William Arthur Black (18 August 1943 – 1 July 2020) was a New Zealand fixed-wing and helicopter pilot. He was one of the pioneers of live deer capture from helicopters in Fiordland in the 1960s, and was involved in over 500 search and rescue operations. In the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours, he was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to search and rescue operations, and in 2014 he was awarded the Jean Batten Memorial Trophy by the

Honourable Company of Air Pilots The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, formerly the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN), is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Company was founded in 1929, and became a Livery Company in 1956. Elizabeth II granted ...

for his contributions to New Zealand aviation. Black was born in Owaka on 18 August 1943, and died in

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

on 1 July 2020, aged 76 years.

References

1943 births 2020 deaths People from Owaka People from Te Anau New Zealand aviators Helicopter pilots New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire {{NewZealand-bio-stub