History of Hydrofoils Flying on the Water. Starting in 1901 with Alexander Graham Bell who earns credits for designing and creating the first hydrofoil with his craftsman Casey Baldwin to the performance water ski's made by Mike Murphy the early 1990's called Sky Ski aka the air chair! Sky Ski Video credits: Produced and Directed by John Wesley Chisholm Discovery Channel 2002 skyski airchair Armstrong foils arnmstrongfoils angled foils angledfoils