Vale Capt Matthew (Matt) Kelly

[Normasars]

Just to advise of the terrible news of Matt's passing. Long term QLINK(EAA) employee and Q400 Captain.

For those who knew Matt, he was larger than life. A true friend who will be very sorely missed.

Safe Passage my very good friend.


Norma

[Hugh Jarse]

Normasars,

He was quite young, wasn't he? I'm really sorry to hear of Matt's passing. A lovely bloke indeed.

Jarse.

[Normasars]

Hi Jarse,

Only 40 yrs old mate. Bloody tragedy and a fantastic pilot. Common sense and skill. Very hard to come by these days.

Devastated.

Cheers mate, PM if you want to.

Norma

[1a sound asleep]

Matt learnt to fly at the same time and place as I did. I remember him working hard to get his PPL with a passion for flying that he always had. His determination to achieve his ambitions is to be admired. This is very sad, not just for Matthew's friends and family, but also for Aviation.

RIP

[Best Rate]

Stunned is all I can say.....

The loss of a super-enthusiastic and capable aviator, friend and personality...

RIP mate and thanks for the laughs and the fly.



BR

[Di_Vosh]

Just found out.:sad:

Absolutely gobsmacked!!

110% full of life, fantastic bloke, great pilot!

Will be greatly missed.

DIVOSH :(

[Mr.Buzzy]

A true role model.

We were all inspired by his ability and enthusiasm during those early Tyabb years. His attitude and confidence made him "born to fly"

Thoughts and prayers with family and friends.

Blue skies Matt.

[steelcraft]

Flew with him at Tyabb. Remember being a passenger in his old falcon with no reverse gear. You would drive around a parking lot for ages waiting for a car spot that you could park in with out the need to reverse.

[Bang Bus]

A bloody great Captain, and a bloody great friend. Will be sorely missed by all.

RIP Mate

[Sue Ridgepipe]

Unbelievable! A great pilot and a top bloke, always fun to fly with and such a passion for life. R.I.P mate.

[Normasars]

G'day all,

Am going to have a drink for Matty at the Olive Tree in Sunbury, in the beer garden from 12 noon Friday(25th) if you can make it. Come and show your respect and remember a terrific friend/colleague. Hope you can join me for a quiet one and feed.

regards

Normasars.

[J0N0]

A Great Bloke with so much enthusiasm and fun to be around!! RIP!!

[69lemonchichen]

Matthew (Matt or Matty) Kelly-who could forget:

His level of enthusiasm for everything was unbeatable.
He lived to fly.
He was passionate, professional and disciplined with all of his aviation pursuits.
He flew everything and anything that he could get his hands on. This included fixed wing, rotary wing, gliders, plus model aircraft. All of which were flown to the best of his ability (which in all cases meant an exceptionally high standard).
Matt possessed excellent stick and rudder skills, probably the best I have ever had the pleasure of flying with.
His level of patience with new pilots and a willingness to teach them how to achieve things and complete the tasks to the best of their ability.
He enjoyed a love of 4 wheel driving and camping in the high country, all of which where accomplished to the same exacting standards as mentioned above.
He windsurfed flat out just as he lived his life flat out. There was no medium button with Matt it was either go or stop- nothing in between.
Who could forget the countless stories told over the years about Matt and those nightmares which he experienced during sleeping hours?
How about the questionable places which he landed different aircraft types on over the years. Only Matty could do it successfully, safely and enjoy every second of it.
In a cockpit he was second to none with decision making. Out of the cockpit he couldn’t decide what he wanted on his sandwich for lunch-bloody hopeless.
He loved the ladies, but was hopeless at putting a deal together.
I bet you have already been talking to the local operators and are able to source an aircraft for weekend flying where ever you are.

Mate, rest in peace or as I suspect flat out pace just as you lived your life.

Regards

Rob

[mustangranch]

Only got to fly with Matt once and we had a ball! Found out we had many of the same fond memories of Tyabb and the Yak and flying Learjets.
You're already sorely missed Matt. RIP mate.

[Kiwiconehead]

RIP Matt, sad loss of a great guy. Will be missed.

I'll have a beer at the AeroClub in Moresby tonight for you.

[krop]

Well said lemonchicken. He was a true aviator!
The world is poorer for this loss.

Rest in Peace Matt

[matt1975]

Rob _ a very touching message..

Does anyone have a pic of Matt Kelly?? I recall the name but can't put a face to the name. I (matt jacobs) flew at Tyabb in the early 1990's. instructed there approx 5 years ago..

[1a sound asleep]

Tyabb was Matt's second home for many years. He was active in the Air Force Cadets at Tyabb from a young teenager. I remember when we were learning to fly and when asked about what did he want to do with his pilot licence he very genuinely said he "just wanted to fly". As a previous poster mentioned anything and everything that flew Matt was into.

His passion for flying was never ending. He would fly anything anywhere anytime. If he had to sweep a hangar floor to fly a plane he would. If he ever had trouble learning something he would go over and over it until he got it 100%, no matter how long it took. I am sure this passion and determination translated into a great attitude in his career.

I cant get to some storage boxes but I have photos somewhere of Matt doing a high speed exit from a Dove when an engine backfired returning from a ballooning weekend. Another of him marshaling a/c at Mangalore airshow and some of him around the aero club.

http://i54.tinypic.com/15psk8m.jpg

I did manage to find this early photo from the late 1980's at a wings night whilst he was on the dance floor.

[Normasars]

Matty, what else can I say that hasn't already been said.

I did his Training Capt training, and the guy literally knew everything I asked him and more. He asked me things I didn't know. He was a sponge, he lived and breathed for his flying. He never tired of talking shop. After a 10-11 hr day he was still full throttle. It was funny with the Cabin Crew; they simply refused to give him Coke to drink as they all thought he was already too hypo and didn't need the caffeine.

I classic example of Matt's "all or nothing" attitude was this. After coming dirt bike riding with me a couple of times, Matt decided to buy his first bike. A KLX450R Kwaka. His first dirt bike for christ's sake. And yes, there were many moments of sheer terror and hurt, but like everything Matty did, he knuckled down and within a month was pretty competant on a bike many people could never get a handle on after riding for many years. Such was the pursuit of life.

What a burning bright beacon of life, gone all too soon. The glass was always half full with Matt; always looking on the brightest side of life, unlike most.

His Burial will be in Mornington on Monday 28 @ 11am I think, still being finalised, with a service to follow at the Mornington Yacht Club. Standing room only.

I feel numb. I have lost my best mate. I hole in my life that can never be filled.

See you all there on Monday.

regards

Dave

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

This is kinda weird!

OK, I'll ask the question that everyone is thinking and nobody wants to ask.

What happened?

Dr :8

[Normasars]

He passed away at home. Nuf said!! And NOT everybody else wants to know.

BTW no suspicious circumstances either.

[missing link]

Matt died of a heart attack, 41.............. He always lived life in fast forward, put 80 years into 40. And the bastard still owes me 20 bucks!

[WFDUP]

I just wonder which plane he is flying on the other side, or has he like all of us as little kids want to fly all by ourselves, arms out like wings and fly like an eagle..... RIP Matty, our thoughts go out to your family and friends at this sad time...... Fond memories we have from Tyabb..

[Keith Myath]

RIP mate. I still remember the story of Matt catching a cat that got loose on the tarmac at Tulla. There was only flat out with Matt. I cannot believe he is gone.

[Blue Sky Baron]

I have fond memories of Matt, especially when he flew my baron for the first time after it had been sitting, neglected for several years out in the open.
It was deemed ok to ferry by the LAME's but I sure as hell was not going to fly it, who knew what was lurking inside. Matt just loved it and was just so happy to be flying - anything! Lost contact after he left Tyabb, nice to know he was as successful as he was, great man, great pilot.
BSB :(

[boongcactus]

Top bloke,would do anything for you.The world is a dull place with out you around and a life tragically cut way to short.A person full of life,funny,flat out and full on.Dearly missed,all the best with what ever your doing up there.Good bye my friend safe skies for you.
Daz

[dreamer84]

Had a only a little to do with Matt on the ground at one of Q'link destinations. Admired his enthusiasm and lighter look on things. Once did his entire inbound call on the Company Freq in the voice of Bill Lawry from '12th man.' Absolutely spot on and the entire terminal was cracking up.

There's an old guy, a stroke victim, who hangs on the fence most days to watch the RPT flights come in and this seems to be his only remaining hobby. Matt told us to tell him next time he was there and Matt was on to bring him out and he'd show him around the flight deck.....never did eventuate sadly. He was always letting kids have a quick look before disembarking.

Seems everyone has a quirky story about Matt.

Passionate, friendly and funny guy. Sad news.