Charlie Hillard

Charlie Hillard was an American aerobatics pilot who became the first American to win the world aerobatics title. Born on 22 March 1938 in Fort Worth, Texas, he began flying lessons at 16, joined the United States skydiving team in 1958 and started flying aerobatics at air shows the same year. He won the National Aerobatic Championship in 1967, took bronze at a world championship in 1968 and won the individual World Aerobatic Championship in 1972, and he led the American team to world titles in 1970 and 1972. In 1971 he formed the Red Devils team with Gene Soucy and Tom Poberezny, which became the Eagles Aerobatic Team in 1979 and flew together for more than 25 years. He died on 16 April 1996 when his Hawker Sea Fury overturned after landing at Sun n Fun in Lakeland, Florida.