RIP Captain Mike Coyston

[Harbour Dweller]

B777 Captain Mike Coyston has sadly passed away.

He was found deceased in the Headland Hotel this morning after failing to report for a flight.

Some details have already been picked up by the press at the Apple Daily & SCMP.

Blue skies Mike

[777300ER]

Sad indeed. Great guy to fly with.. You'll be missed Mike.

[629bus]

Great bloke to fly with. v/sad...

[Arctic Ace]

Mike was always a good guy, always good to be around.
Helpful whenever possible.
So sad to loose him this way.

[pasa001]

RIP MIKE, VERY SAD DAY!

[Oval3Holer]

I hope he went peacefully and painlessly.

From a translation (albeit poor) of a Chinese newspaper article:


Cathay Pacific pilots before take-off Hotels sudden death
2012-02-27

Canadian heart attack record
Ming Pao, Cathay Pacific, a 53-year-old Canadian pilot, scheduled to driving 1 yesterday morning from Hong Kong to Vancouver flight, but to one hour before the flight departure, co-pilot has yet to see Canadians machine division figure, then to the employees of Cathay Pacific City, Chek Lap Kok Hotel tracing, open the door and was shocked to see the pilots unconscious on the bed, the police, the ambulancemen scene confirmed that the pilot died on the spot, no suspicious circumstances.

Sources at the scene said the sudden death of the pilots had heart disease record. Civil Aviation Department, said the pilots conduct regular physical examination of the ICAO requirements, the doctor will also pilot the patient is able to continue to executive positions, to exercise their professional judgment.

Cathay Pacific: pilots to physical examination before driving
Cathay Pacific spokesman said the company has contacted the family of the deceased will provide assistance to them, and try to cooperate with the police investigation. The spokesman said, pilots shall follow the provisions of the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) each year by the Civil Aviation Department approved doctors for physical examination, inspection and approval and hold a valid health certificate before performing driving duties. It is reported that once the organic division to check high cholesterol should be under doctor's advice to eat healthy meals specified.

The sudden death of a Canadian man, Robert Coyston (53 years) resident in Canada, Cathay Pacific Airways any pilots.

Flying one hour before the tracing of missing co-pilot came to light
The deceased is scheduled to be responsible for driving the CX888 flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver flight originally scheduled for yesterday morning 1 took off. However, the co-pilot, 12 o'clock in the morning, before the plane took off about 1 hour and still can not see the pilots appear, then go to the staff of the hotel at the airport, Cathay City 8 Scenic Road, "Headland" looking for pilots and found him unconscious in a room on the bed, then the police for help.

The ambulancemen scene confirmed that the pilots were killed, the police investigation concluded that no suspicious circumstances surrounding body work put up by the opponent to send the mortuary. Sources at the scene refers to the sudden death of the pilots had heart disease record.

Civil Aviation Department, said the Hong Kong pilot subject to periodic physical examination in order to obtain a valid medical certificate and examination requirements established in accordance with ICAO requirements.

Civil Aviation Department (CAD): According to international standards that medical requirements
As for the kinds of diseases that pilots can no longer be executive positions within the relevant decisions by doctors for professional judgment. The pilot's physical examination, including visual tests, urine tests, ECG.

Office in January 11 this year, Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong Airlines) 49-year-old Mexican pilots of Gerardo Hernandez, Sanchez, riding exercise bikes in a fitness center in Admiralty Pure Fitness collapsed discomfort ambulancemen to the scene to the victim an electric shock three times of emergency there is no improvement, was hospitalized and later died, the victim allegedly as a result of a heart attack sudden death.

[Air Profit]

You and your family are in my prayers. RIP Mike, you will be missed.

[kala]

thanks for ur sharing!!! deeply sad!

[alohajec]

Dear Capt. Mike Coyston,

I was to fly with you that evening. We looked forward to flying with you back home and it was I who sent the F/O up to fetch you at the hotel. You were sorely missed. Rest well.

Aloha 'oe. Farewell.

"To fly west my friend, is a flight we must all take for a final check".

[Cpt. Underpants]

Tragic. RIP Mike, you'll be missed.

Way too early.

[raven11]

God bless you Mikey.

An excellent pilot and a dear friend.....RIP.

[crwjerk]

R.I.P Mike, one of the nicest guys I flew with.

[nitpicker330]

Damn.... :uhoh:

RIP

[daisy120]

God's speed Mike and let the angels stroke your smile..RIP

[jag330]

A very sad day, Mike you will be dearly missed, our love to your family.

[HKJunkie]

Such a loss, Mike was an excellent pilot and a dear friend. He will be missed by many. Sincere condolences to the family.

[prairiedriver]

Mike was many things - a great person, a good driver, excellent communicator, he treated his colleagues with respect. He had a passion for life - his car restoration, running, success in business. Seriously, was there anything in life Mike was not good at? The list goes on.

Above all for me Mike was a role model - not only flying airplanes but in life as well. I learned so many things about life from him. Mike KNEW how to raise a family and was a true inspiration to those of us that knew him. Those endless hours over the Pacific flew by sharing the cockpit with him as he shared various anecdotes of his life.

The world lost a leader and a role model with Mike. He will truly be missed by those of us that had the pleasure of knowing him. I grieve for his family and am saddened knowing we have lost one of the great ones.

RIP my friend.

[raven11]

Well said PrarieDriver.....I completely agree! You described Mike to a tee! He was good at anything and everything he did.

[LongTimeInCX]

I saw this poem which many might think is fitting for Mike - one of the good guys, who will be missed.

I hope there's a place, way up in the sky,
Where pilots can go when its their time to die.
A place where a guy can go and buy a cold beer,
for a friend and comrade, whose memory is dear;
A place where no doctor or lawyer can tread,
Nor management type would ere be caught dead;
Just a quaint little place, kinda dark and full of smoke,
Where they like to sing loud, and love a good joke;
The kind of place where a lady could go
And feel safe and protected, by the men she would know.

There must be a place where old pilots go,
When their paining is finished, and their airspeed gets low,
Where the whiskey is old, and the women are young,
And the songs about flying and dying are sung,
Where you'd see all the fellows who'd flown west before.
And they'd call out your name, as you came through the door;
Who would buy you a drink if your thirst should be bad,
And relate to the others, "He was quite a good lad!"

And then through the mist, you'd spot an old guy
You had not seen for years, though he taught you how to fly.
He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear,
And say, "Welcome, my son, I'm pleased that you're here.
"For this is the place where true flyers come,
"When the journey is over, and the war has been won
"They've come here to at last to be safe and alone
From the government clerk and the management clone,
"Politicians and lawyers, the Feds and the noise
Where the hours are happy, and these good ol'boys
"Can relax with a cool one, and a well-deserved rest;
"It's the pilot graveyard, my son -- you've passed your last test!"

no idea who wrote it, but the lack of a credit shouldn't diminish the sentiment behind it.
God speed Mike.

[slowjet]

Beautiful post. Sounds like my local. Maybe I have gone but do not ,yet, know it. Nah, too much to do still, but look forward to this glorious place.