Vale- Ben Sandilands

[Keg]

I've heard a report that Ben Sandilands has passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Whilst I didn't always agree with his views on things aviation related he could at least be trusted to always call it as he saw it. There is no doubt he made an overwhelmingly positive contribution to the Australian aviation scene. I will miss him and his contributions.

[chuboy]

Sad if true, I had no idea he was ill. RIP

[dragon man]

If correct very sad. Head and shoulders above the other aviation so called expert in Australia. Will be badly missed, loved reading his articles.

[wheels_down]

Have not seen an article for over a week, thought it was odd.

Dragon Man is right there. He would cut to the chase and see through most issues that your standard journo wouldn’t even know how to tackle.

[Pinky the pilot]

Head and shoulders above the other aviation so called expert in Australia. Will be badly missed,

Concur. Especially with the first part of the quote above.

[Jeps]

Keg is correct sadly. It has been confirmed. I agree with the other sentiments. I must plead ignorance. For some reason I thought Ben was a much younger man. Perhaps I based the perception on his ‘youthful’ name.

[MickG0105]

Yes, sadly Ben passed away peacefully on Friday evening in the company of his sister, Susanna, and his daughter, Victoria. He was the epitome of "old school", a straight shooter, sometimes wrong but always forthright. He will be missed.

[Fonz121]

Very sorry to hear. He was the only aviation journalist whose articles I knew I could trust to be factual.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
So sad to hear that. He has been very unwell for quite a long time, but I had about an hour on the phone with him mid last week, we talked quite regularly, he didn't give any indication things were quite that bad.
Indeed, he was quite chuffed about the fact that with his solar and batteries, he had gone 100% off grid. As always, he was right up to date (indeed, ahead of many "journalists") on the goings on in the aviation world.
Anybody who sees a funeral notice, please post it.
Tootle pip!!

[IsDon]

Very sad news.

Sadly Ben was the last of the real journalists. When regurgitating company PR spin seems to pass for journalism these days, Ben was a standout professional.

Knew his stuff. Respected by the airline industry. Credibility and integrity intact.

The antithesis of Geoffrey Thomas.

[packapoo]

That's sad to hear. Didn't know the man. Enjoyed reading his daily words and insights.

[ampclamp]

I'm greatly saddened by this news. I knew of his ill health but also was unaware of how bad it was. No complaints from him, just kept blogging. A real pro.

Our small community is a poorer place without him.

[Blackdog320]

Sad news indeed. After almost 30 years in this business Ben was the only aviation news journalist I trusted and looked forward to reading his articles.

Godspeed Ben.

[Metro man]

I’ll miss his posts, they were always very informative and usually correct unlike some of the so called aviation Journalists out there.

Here is a link to his page for those not familiar.

https://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/

[ACMS]

Oh.......:(

[Suck&Blow]

Does anyone know if there will be a continuance of Plane Talking, or will it fall by the wayside? Maybe GT can take it over!
Sincere condolences to Bens family. You will be missed Ben.

[PLovett]

Very sad to hear. Ben and I had a slight disagreement over something he wrote that concerned me and in the ensuing discussion, which it was, we found that we were much more in agreement that disagreement. We kept in touch over the years and he was of much assistance to me on several matters aviation.
My condolences to his family on their loss. He is a loss to Australian aviation.

[ChrisCrash]

Every day I would check to see his interesting and sometimes provocative view on a whole range of subjects and knowing he was ill wondered how he could even follow up on very technical ones such as the disappearance of MH370 and astronomy.
So sad.
C B

[ChrisCrash]

I am so sad Ben's voice has fallen silent.

In the course of some exchanges with him I learnt we were both "soixante-huitards" -- '68ers', those (at the time) relatively young people who had been in Paris during the "events of May" (the student demonstrations), he as a journalist.

Though very sick, he in recent weeks gave me some invaluable help with info for the second edition of my book. I intended to send him copies to give to friends visiting him. If his daughters would like to contact me at [email protected], I would be glad to send them to them instead.

Not only did he cover aviation but also many other topics such as astronomy. An inspiration, though you had to be careful not to be too carried away on some hobby-horses if yours were similar.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
The death notice for Ben was in today's Sydney Morning Herald.

A private cremation has been held, but there will be a memorial service at a date to be announced, this will also be notified in the SMH.

I sincerely hope there will be a big turnout for the memorial service.
LeadSled.

[Groaner]

A good one gone too early.

[Chronic Snoozer]

RIP Ben. Very much enjoyed Plane Talking.

[michigan j]

Crikey.com has an initial message which reads in part

It’s pro forma when a journalist passes to laud their work. But the loss of Ben is a painful reminder of what we’re losing more broadly in the media. As the media business model collapses, we have fewer and fewer journalists like him; specialists who retain a good journalist’s capacity to tell stories that engage the layperson are a luxury few outlets can now afford, and we’re all the poorer for it.

Agreed...

[AEROMEDIC]

Ben was a rare individual in a unique position. He wrote great articles for the industry.
RIP Ben. Condolences to his family.

[logansi]

So sad, like others a respected and took time to read his work, something I rarely do with articles on our industry. I am also saddened (as I’m sure he would have been) that he never got to learn the fate of MH370.

[Dick Smith]

RIP wonderful Ben. I knew him for over 50 years. We first met at Lindfield Rocks when he was training for the 1965 Balls Pyramid expedition.

I invited Ben on my second expedition to look for the Kookaburra in 1977 and we remained firm friends ever since that time.

He was an important journalist with Fairfax for many, many years and wrote many important aviation stories.

Ben, I and others will remember you forever for the important work you did for aviation and important social issues in Australia.

[Taildragger67]

RIP Ben.

Never met him but a fan of Plane Talking and prior. Always looked at his stories for the no-vested-interests view. Sad news. Who will keep the b's honest now?

Vale.

[BeccyB]

Hello lovely friends of my uncle, it is so lovely to read your kind words, thoughts and memories of him.

I’m his niece - daughter of his sister Jean. I would normally never make a comment like this as I feel I’m being pedantic - after reflection I realised that’s exactly what he’d want!! Set the record straight. Lol!

He wouldn’t rest easy with factual error.

As an ex journo myself and as he would insist, please allow me to respectfully correct your statement - he had one child, his daughter Victoria. Susie is one of his sisters - my fabulous aunty.

He was the proud grandad of Victoria’s son Miles. Thank you all. It was both surprising and comforting to know how respected he was.

Yes, sadly Ben passed away peacefully on Friday evening in the company of his daughters, Susanna and Victoria. He was the epitome of "old school", a straight shooter, sometimes wrong but always forthright. He will be missed.

[rjtjrt]

BeccyB

I’m sure Ben would be pleased, as he would have wanted the record corrected.

He is indeed missed by his wide band of readers.

[Keg]

I still have Plane Talking in my favourites list on Safari. I still find myself absent mindedly checking it from time to time out of habit and always disappointed when I get there and remember that Ben’s no longer with us.

[MickG0105]

As an ex journo myself and as he would insist, please allow me to respectfully correct your statement - he had one child, his daughter Victoria. Susie is one of his sisters - my fabulous aunty.


My apologies, I had misread Victoria's email to me about Ben's passing. I've now corrected the original post.

[The Green Goblin]

Same keg.

I find myself checking his blog still to see if someone will fill his sizeable shoes.

I miss his work terribly. I didn’t agree with many of his positions and views, but enjoyed reading them all the same.

One of my favourite eras reading his blog, was his coverage of the QF chaos and the lockout. He was highly critical of management, however let the incumbent CEO have his right of reply.

Respect.

[Ken Borough]

I still have Plane Talking in my favourites list on Safari. I still find myself absent mindedly checking it from time to time out of habit and always disappointed when I get there and remember that Ben’s no longer with us.

You're not alone Keg. I bet there are a lot of others in a similar position who are suffering withdrawal symptoms following Ben's death. And there's not a soul who is capable of filling the void.