Well if that's true it is a real tragedy, and another towering personality passed from kiwi aviation.
Ian was one of the shrewdest men I've ever met, never short of controversy of course, but basically one of those amazing guys who could take any completely implausible sounding scheme or unsellable sales pitch and make it work just through his incredible work rate and the sheer force of his personality. The Aviation Awareness Week was totally his invention, it was such a roaring success that it probably singlehandedly prolonged the financial demise of Flightline for at least the last couple of years, and along with Phill he pretty much created the behemoth that is Bay Flight today out of nothing, in the space of a few short months in the late 90s.
He did so much for so many people in the places he worked, he certainly gave me and so many other young C-cats our first real break through working for him on Av Awareness, and through his extended influence a huge number of young people have been inspired to launch successful careers in this business.
RIP Ian, I'm sure the BOP aviation community will be in shock today, it has lost one of its greatest characters, it's hard to even imagine that airport without you around.
My deepest condolences to the Galloway family.
- Hans B