Vale Len Sales
 

I was sad to hear that Len Sales passed away recently. With a career that spanned from the 1940s until well into the 2000s he has touched the lives of many aviators, as a navigator, pilot and an educator. For many of us, he was the first real airline person we encountered in our training. An incredible career and an amazing legacy of pilots still getting it "kicked to death" for many years to come thanks to his influence.

An absolute gentleman.

A true Gentleman
 

Very sad news, a true gentleman. His knowledge was incredible, but even more so, his ability and willingness to impart that knowledge to young upstarts like me.

He truely lived through the golden era of aviation.

RIP Len

When I started teaching at Sydney Tech in Ultimo in the mid-80s, Len was a mentor to me, along with Steve Dines. Len was a very knowledgable man and will be greatly missed in the aviation community.

A true legend
 

An absolute legend and gentleman! It was truly a honour to be the last ATPL course he taught before retirement (this was 2012) and I can honestly say, he was the reason i passed.

I still laugh years later when I think back to Len explaining how to solve flight planning questions. After spending 20 minutes completing calculations and writing all over the whiteboard, he would look at our bemused faces with a smile and say 'as simple as that'

I'm sure so many of us owe Len a debt of gratitude for providing the foundation of our careers

He was a great teacher with a wonderful sense of humour.

Len - Enjoy a nice bottle of red, wherever you are!

I think he was fond of a gin and tonic from memory! What an amazing human.

Oh, his classes got me through the ATPLs. A really nice bloke, cracking sense of humour and an excellent teacher. RIP Len.

That he was he explained during an ATPL class once the best 3 engine aircraft ever built was the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. During those days
they needed to shut down one either intentionally or unintentionally. Awesome knowledge.

Vale Len.

Len and Steve: two chaps from a long time ago in my past lives.

Oh no! I did my CPL Nav (and another subject, I think) with him in at Sydney Tech in '84, and then ATPL Nav & Flight Planning at Sydney Tech in ~'91. I always marveled at his depth & breadth of knowledge.

RIP Len,

I was one of 2 that passed in his class.

I remember those "hoodley hooodleys" and 'Kush kushka's"

Rip Len
 

Sydney TAFE was full of many talented aviation teachers in the 1970's and 1980's.. Really don't know how Len kept up with the continual changes in technology. Anyone remember 'Seagul Mark 4' based on the B707 and also navigation using a sextant. I got the impression that Len had a passion for the Lockheed Constellation. Pitty he did not put out a book on his life in Aviation. RIP Len.i

Hope that there is a book in the works about his life. I remember back in the day taking ATPL Flight Planning and not having much hope of passing. Wouldn’t have had it not been for him.

Smooth rides and tailwinds Len.

Very sad to hear.
Was a true legend at UNSW.

I was at RAC of NSW and attended Ultimo TAFE in early 80’s . Fully endorse the quality of teachers and dedicated instruction from Len Sales. RIP Len.

Legend
 

So sad to hear the news. What a legend he was.

I remember, having explained some particular element of flight planning, he used to stare at his confused students and tell us that his five year old granddaughter used to leave the answers to these problems on the fridge in the morning!

If one still didn’t get it after another another explanation he would get out his notebook.....ask you who you wanted to fly for....(the student would reply XYZ airline)....and then Len would write down “note to self, never fly with XYZ airline!”

All in good humour of course.

Vale Len,

I was a CPL student in 86 at Syd Tech. ESI and more were a pleasure. Steve was also one of my teachers (BGT)and later a colleague.

Great spot to learn and all the staff were fantastic mentors, not just teachers. All were interested in developing the next generation of flight crews.

Once, many years ago at UNSW Flight Ops, Len was asked if he had ever seen a particular part of Europe, by a junior instructor who was planning to travel there. Ken's response was reported as...

Seen it? No! I was only there at night, but I did bomb it....

Len loved a good joke and taught ATPL at UNSW into his 90's.

He contributed to aviation from about 1943/44 to about 2012. 70 years or thereabouts. I never heard a bad word spoken about him. An icon.

Tail winds and clear skies Len...

Your twinkling eyes and humorous comments on life are greatly missed.

Seabreeze.

Len RIP.
 

Very sad news indeed. A really good bloke. RIP Len old mate.

Definitely one of the finest gentlemen to grace the aviation Hall of Fame. Who else would have been still generously imparting their extensive knowledge in their 90's!
Cheers to one of the good guys🥂