Veteran Aviator/Journalist, Glen Moyer, Takes On Duties As A New Voice For ANN
ANN is trying to be ready for the future -- even before it gets here... just a few days ago, we upgraded our server capabilities aggressively, and are in the process of fine-tuning a number of feature sets and capabilities for the aviation world's most comprehensive 24/7 RealTime news service -- efforts which will lead the way to even more Aero-Goodness.
One of the biggest changes is a new role for our long-time Aero-Casting programming... some 5000 programs strong and the longest running aviation audio program in the business. Aero-Casts resume today, and with them, a new voice... that of Glen Moyer... known to many people throughout the world as the voice of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and numerous other sport aviation events throughout North America. While he's under strict orders to take it slow and simple in the early days, I have to tell you that Glen has some solid ideas for growing our Aero-Cast offerings and a strong vision for what these programs should represent to flyers all over the world. Best of all... we've known Glen for years, both is his role as the Editor of the ballooning federation of America's print and online magazines as well as a strong advocate for aviation. He's one of 'us' and we could not be more thrilled to have extorted, made him an offer he couldn't refuse, obtain his services for the Aero-News Network. So... give
him a little time to spool up and then stand back -- good things are coming in the not too distant future for ANN's Aero-Casting programs!
Glen Moyer is a native Texan, born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. He is one of the world's most published writers on the subject of hot air ballooning having begun writing about the subject in 1986. He is currently editor of the Balloon Federation of America's "Ballooning Journal" (a 56-page, bi-monthly, full color magazine) a position held since January 2001. He was formerly an award winning broadcast journalist, is a nationally recognized lighter-than-air airshow announcer, and a commercially rated hot air balloon pilot. His journey into the sky began with a well worn series of World War II pulp fiction novels…
"One of my earliest memories is wanting to learn to fly. My father had a collection of books from his childhood - the Dave Dawson War Adventure Series by R. Sidney Bowen. It's a WWII era series of boy's flying stories and I read and re-read those books 'till they literally fell apart. Growing up in the 50's Dad would drive me out to the airport where we watched the airplanes land and take off - it was cheap entertainment back in the day when you could do that," says Moyer. Later when Moyer was in high school in the 70's the family moved to within a stone's throw of the Beaumont (TX) municipal airport where there was a constant buzz of all sorts of light airplanes and skydivers overhead. "I remember one day rushing outside to see the Goodyear blimp as it flew overhead. It was so low it seemed you could reach out and touch it! (I have an open invitation for a ride on the blimp, but that's another story!) Dad loved flying machines but oddly enough it wasn't until after he died just two years ago that I
learned he had enlisted in the Air Force but was rejected for then health concerns. His brother was a plane chief on a P39 Aerocobra and had told him if he was going to serve the Air Force was the best!"
While his father was first to instill the aviation bug in him, a high school band director reinforced that desire. "W.J. LaGrone was my high school band director. He was a veteran and used his GI Bill benefits to learn to fly during my years in high school. Every day he would regale us with tales of his flying lessons. You didn't learn to fly in Beaumont, Texas in the '70's without meeting legendary aviation writer and radio show host Gordon Baxter (Flying Magazine's "Bax Seat"). Willie and Bax became great friends and ironically Bax would also have a major influence on my career direction," Moyer says.
In 1971 LaGrone started one of the first accredited high school classes on aviation. As a senior Moyer was a member of that inaugural class and passed his FAA written exam to earn an A. While he began flight training as part of the class he was unable to continue them after graduating. That same year Gordon Baxter was guess speaker at Moyer's high school band banquet where Moyer, as band president, was emcee. Afterwards Baxter suggested Moyer consider a career in radio and helped him get his first job in broadcasting.
After graduation from South Park High School in 1971, Moyer studied at Lamar University in Beaumont but left college when an internship at a local TV station (KFDM) became a full time occupation. He would go one to work at a variety of radio and television stations as a DJ and news reporter, writer , producer , and assignments editor. Like any career journalist Moyer moved up in market size from Beaumont to San Antonio, TX (WOAI Radio and KENS-TV), to Dallas, TX (WFAA Radio/TV and KRLD Radio).
"My media affiliation always opened doors for me in aviation and I was never shy about using that to my advantage," explains Moyer. "Over my career I had the incredible opportunity to meet and interview great aviators including General Jimmy Doolittle, Ensign George Gay, Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager and astronauts Michael Collins and Alan Bean, among others."
As if flying and writing were not enough, Moyer has continued his broadcasting work as a premiere airshow announcer in the sport of ballooning. For more than 25 years Moyer has entertained and educated millions of spectators at balloon events big and small all across the U.S., most notably in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he has teamed with his close friend and mentor Tom Rutherford for the past 22 years as emcee for the world's largest balloon event, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Moyer has been a proven performer and leader in all of his adventures. Her served on student council every year of junior high and high school in the 1960's and early 70s. While a broadcaster he served as Radio Division President and was the first to serve two consecutive terms as Chairman of the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. He was honored by the Texas AP with their 1982 award for "Best Newswriting" for his story on the Braniff Airlines bankruptcy. "I remember writing. 'It looks as if a rainbow has fallen from the sky at DFW Airport' referring to the day Braniff parked it's fleet of "Flying Colors" after filing bankruptcy," Moyer recalled.
In the mid 90's Moyer was elected as an at-large member of the Balloon Federation of America's Board of Directors and served in the roles of Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice-President while on the Board. In 2006 he was awarded the BFA's highest honor, the Shields-Trauger Memorial Award for exceptional service to the sport of ballooning and the BFA. In 2008 the Federation Aeronautique Internationale also recognized Moyer's contributions to the sport by awarding him the FAI Air Sports Medal.
To date Moyer has flown balloons in 29 of the United States and territories, and internationally in Mexico, Canada, England, France, and New Zealand. He has logged almost 700 accident-free hours as Pilot In Command. He currently owns two balloons, a 77,000 cubic foot Lindstrand named "Coyote Moon" and a 84,000 cubic foot Cameron named "Coyote Rising." He continues to collect WWII era flying stories having built his own complete collection R. Sidney Bowen's Dave Dawson War Adventure Series, Al Avery's Yankee Flier series and several more.
Moyer now resides at the private 3,000 ft grass strip Bluebird Hill Airpark (5F5) in Keithville, LA just outside of Shreveport.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.13.24)
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