Roy McMaster has accomplished some of the highest achievements and made significant contributions to the sport of soaring in our country over the past 64 years. He has exhbited total selflessness in not just teaching how to fly a glider but in teaching the art of Soaring, and sharing his love for the sport he has given his life to. He has always been the first to encourage pilots, young or old, to check out in a new glider, to take them on their first cross country flight, or to encourage them to strive to achieve their SSA badges.
SOARING HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS:
Roy began his soaring career on November 5, 1955 at Don Scott Field (OSU) when he soloed in a Schweizer 2-22, serial number 18, on a winch launch to 1,250’. That first flight lasted seven minutes.
He flew with the Buckeye Glider Club from 1955 to when it became The Central Ohio Soaring Association. From there Roy continued gliding in Salem, New Hampshire, 1964 to 1968.
The glider scene in the original Thomas Crown Affair movie, that stared Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, was filmed in July, 1967 at the Salem gliderport. The glider in the film was flown by Roy in his Schweizer SGS 1-23H (not by Steve McQueen.)
In 1968 Roy was recruited by Paul Schweizer to revitalize the Harris Hill Soaring Corporation’s (HHSC) glider operation in Elmira, New York. As a result of Roy’s dedication and contagious enthusiasm, success was achieved and this world renowned gliderport continues to thrive to this day.
To add more glider instruction to his credit, Roy also instructed at the Schweizer Soaring School during the summer months. One of his most memorial students at this school was Werner Von Braun who soloed under Roy’s tutelage in 1974.
Roy achieved his A, B, C, and Silver, Gold, Diamond and his first 1,000 Kilometer (Badge #8) all by 1976. He currently holds 29 New York and Pennsylvania State records. In addition, Roy has successfully flown six 1,000 km flights and holds two world soaring records.
Above and beyond record flying, Roy has competed in dozens of US national and regional soaring contests over the years. His active 50-year HHSC membership has seen him in the roles of head of operations, director, instructor, commercial and tow plane pilots. He has logged 8,500 hours in sailplanes and other light aircraft. In addition, Roy has also been the New York State Record Keeper for many years now, he continues to put aside his day job to help any that asks for help, analyze their flight, to help with the badge or record process. I have heard discussions on Harris Hill about what to do for a badge or potential record flight, the answer usually has been, “Go and ask Roy, he will know what to do and help”
Beginning the mid 1990’s Roy has been a huge advocate and promoter of using GPS and flight recording software as a necessary part of sailplane instrumentation. His efforts in this area assisted in transitioning the United States soaring record chasers and competition pilots away from the antiquated barograph traces and film cameras as the only acceptable proof of flight data recording methodology.
Soaring has always been more than just an occasional hobby to Roy. It is a sport that he passionately embraced as a teenager in central Ohio and has continued throughout his lifetime. Not only has he made a multitude of incredible long-distance flights, he has also changed the face of how soaring is done in the United States. His contributions reach far beyond his home gliderport of Harris Hill and have positively influenced many generations of gliding aviators as a result.
Roy has always found the beauty and blessings of participating in motorless flight. Whether he finished his well-planned flight back at the airport or landed in farmer’s field, he always felt lucky enough to go back and try it again another day.
1982 & 1983 Joe Giltner Memorial Trophy
Awarded yearly to the pilot scoring the fastest task speed during the 15-Meter Class National Championship.
1984 Exceptional Service Award for serving as chair of the SSA Flight Training Committee and his principal development of the SSA ABC training program.
This award was established by the SSA Directors in 1964 to recognize individuals and groups whose service to SSA has been, in the opinion of the Directors, of utmost value to the Society.
1986 SSA Exceptional Achievement Award
This award was established by the SSA Directors in 1964 to recognize individuals and groups whose achievements have been, in the opinion of the Directors, of such import as to warrant special recognition for such achievements that do not normally qualify under other established SSA awards.
1986 Joseph C. Lincoln Award for Four on the Floor article in Soaring Magazine, 1986
The Joseph C. Lincoln Award is awarded for the best written article, story, etc., that is published in each year. The award is by nomination and selection by the Harris Hill Soaring Club Awards Committee
1997 Barron Hilton Cup for his accepted 408-mile winning flight (Skyhaven to Altoona to Dansville and return to Harris Hill.)
Conceived in 1981 by three-time world champion Helmut Reichmann, the Barron Hilton Cup has promoted international friendship through the sport of soaring for over 25 years. In that time, the Barron Hilton Cup has become the largest aviation competition in the world. During the most recent competition period, more than 3,000 flights were attempted in pursuit of the most unique prize in the sport- a 10-day soaring camp at Barron Hilton's Flying M Ranch in Northern Nevada.
Pilots who completed the longest triangular flights in each of eight divisions from around the world were awarded a trip to Nevada, courtesy of American Airlines. It was there that they sampled the outstanding soaring conditions in the high desert east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, amidst the hospitality that only Barron Hilton could provide. The last year for the Hilton Cup was 2009.