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Old 31st Oct 2010, 10:51
  #25 (permalink)  
Without Care
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Gloucester
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AJ

Very sad news. Condolences to his family and friends.

AJ taught me a trick or two during my first tour in Germany - the zero speed autorotation and the (virtually) hands off autopilot out landing - 'loook, it's joost flying itself'.

Later, I was (notionally!) in command of AJ as he passed on his skills to a new generation of pilots.

Infuriating as he could sometimes be(!), he always generated a barrage of amusing moments. We shared a visit the Puma Simulator in Norway where I came very close to saving more money than he did. In the simulator, I'll always remember him practicing a tail rotor drive failure where the company instructor attempted to offer advice only to be told to 'foookin shut-up, can't you see I'm busy...'.

He was ever the Crewroom philosopher who would freely offer his opinions on life - his solution to the 'troubles in NI' was novel, if somewhat controversial. I remember that one of the best 'sports' of the time was to go into a packed Crewroom containing AJ and throw in a provocative comment that indicated that the political leadership of the time was doing a good job - then leave!

AJ, a genuine individual, good pair of hands and someone who could be guaranteed to make you laugh, RIP.
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