Vale, C.S. Griffin

[KeepItRolling]

I don't know how many in these parts knew him, but Capt Col Griffin passed away on Monday night in the Kyneton Nursing home.

My dad and I worked with Col at different times and in different places but anyone who knew him, with an opinion either way, would appreciate that Col's life was definitely not a life half lived.

Not many like him around the world, then or now.

Thanks Col for your wise, if at times blunt, counsel.

[mustangranch]

Rest in Peace Col.
I first met Col at YKTN in the late 90's when I was earning my hours.
I still remember him turning up in his Mercedes and pulling out the old piper to go for a fly!
A wonderful man, who only reinforced why I wanted to be a pilot.
He will be surely missed by many.

[LexAir]

Rest in peace Col. You certainly called a spade a spade and I learned lots from you back in the early 1980s when I had the good fortune to be on the receiving end of your well intentioned admonishments.

[Dora-9]

Sad news indeed.

I spent many happy hours sharing a B727 cockpit with Col in the 1970's; he was a very instructive to fly with, amusing and simply a good guy. I was stunned then when I learnt his age; he appeared/acted/thought like a much younger man.

RIP, Col.

[emeritus]

Yes, Rod. Col was always pretty fit for his age. Something to do with a tendency to " stay off the sauce" !.

Col trained me when I first joined Ansett in 63. Went from 185's to 2 weeks on DC3's with Johnny Zucal then onto 700 and 800 Viscounts with Col.

Great guy to fly with and be trained by. He took some great photos in his time and was a top amateur colour photographer. Once , around 1970 ish he won a new Merc in a competition featuring a MB theme.

He passed his skills on to a lot of people over the years.

R I P

Emeritus

[Centaurus]

He took some great photos in his time and was a top amateur colour photographer.

While instructing at Melton he sent on first solo a Cathay Pacific flight engineer who had thousands of flying hours as F/E. That doesn't necessarily translate into flying skill. Although I too was doing part time work at Melton, I heard at the time that Col Griffin's student (the F/E) did several go-arounds probably getting tensed up being first solo.
Now, as always, this is third hand anecdotal stuff, but the story getting around was in the end Col got on the local VHF and told the student in no uncertain terms, to land the thing.

The student came in high again and floated and should have gone around but instead poled forward and spiked the 150 on the deck so hard the aircraft up-ended. Col drove down the strip with camera ready and arrived to see the student safely outside of his aircraft on his knees holding his head in embarrassment and rocking. Col told the student to hold that pose and took the photo. I wonder if that photo is still around? Colin was a breath of fresh air in the flying game and a total enthusiast. He will be missed.

[john_tullamarine]

Guess we are all marching on ...

Was thinking about Col only a few weeks ago and wondering if he were still with us. Never flew with him unfortunately but knew him reasonably well at AN and often ran into him at the Gisborne post office when we were both clearing out our respective boxes after he retired from the airline.

Lovely bloke and a fine gentleman.

PPRuNe has a way of bringing back fond memories .. mention of Zeke in an earlier post by emeritus reminds me (with a smile) of his frustrated attempts to get me up to speed on the 727 after I gave the Electra away. I think I caused him to age quite rapidly. On that score, if Mark Z is a PPRuNer, would love to catch up with him and see how his career has progressed over the years.

[chocks in]

Col had a very large influence on our lives , played a very important roll in and by the example he set .

Their are better than I who can speak of his career ... from Flying the Mosquito in WW2... through his career with Ansett , then as if that we not enough ... instructing in General Aviation for many many years and flying his own aeroplane until reasonably recently .

I was fortunate to have caught up with Col not long ago ... bright and happy and laughing ... he never changed ... just grew older while retaining his youthful love of life and people .

It is with great respect that I say thank you Col ... thank you for the so much that you did for us all and the inspiration you had he knack of imparting .
Rest in Peace now Captain .

[chocks in]

Colin Sidney GRIFFIN Obituary: View Colin GRIFFIN's Obituary by Herald Sun (http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/obituaries/heraldsun-au/obituary.aspx?n=colin-sidney-griffin&pid=165148212#fbLoggedOut)

[emeritus]

Another thing I've remembered that most would not probably know was that at the Royal Commission into the crash of VH-RMI at Winton in September of 1966, Col was appointed as an adviser to assist the high court judge conducting the inquiry.

Emeritus

[SeldomFixit]

I remember Mark Z posting here quite some time ago - can't remember the user name but it was him. Long way from an ambo and a lovely bloke along with it.
2 things I remember fondly about Col - " pilots always know where the wind is and they walk, leaning into it " was one quote, the second being " I never had issues with piles - bidets are wonderful things "
Rip Col

[fl610]

Emeritus were you aware that Col was flying VH-RMI on the previous sector to the accident? :eek:

Cheers,
fl610.

[Brian Abraham]

Sad to hear. One of our avionic engineers, with help from moi driving rivets, built the RV-6 which he bought. Also did the initial test flights.

[emeritus]

fl610,

No. I was never aware of that.

Emeritus

[Wally Mk2]

Col isn't gone, he'd never leave us, he'll always be in our hearts & minds:-)
A character who could talk a leg off a rocking chair too:-)
KAC members will sorely miss him around the club house, there will be a few very upset KAC members am sure, he was an institution a living walking one with so many stories that will live on well after he drops off these pages.

RIP Col, we'll all meet again up there somewhere amongst the clouds:ok:


Wmk2

[Trevor the lover]

You would have been his first instructor wouldn't you Wally??:}

[Wally Mk2]

,,,,nah don't be silly 'Trev' the "Wrong Bro's" where Col's first introduction to flight:-)
Col actually didn't need an instructor, he was born to fly !:)

Don't worry Col we'll make sure you are never forgotten:ok:

Wmk2

[onetrack]

I'll bet he had some stories to tell - seeing as he flew in 456 Sqdn! I'm surprised he never collected any gongs - but I'll wager he probably earnt a few in the wooden wonder, that went unseen!

World War Two Nominal Roll (http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=R&VeteranId=1049264)

456 Squadron RAAF | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11155.asp)