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Gérard Moss

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Gérard Moss
Moss at the 6th World Water Forum in 2012
Born(1955-05-16)16 May 1955(age 69)
England,UK
Died16 March 2022
NationalityBrazilian
Occupations
  • Pilot
  • environmentalist
  • explorer
Years active1983–2022
SpouseMargi Moss
Websitemundomoss.com.br

Gérard Moss,MBE[1][2][3](born 16 May 1955, died 16 March 2022) was aSwiss-Brazilianpilot, engineer, public speaker, environmentalist and explorer born inEngland.As a pilot, Gerard was known for being the first person to complete a solo flight in amotor glideraround the world.[4][5]Gérard and his wife Margi Moss arenaturalized citizensof Brazil and until as late as 2012 were the only South American citizens considered Earthrounders.

As an environmentalist, Gerard and his wife have started many projects to preventDeforestation in Braziland evaluate the quality of its water and air. After living inRio de Janeirofor 25 years, the couple moved toBrasíliain 2006 to be closer to theAmazon Rainforest[6]and begin the Flying Rivers project.

Early life and expeditions

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The life of Gerard as an explorer started early. After getting his first passport at age 4, he would fly to England and Switzerland to visit his parents.[7]In 1983, after graduating as a mechanical engineer, Gerard acquired his pilot license in California and arrived in Brazil, where he set up a maritimefreightbusiness to transport soybeans. In 1989, he completed his first round the world flight along with Margi, whom he met inBúziosin 1985.[8]

Four corners of the Americas

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In 1997 he flew to the four corners of the American continent. Starting in Rio de Janeiro, he flew toCape Froward,Chile in the extreme south, then the extreme west onCape Prince of Wales,Alaska followed byZenith Pointin Canada and finallyPonta dos Seixasback in Brazil.[9]His expedition was covered byRede GloboonFantástico.[10]

First motor glider flight around the world

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A Ximango motor glider similar to the one used by Moss

In 2001, he completed the first flight around the world in a motor glider, using theXimangomanufactured in Brazil. The aircraft has a near-handcrafted production[11]and proved to be very efficient. The journey was planned to be completed in 100 days.[12]His expedition was once again covered byFantástico,a work that resulted in the bookAsas Do Vento: A Primeira Volta Ao Mundo Num Motoplanador(Wings of the Wind: The First World Tour in a Motorglider).[13]

Environmental projects

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With the aid of his private flight experience, Moss was able to witness firsthand the effects ofglobal warmingand deforestation.[14]His concerns grew into projects that aimed at conservation of Brazilian natural resources.[15]His projects evaluated the quality of the air and the water in Brazil. In 2003 he started a project to analyze the waters of Braziliandrainage basins[16]and later started the Flying Rivers project.

Media relations

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Gerard's expeditions have been covered byFantásticoon TV Globo[17]and his projects have been covered by TV Câmara,[18]National Geographic,[19]Estadão,[20]and several newspapers, magazines and websites,[21]both Brazilian and foreign.[22][23]

Gerard Moss aloft over Brasilia in his Embraer Sertanejo (PT-RXE ) nicknamed "Romeo" in which he flew around the world in 1989-1992

Flying Rivers

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In 2007, Gérard, together with renowned Brazilian scientists, started a research project to evaluate the water flow from clouds and the possibility ofdroughtbeing caused by the deforestation of theAmazon Forest.[24]The project consists of acquiring water from the air to evaluate its origin and flow from the Amazon River to the south of the Americas.[25][26]The project is part of a larger project called "Brasil das Águas" (Brazil of the Waters).[27]According to Moss, the water flow carried by these flying rivers could equal that of theAmazon Riveritself[28]since each tree can be responsible for 300 liters[29]of atmospheric water per day.[30]Between 2006 and 2007, seven Brazilian rivers were the target of studies (Araguaia,Grande,Ribeira,Miranda,Ibicuí,VerdeandGuaporé). In 2007, after collecting the samples, they started to compare them with the water vapors from the air. With the support ofUniversity of São PauloandFederal University of Rio de Janeiro,they arrived at the conclusion that much of the water vapor comes from Amazonian rivers, creating a phenomenon termed "flying rivers".[31]

Publications

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Gerard and Margi have published several books reporting their experiences:[32]

  • Asas Do Vento: A Primeira Volta Ao Mundo Num Motoplanador(ISBN8501065552)
  • Volta Por Cima(ISBN8501055794)
  • Freedom of the Skies(ISBN1853109061)
  • Loucos por ti, América(ISBN8501055255)
  • Extremos das Américas

References

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  1. ^"Double Earthrounder Gérard Moss was honoured with an MBE at Buckingham Palace on November 18, 2011".Earthrounders. 5 December 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2014.Retrieved29 June2012.
  2. ^"Gérard Moss Decorated by Queen Elizabeth".22 November 2011.Retrieved29 June2012.
  3. ^"Gérard Moss to be decorated by Queen Elizabeth". Envirobusiness. 16 November 2011.
  4. ^"Fournier aircraft history, performance and specifications".Certified aircraft database.Pilotfriend.Retrieved13 January2012.2001. World tour by Gérard Moss of Swiss origin, living in Brazil. The first to fly alone in a motor glider around our planet with the RF-10, n° 11, built in France in 1986.The wings had been reinforced to support the plane's increased load (video/tv equipment and 290 litres of petrol). A 55000 km circle over 40 countries: was a real achievement the pilot and his aircraft.
  5. ^"Noticeboard 2001".Earthrounders. Archived fromthe originalon 15 April 2012.Retrieved13 January2012.September 29h [sic], 2001: Congratulations to Gérard Moss for his successful [sic] RTW flight in a Super Ximango. He had left Brazil on June 23th [sic] and flew over 55 497 km.
  6. ^"Gérard and Margi Moss – exploring the environment".Safari Air Empreendimentos Ltd.Retrieved13 January2012.Having lived in Rio de Janeiro for 25 years, Brazil is their true home and they are naturalized Brazilians. They recently moved away from the lushness of the Atlantic rainforest to the drier cerrado biome that surrounds Brasilia, in the very heart of the country.
  7. ^"Gérard Moss".Mundo Moss.Retrieved29 June2012.
  8. ^"Margi Moss".Mundo Moss.Retrieved29 June2012.
  9. ^"Four Corners of the Americas (1997)".Mundo Moss. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  10. ^"Voo pelas Americas".Rede Globo: Fantástico.Retrieved29 June2012.
  11. ^"Vencemos de novo: A aviação brasileira ganha mais uma da Bombardier".Jornal Hoje.23 February 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 8 July 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  12. ^"Suíço-brasileiro tenta volta ao mundo de planador".swissinfo.ch. 21 June 2001.Retrieved29 June2012.
  13. ^Moss, Gerarld; Moss, Margi (2002).Asas Do Vento: A Primeira Volta Ao Mundo Num Motoplanador[Wings of the Wind: The First World Tour in a Motorglider] (in Portuguese). Editora Record. p. 332.ISBN978-8501065551.
  14. ^"Landolt & Cie Chair".École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Archived fromthe originalon 10 December 2010.Retrieved29 June2012.
  15. ^"Gérard e Margi Moss, companheiros de viagem".Leia Brasil. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  16. ^Redação 360 Graus (29 September 2003)."Gérard Moss decola em hidroavião para realizar pesquisa inédita".360 Graus. Archived fromthe originalon 1 April 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^"Entrevista – Asas do vento: A volta ao mundo num motoplanador".Grupo Editorial Record.Retrieved29 June2012.
  18. ^"Entrevista com Gerard Moss (Aviador)".TV Camara. 18 December 2004.Retrieved29 June2012.
  19. ^Christine Dell'Amore (18 December 2009)."Amazon Losing" Flying Rivers, "Ability to Curb Warming".National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2009.Retrieved29 June2012.
  20. ^"Rios voadores: água levada por cima de nossas cabeças".Estadão.20 March 2011.Retrieved29 June2012.
  21. ^"Esporte Aventura – Rally Mitsubishi e Participação do aviador Gérard Moss".Radio Estadão ESPN. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  22. ^"How much does it cost to land in Japan?".AOPA Japan. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  23. ^"Amazon's loss of" flying rivers "making it lose ability to curb global warming".ZeeNews. 20 December 2009.Retrieved29 June2012.
  24. ^Mario Osava (17 January 2011)."Rainfall Patterns Can't Be Ignored in Climate Change Debate".Inter Press Service News Agency. Archived fromthe originalon 4 January 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  25. ^"Entrevista com Gérard e Margi Moss".InfoGPSUOL.30 September 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  26. ^"Fliying Rivers".Cop15Brasil.Retrieved29 June2012.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^"Entrevista com Margi e Gérard Moss, idealizadores do Projeto Brasil das Águas".Revista EA. 9 March 2005.Retrieved29 June2012.
  28. ^"Dados mostram impacto da floresta sobre chuvas no Sul"(in Portuguese). Estadão. 19 March 2009.Retrieved16 July2020.
  29. ^"Gérard Moss fala dos rios voadores da Amazônia em palestra".Gente de Opiniao. 14 November 2010.Retrieved29 June2012.
  30. ^"Pesquisadores tentam mapear em MT rios voadores da amazônia".Extremos. 7 July 2011.Retrieved29 June2012.
  31. ^"Rios voadores a todo vapor".Editora Abril: Planeta Sustentável. 18 March 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 30 March 2012.Retrieved29 June2012.
  32. ^"Mundo Moss: Livros".Mundo Moss.Retrieved29 June2012.
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