Nige's unscheduled departure came as a huge shock. I'm grateful to him for his confidence in passing me fit to commit aviation on 22 September 1997 at 15:10, and the revalidations and instructor trips since. His approach to flying and instructing inspired confidence in the less than confident rookie pilot.
Even a perilous rate of descent on the 090 approach to Compton, or a botched MATZ penetration at Yeovilton, would give rise only to a calm 'better do something about it' comment and a successful extraction from the impending mire without him laying a finger on the controls. Post-skills test PFLs? 'Let's do something practical for when the prop has stopped, the kids are screaming and the ex-wife is having hysterics in the back'.
Flight planning at the golf club in 05 was pure Nige entertainment once the lines had been drawn and the numbers crunched. His anecdotes about his spell with Dorset's finest were excellent pre-flight relaxation for me and post-18 holes for the golfing fraternity.
It's often said that the best go early. Sadly it's turned out to be true yet again. Wherever Nige is I hope there's at least a T bar and a Tiger Moth with a sheepskin jacket waiting in the aft cockpit. Good bloke, the best and, recalling one of his experiences in the police, a good egg. As he said to me in disbelief after one flight prep at the golfers' retreat, he still had no idea why using 'good egg' was a hanging offence. RIP and stay out of the celestial trees!