Roger Makins

[Basil]

Fast jet pilot, LATCC Supervisor, bon viveur and our old neighbour, Roger Makins, died just before Christmas.

Funeral 15th January. Will post details when I have them.
ETD 1300 Friday 15th January
Chilterns Crematorium
Chiltern Crematorium (http://www.chilternscrematorium.co.uk)
Whielden La
Amersham, HP7 0ND
01494 724 263

[63000 Triple Zilch]

I am really sorry to hear the sad news about Roger. ATC has always been full of characters and he was one of the most noteworthy, As a young controller on B Watch I have particular reason to remember him with affection. I was working on the FIR and waiting for my breakfast break which was not readily forthcoming. After telling Roger I was in need of sustenance and a break was not forthcoming I put a note on the back of my chair saying "feed me". Roger stormed down from the desk, tore up the note into little shreds, threw them on the floor, stamped on them a few times, then hit me round the head, saying "you come in here complaining about breaks, and whats more you are dressed like Worzel Gummidge!! A nickname that has stuck for almost the whole of my career!! To this day I have never decided if it was a help or a hindrance to my career. I will always remember you with affection
Roger R.I.P.
Pete

[Loki]

Ah, that`s where that name comes from! Never met the gent in question, sad when the characters disappear.

[Mr_Grubby]

I remember Roger.

He was a lovely man. Vertically challenged, he was always very dapper and well turned out. He had style and panache. He minced about in the most inoffensive way.

Nice guy and a good Crew Chief. Always a pleasure to work with.

Clint.

[MONT BLANC]

Worz: the truth outs in the end! I have often pondered how your sobriquet was born. Nice words, thanks.

I recall Roger with great fondness. As a crew chief he was a delight to work with, not only for the way he managed the sector, but also for the repartee.
Particularly where roger Theaker was involved.

Was it not Roger Makins who christened R Theaker "Treacle"? And he was not averse to making ribald comments on "Treacles" private use of the telephone on his unused sector positions (when bandboxed) in the most comedic way. And Roger Makins and Graham Campbell together: always a bit of banter.

Such fun. Sad loss.

MB

[SwanFIS]

Another of air traffics great characters passes away, but I reckon, from what I saw, Roger enjoyed himself while he was here.

Where are the personalities now? Grey and bland is what it is now, has all aviation turned that way, or is it just us?

edit to add - Apologies for the punctuation, my wife bought a whole lot of commas for Christmas but nobody wanted any, so to be honest, I am just trying to use them all up :hmm:

[DC10RealMan]

My memories of Roger was when Phil Weaver used to use a pen top as a whistle and Roger would come down from the Supervisors desk, slap him on the head with the admonishment "You stupid boy"
Could you imagine that at Swanwick today?

[1996]

Hey Worz - think you learned a lesson from that. You never went short of breaks again!!

[63000 Triple Zilch]

Yes you are correct about Theaker, also there was a young female radar controller who in Rogers eyes, was always on the phone with diary in hand "Miss Filofax"!! She is now a senior LAS !!
On the second point Roger taught me a lot about people not just how to get my breaks on demand but how to use the system to its best advantage!!
I really wonder what he would have made, as stated of "new NATS" together with service delivery managers, business reporting and accounting and running NATS as a profitable and cost accountable organisation.
We lived in a rather more "country club" environment and I think the response of "you stupid boy" woul certainly have been his view of anyone describing NATS of today!!

[supersicroly]

I remember Roger with affection from his short time in Northern Ireland - Nutts Corner I think. I believe he flew Meteors in his RAF days. He seemed very posh to us local yokels ;)

[Basil]

ETD 1300 Friday 15th January
Chilterns Crematorium
Chiltern Crematorium (http://www.chilternscrematorium.co.uk)
Whielden La
Amersham, HP7 0ND
01494 724 263

[JonathanMakins]

Whilst I am not entitled really to be on this site as I am a landlubber,I thought I would add to the comments on Roger.
He did in fact learn his flying in Canada with the RCAF on meteors and hunters.
He had a slight defficiency in his eyesight which meant he could'nt get into the RAF at that time so he went to Canada. I well remember as a schoolboy getting letters with Canadian postmarks as well as those from West Pakistan, Dhaka,
where Roger's brother John was posted. Their mother, Phyllis, smoked about 60 Kensitas a day and could carry on a conversation without dropping a long ash from her cigarette!
Both now deceased, sadly missed as they were genuinely great fun.

[Jay Doubleyou]

I knew Roger during my (not entirely successful) stay in Northern Ireland, at Aldergrove after Nutts Corner closed. During my brief , youthful, flirtation with CND, I saw Roger's jaw drop and his comment of "God! a golimper!"
Roger had an uncle who was a famous Railway historian and author, George Dow, whom I met at a railway historical meeting while I was working, with Roger in N.I., neither seemed to understand how I knew the other! Two different but brilliant, (and eccentric!), people from two different worlds

[Brian 48nav]

Only just seen this thread,I can vaguely remember Roger. Was he shortish and of a swarthy appearance?

Times have changed! Bashing or tapping someone on the head would probably lead to dismissal now. IIRC Terry Gale got into 'deep water' following a gentle tap on the head of a female controller, after she had turned her All Codes off and started to panic! Nuff said!