Bruce <<bruce>>
writes:

He was a true hang gliding pioneer whose many contributions helped
shape our sport. He was responsible for many "firsts" in hang gliding while he
was working for Delta Wing and Progressive Aircraft from 1974-1985. After
spending many years with Adams Aircraft and Cessna Aircraft Company, Richard
refocused his attention on hang gliding and spent the past 3 years working on
glider innovations that would help bring more people into our sport. His passion
and tireless persuite of innovation was inspirational. He will be greatly
missed.

http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/kansas/obituary.aspx?n=richard-l-boone&pid=171622391&referrer=0&preview=True

Below is the the bio used when he was inducted into the Rogallo Hall of Fame in
2011.

"Richard Boone is a “man-about-hang-gliding.” At least that’s how Hang Gliding
Magazine described him. A quick look into his past proves the description is
spot-on. Richard’s passion for flight and penchant for innovation have helped
secure him a place among the hang gliding industry’s pioneer elite.

As a student at the University of Washington, Richard studied mechanical
engineering and worked in the university’s aeronautical laboratory. During the
summers, he worked in Boeing’s composite fabrication facility in Wichita,
Kansas. With graduation in striking distance, Richard got an offer he couldn’t
refuse – a chance to work for Bill Bennett test flying hang gliders in
California. Within six months, Richard was vice president of research and
development for the largest hang gliding company in the world. Currently, he’s a
senior project engineer at Cessna Aircraft Company.

Richard has been involved in the design and flight-testing of more than 100
glider designs, including the Delta Wing Phoenix and Skytrek. On top of
pioneering the floating crossbar and radial batten tip, Richard certified the
first double surface glider, holds numerous patents in aviation fabrication
processes, and is a current 600 hour IFR Complex/High-performance rated pilot
with glider endorsement.

No biography of Richard Boone would be complete without mentioning his tireless
promotion of of hang gliding in film and on TV. Richard, who once flew a hang
glider into Anaheim Stadium as a Donny Osmond lookalike, has appeared on
Charlie’s Angels, The Hardy Boys, and as a guest on the Mike Douglas Show.

He and Maggi, his wife of 15 years, have two children and live in Wichita,
Kansas."