Vale: Rupert Stuart Wilson

[whiskeytangofox]

I assumed that somebody would have started this before me, as I only just heard today.
It appears Rupert passed away in his home in Malacca 2 days ago.
I only flew briefly with Rupert near the end of his career, I found him to be a true gentleman and thoroughly professional aviator.
He was always willing to offer advice to younger guys.
I'm sure there are quite a few rotorheads out there who have memories of Rupert.
He will be missed.
RIP

[Nigel Osborn]

Very sad to hear that. My wife & I shared a house with Rupert & his wife in Singapore in the mid 60s when we were both in the Royal Navy. Since then in recent times thanks to Pprune we regained contact; he always sounded happy with his new life in the Far East.
As Mr Toad he was often on Pprune; far too young to move on. His wife, Alice, started a restaurant in Melaka about 2 years ago & Rupert used to commute to the flight sim in Farnborough. It's sad his retirement didn't last longer.

RIP & all the best wishes to the family:sad:

[212man]

So sorry to hear that. Only 6 weeks ago I shook his hand and wished him a happy retirement, in Farnborough. He was ebullient and happy as he hung up his spurs to pursue his life in Malacca. If there is ever a lesson in life to learn, it must surely be "carpe diem". Rip Rupert.......

[industry insider]

That's very sad news. He was one of a kind. There are not many of his ilk left to impart all that hard won experience. I hope he is at peace.

[flyer43]

Very sad news indeed. Rupert was ever a gentleman and a pleasure to fly with. I spent several years with him in Brunei and also met up with him more recently in Farnborough, shortly before he retired.
My sincere condolences to his family.

Brian

[Joker's Wild]

I had the good fortune of being paired with Rupert for my first day flying the line after arriving in Macau so long ago. My how the years have passed. A quick check of my logbook and it seems I managed to share the cockpit with him 12 more times after that. How much fun did we have going back and forth between Macau and HK!!!

He was never at a loss to explain why he was doing things the way he did and one thing I know for sure, he never varied HOW he did things by very much. A more SOP-oriented pilot would, in my opinion, be hard to find.

They say we are all composites of the best pilots we have had the privilege of working with during our careers. I would like to think that the patchwork of my experience blanket has a fairly large chunk with Rupert's name on it.

Rest in Peace Mr. Wilson.

JW

[gulliBell]

JW, well said...my experience of him was the same.

Embrasse Moi my friend.

[Plank Cap]

Greatly saddened to have learned of Rupert's passing. As Whiskeytangofox says above, he was indeed influential on many of our younger colleagues, none perhaps more so than myself.......

Rupert was with my Mother for almost twenty five years from 1970 onwards, and although their marriage ultimately was not to last he gave her, my brother and I some of the happiest memories of our lives. I was aged only four when he appeared in my life, and although then taking an enforced break from flying, he was pure 'gentleman aviator' in my young mind from that point onwards.

He had learned to fly with the Royal Navy in the mid 60s, and flew the Hiller 12, Whirlwind and Wessex, including a stint with 848 Squadron on the Wessex 5 aboard HMS Albion during the Confrontation in Borneo. A spell in Trinidad with Bristows late 60's ended prematurely after his Jetranger's engine decided to stop at a somewhat inopportune moment, leading to a forced landing. After getting his passengers out of what was left of the aircraft, he lay down on the ground only to find he could not then get up, as his back had been broken in the crash. His uninjured passengers were able to carry him several miles through the forest to the nearest doctor, who then refused to see him til opening hours the next day!

This injury lead to a 7 year diversion from flying, during which time amongst other activities he ran his own shipping company from the Isle of Wight in the UK. I grew up listening to his love of both flying and sailing.

The North Sea was booming in the mid 70s and after regaining his medical Rupert joined what was then British Airways Helicopters in 1977, based in Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands flying the S61N. Some of BAH's Training Captains on the '61 were ex students of his from the Royal Navy.... small world as we know. The BV234 Chinook featured next in his logbook for a few years, then the sale of BAH to Maxwell and the debacle that entailed from that period. Shell Brunei was next, some time with KLM Helicopters back in the UK and finally Macau flying the S76 for the last few years of his career.

As a young sprogg pilot I followed Rupert onto the North Sea, working for the opposition flying the S76 - we briefly shared the airwaves for a year or two before he moved on to Brunei. Some of my happiest days.

I met Rupert's third wife Alice a very few times, and my heart goes out to her for her loss. And indeed to Rupert's three children from his first marriage; Giles, Mark and Polly.

Apologies to all for any inconsistencies or inaccuracies in this post, time dulls the senses. If anyone is able to share more or fill in the gaps please feel free to PM me.

Rupert Stuart Wilson - gentleman aviator, one time step-father, life long mentor and friend. Your passing leaves the world a sadder place. RIP - for all the unfinished conversations...... hope to eventually meet again.

Dom loquimur, fugerit invida. Aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

(...... while we are talking, envious time is fleeing. Seize the day, put no trust in the future .......)


Rupert Lawson

[soggyboxers]

What sad news to hear of the passing of such a gentleman of indomitable spirit. I knew Rupert back in my early military flying days and always remember him as a character. I next saw him in Sumburgh and then another interval of many, many years until I met him again in Farnborough in February this year. He remembered me immediately even though I had probably changed more than he, physically. He was pleased that there was still someone of a similar vintage who was still aviating, though he was finally planning his retirement. I wish I'd had more time to yarn about the missing years, but it was not to be.

The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore. . . . Unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over those things that seem impossible. . . . It is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of all endeavors. . . . to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown.

— Ferdinand Magellan, c. 1520.

Rupert was one of those intrepid spirits. Farewell. RIP

[peter manktelow]

sad , sad news....on behalf of the Canuck's that enjoyed Rupert's company both inside and outside the cockpit in those fun days at Anduki in 1992........Ave atque vale Rupert. A true gentleman and a delight to fly with.


Peter M

[Helipilot1982]

Very sad indeed, it was a pleasure being trained by him at flight safety!!

[hico-p]

How sad - may I add my condolences to his family. Like Speechless Two, we met at Dartmouth and saw each other intermittently - just recently, we hooked up again via email. He was such a very nice person. I took his place in Trinidad following that awful accident - I'm amazed how he came back into flying and had such a long career; and such a shame his retirement was so short.
RIP Rupert - God bless

Tony Stafford

[Geoffersincornwall]

.....we used to enjoy a very special G&T together when we finished a late-shift at Anduki. It was special because you would pluck a lime from the little lime tree that grew in a big pot on the balcony of your seaside villa and squeeze the juice into the glass before a few ice cubes to disguise the hefty slug of Gordons. Sorting the problems of the world whilst enjoying the sea breeze and sipping away with the sound of sea in the background .... this is what memories are made of.

I also had the pleasure of your company in KLM Zagreb and KLM Norwich and was very happy to see you get the S92 job. A gentleman aviator and friend. I hope that Alice can summon the strength to go on without you for you will be sorely missed by us all.

G.

[TipCap]

Again, it is very sad news to realise one of your oppo's has passed away.

I knew Rupert both in the Fleet Air Arm and during his time in the North Sea. A true gentleman who will be missed.

Its pretty awful when a lot of your friends are going to the "crewroom in the sky" but then thats a function of age, I guess

RIP my friend and condolences to Rupert's family

John Whale

[bigsimmer]

I enjoyed the great privilege of working with Rupert during his two-and-a-half years as an Instructor at FlightSafety, Farnborough although our paths had first crossed - albeit briefly - on 707 Squadron (Wessex 5 AFT/OFT) at Culdrose in the late-1960's.

His long and extremely varied flying career included BAH at Aberdeen, first flying the S61N before moving on to the BV234 where my wife enjoyed many hours flying with Rupert, looking after everything aft of the cockpit bulkhead. As many will be able to vouch, those hours were seldom incident free but Rupert always very calmly applied the best principles of CRM / MCC well before most of us - certainly the Regulators - had thought of those terms.

Although Rupert enjoyed imparting his considerable knowledge to all and especially to the younger pilots with whom he flew, he had not achieved a formal Instructor Rating before joining the Team at Farnborough. However, through his diligent and thoroughly professional approach and at the age of 67, he added both the S-92A/IR Type Rating and the Synthetic Instructor Rating (H) to his licence. Having these paper qualifications was not sufficient for Rupert who then applied many hours of additional study to reach the level of technical knowledge that would meet HIS standards before committing himself to classroom and simulator instruction. Students from around the world have benefitted from - and regularly attested to - Rupert's instructional skills, delivered with his trademark gentle encouragement but always with a very firm insistence that nearly right is never good enough.

This news is quite devastating coming so very soon after the many genuine good wishes for that well deserved retirement with Alice in Melaca. Our thoughts and prayers are with her at this most difficult time.