Darrol Stinton - Test Pilot & Author RIP

[Mechta]

Having only recently been introduced to Darrol Stinton's books, I was saddened to read that he passed away last month, particularly as I had just discovered he had lived only a short walk from me.

Darrol was an ex-Blackburn apprentice, test pilot and vice president of the Historic Aircraft Association. His works included 'The Anatomy of the Airplane' and 'The Design of the Airplane' and are must reads for anyone interested in light aircraft conceptual design.

Obituary: Historic Aircraft Association :: representing the interests of historic aircraft owners, pilots, engineers and display organisers (http://www.haa-uk.aero/news-details.php?news-id=131)

Memorial Service: 15:00 hrs, 3 March 2012: Historic Aircraft Association :: representing the interests of historic aircraft owners, pilots, engineers and display organisers (http://www.haa-uk.aero/news-details.php?news-id=135)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I was privileged to know and on occasion work with Darrol over about 15 years. As a much younger engineer with a lot of responsibility quite young, he was good enough on a number of occasions to bluntly - but very helpfully - share his vast experience with me when he felt I was talking cobblers. With practice I learned that the best way to tap into his experience, was to start an argument in his hearing about something, and he felt the need to put us all right.

He was an absolute one-off, and a fantastic mentor for a young aeronautical engineer to have had - I was fantastically lucky.

I can recall one particular occasion - I was giving a paper on light aircraft design at a Royal Aeronautical Society conference where he was sat in the front row taking apparently copious notes. This surprised but very much flattered me. A few hours later I was sat in the audience behind him - and he was still scribbling away. Peering over his shoulder, I realised he was ignoring the lecture completely but was busy writing his next book. My ego was restored to an appropriately small size!

I was privileged to sit with him on the judging for several rounds of the RAeS light aircraft design competition. His knowledge was encyclopedic, and his inputs always consise and meaningful.

I did ask him once how many types he'd flown, he said he had no idea because he'd stopped bothering to count at 150.

I absolutely agree - his books, at first sight really quite simplistic cover a massive amount of breadth at just the right and useable levels of complexity. The material is incredibly useful, and remains in my mind better than most of the newer textbooks. His flight testing book is certainly better than anything else readily available.

A truly great aeronautical engineer and test pilot, and I will certainly be at his funeral service.

G

[Shawn Coyle]

Saddened to hear of his passing. Truly one of the best at not just being a test pilot, but also at writing. I'd like to think I saved him a lot of time when he was writing the Flight Testing book - when I saw it he was treating the computer like a typewriter, and was having a very difficult time with editing. I showed him how to just type in the text and format it later. He was so grateful I got a copy of that wonderful book from him.
I doubt he's resting - a soul like his will be wandering the starry firmament and testing out his own wings...

[ABBOT]

I had both the pleasure and privilege of being briefed by this wonderful, knowledgable man back in the 1980's. Learned a lot about light aircraft airworthiness testing that day.

[PPRuNe Pop]

In moments of recollection I have offen thought of Darrol mostly because he was a firm soul in aviation and knew how to be a gentleman.

I had been keen to do CofA test flights for reasons of convenience and approached him to show me how. His enthusiasm enthused me too and I learned very well from him. After a couple of trips he gave me the OK to do CofA test flights on most aircraft up to 12,000 lbs.

After that we became good friends and I had no idea that he had passed away when he did. Losing touch in aviation with friends is common enough, losing friends permanently from aviation is always a sad event.

He will be missed but his legacy will live forever.

[Yanchik]

"Design of the Aeroplane" was, I blushingly admit, a school prize for me, remains pretty well-thumbed, and probably structured my aero engineering thinking in much the same way as Birch and Bramson for aviation. Examples...

- The real world of regulation
- The possibility for radical shapes and ideas, even in a conservative, corporate environment (and in this last year I've had three aircraft to look at, all highly unconventional in approach and exciting in application)
- The importance of having an overview of the whole design: or at least, a clear understanding of how your bit and your activity fit in, right back to first principles
- The idea that there are still openings and niches for people who can look at the whole problem

I suspect that book also got a friend of mine through their degree course: when it all got a bit hard and abstruse, "Stinton" would show how the tricky maths would actually relate to the shaping of metal.

Hopefully he's up there trimming a triplane canard delta, or fooling with the complete solution for Navier-Stokes or something...

Y

[fantom]

Loads of advice for me over the 'phone regarding CofA test flights - in particular stalling. Never too much trouble to help.

Thank you Sir.