- Who
- Harry Moyer
- What
- 100:00 year(s):day(s)
- Where
- United States (San Luis Obispo)
- When
The oldest active pilot (current) is Harry Moyer (USA, b.30 October 1920) who aged 100 years old, still flies his aircraft, as verified in San Luis Obispo, California, USA, on 30 October 2020.
Harry tries to keep busy: flies his airplane as often as reasonable, visits friends and relatives and plays golf.
Harry has been flying since 1942, except for an hiatus and bought his first airplane in October 1965 with a fraternity brother: a Mooney N6775U. On the 1st of April 1976, he bought his own Mooney N6688N, and has been flying ever since, accumulating 4500 hours in Mooney Aircraft. Preparing for the flight on his 100th birthday was a normal procedure for him.
He's owned his Mooney MK21E N6688R for 40 years and still tries to fly at least once a week, depending on weather or time off for maintenance of the aircraft. His friends and family thought his 100th birthday flight could be record breaking.
A delegation from China attended this feat, as Moyer is a World War II veteran, who joined the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force in China in 1944. The squadron's main responsibility was protecting Chinese airfield and the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers stationed there. The group inherited the Flying Tigers designation.
On the day of his record breaking flight, the Tower closed with “Happy Birthday Captain Moyer. Thank you for your Service.”