T-Bird II that I'm restoring and a KR2 that I'm restoring. I just got home from KC talking to the FAA about paperwork and I saw this video. Thanks for a great video! I'm gonna double check everything before I go flying!
Nice and Sad at the same time video, thanks for such a great presentation
I just learned who Mr. Bailey was this morning only to find out tonight that he is gone. Goodbye to an extraordinary designer and pilot. One of the coolest aviation videos I have ever seen is the dreadlocks video.
WOW... been away from the computer for a week and then I hear about this😭 I'm kinda sad... Love and Prayers for his family , his Dragonfly Videos were the best . R.I.P. Sir.🙏🙏🙏
Bobby Bailey was a legendary man. A real man, a modest man. He definitely lived a very bright life. I own Dragonfly, and it's my favorite plane! Such a pity it happened with Bob. Very sad news
I met Bill Moyes many times as he was both my auto electrician and builder of my hang gliders. I worked in the post office across the road from his shop and Vicky Moyes came in every day.
Such a humble legend.
Great interview! Thank you!
Thank you for posting this. I didn't know him but feel I have a little connection to what he loved....flying. My dad flew and rebuilt a small wrecked plane and I flew with him as a child. He loved flying too but the bug didn't bite me. He bought me a set of golf clubs when I was 13 and I think he was glad I went in that direction. I'm almost 70 and still play today.
Bobby was a lucky one to do what he loved doing throughout life. We're not all fortunate to have a job that we really love. May he RIP.
R.I.P Bob Bailey ❤
I had the honour to watch him in action at the Forbes Flatlands competition in Australia.
Bob in the Dragonfly was really something special 😎
Thank you for sharing this video. RIP Mr. Bailey, Godspeed!
I’m very glad that the girl there and you were able to appreciate the man before he left. It sounds like she told him how special he was.
ok, that guy was cool (my old man got into gliders in the late 70’s and I like them too) Dragonfly looks amazing. Sorry about his accident, thanks for sharing the interview.
Thank you for making this video and sharing on you tube.
Thanks for sharing this interview. My condolences to his friends and family. I live just over 10 miles north of Paradise Airsports / Wilotree Park. I often see ultralights flying over my house.
Many an epic cross country flight has begun behind one of these aircraft. Vale Bob.
Fantastic Video RIP❤
Love and condolences to his family and friends. I've known is name since the early 90's. When the Dragonfly came out it was a game changer! Only a couple weeks ago I saw a TH-cam video of him doing incredible aerobatics in one. Its tough to hear this news!
what an incredible story. so glad you took the time to make the interview.
It's hard to have so much admiration and love for someone you can never meet.
When I was in the Navy in San Diego in the early 1970s I would visit the cliffs of Torrey Pines, site of the Salk Institute, where all sorts of ultralights - whatever were flitting about.
Just heard the news of Bobby's passing. I had to privilege to fly with him. And I believe it was 2020 when they had the nationals at Hern Texas. He was in the process of traveling around beefing up the front leading edge. And I got to help him one evening. It was.
A pleasure he will be missed.
RIP Bobby. I started hang gliding in72, as well, and knew all about him, however we never met.
The drifter had a "Jesus" bolt too. I noticed that mine was bent after spinning out of a soaring attempt. Port wing was not in the column I was riding and suddenly I was upside down. Just kept rolling through it and recovered up right. Pulled maybe 2 Gs? Anyway, I took it apart and found that the alum bracket had 1/16" left before the bolt pulled through the bracket. The landing gear transferred load up the column to hammer that bolt into the soft alum. bracket. I was not inspecting enough! Rebuilt the whole area with tubing doublers and beefier brackets. Love the design of Phil's planes, so easy to work with. Pre-flight matters.
PS. sweet video about a really nice and innovative guy.
so sad...another hero of innovation has left us....
Met Bobby a few time and had been towed up by him many times. Such a great guy. He will be dearly missed among his friends and the flying community.
Real aviators are a special breed. RIP and condolences to friends and family.
Very well done and heartfelt tribute to a true aviator.
A very fine man. RIP
Watched from Old Harbour Jamaica 🇯🇲, sorry about what happened to Bobby.
Bobby Gordon was a great pilot,flying every day over Cutler ridge,down to Gilbert's in the keys,landing at Jet Ski Pat's in key largo ,land or sea and every where in between,he was the ultra- lite king!!
Died doing what he loved and was passionate about - fucking LEGEND, indeed.
I've never flown much (have always prefer fast motorcycle) but my father built, maintained and flew a lot of airplanes, from ultralights to Pitts Specials and he even did some work on a Sukhoi aerobatic plane, all here in Florida. Anyway, I'd be shocked if he didn't know Mr. Bailey and even though I never met the man it obvious that he was an awesome person. RIP Bobby...
I got a weed hopper in 78 at Oshkosh. Then a Rotec Super Sport. Then a Buccaneer X1. The Buc was an absolute dream to fly and the places you could go were unmatched. Did airshows in My Decathlon for 33 years. Now a Kolb Firestar 2. About 4k hours in ULs. Thanks Bobby. I don't think people know how good the Buc was.
RIP.... a worthwhile life well lived.
I was fortunate enough to meet Bobby a few years back in CA when he came to help build a Dragonfly with Ed Pitman. Both were legends in aviation. RIP.
Sad. Thanks for the video. Aviation is so unforgiving. If you fly long enough, you will know someone to die from an accident. Condolences to his family and friends.
Godspeed Brother!
Great tribute to a remarkable man. Thanks.
So sad when some one so great passes away and all the memories they take with them ye good watch.
I came across this video via recommended and I hope this man is at peace. I want to wish the woman who spoke highly of him, his friends, and family my sincere condolences. Rest in peace.
Didn't know him, but as a former HG pilot (well before the concept of towing via UL came into vogue) I had heard nothing but good about the Dragonfly bird. I'm also an old fart, been flying 52 years, HG's, UL's and fixed wing homebuilts, and the one thing that sticks in my mind is, no matter how experienced one is as a pilot, in fact the MORE experienced one is as a pilot, that evil bitch complacency never sleeps. The more hours you fly, mutiple decades, the more insidious the hazard of complacency is. I'm not typing this so much as to comment on his demise, but just as a reminder to myself.
"The more hours you fly, mutiple decades, the more insidious the hazard of complacency is" - - -> In stone
Thank you for teaching the world Bobby, fly with the angels and rest in the clouds, blue skies and fair weather my friend.
What an incredible story and life.