Mike Macey of Shoreham fame
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Mike Macey of Shoreham fame
Posted to the "where are they now" forum too. I thought it may be worth posting here as well.
Hi
I'm trying to find Mike Macey for a friend of mine. He bought Mike's Auster and operated it for some years before selling it on. He's now found the new owner and had a go in his old aeroplane. This has triggered a nostalgic hunt for Mike, who he used to get on with very well.
Mike Macey was famous for gving pleasure flights in his Austers from Shoreham airport in the sixties. The info I have is that he lived in Honeysuckle Road, Worthing ... but moved on, and was very involved with Sunbeam and Rudge Wickworth motorcycles.
If he is still alive John (my friend) would be very keen to get back in touch.
IM
Hi
I'm trying to find Mike Macey for a friend of mine. He bought Mike's Auster and operated it for some years before selling it on. He's now found the new owner and had a go in his old aeroplane. This has triggered a nostalgic hunt for Mike, who he used to get on with very well.
Mike Macey was famous for gving pleasure flights in his Austers from Shoreham airport in the sixties. The info I have is that he lived in Honeysuckle Road, Worthing ... but moved on, and was very involved with Sunbeam and Rudge Wickworth motorcycles.
If he is still alive John (my friend) would be very keen to get back in touch.
IM
Last edited by shortstripper; 27th Oct 2003 at 17:30.
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SS
I looked through my school days logbook:
"10/7/71 4:35 pm Auster 5 G-ANHR pilot M.F.Macey , joy ride, 2 stall turns Shoreham 15 mins"
I remember him well he used to operate from the hut on the SE side of the field at Shoreham , he had an old LE Velocette motorcycle.
He had a very dry sense of humour and never minded being pestered by over inquisitive young aviation enthusiasts such as myself.
He had seen everything that came and went at Shoreham over the years and seemed to be able to eek out a living with his faithful Auster. Increasing activity, Air traffic Control and the requirement for Radio finally put paid to his operation.
He had handling it absolutely off to a tee with all of his sorties starting their takeoff and finishing the landing roll within feet of the perimeter road next to his hut irrespective of the wind conditions, not one thimblefull of fuel was wasted!
He also had a second Auster although I forget the reg but it was not used anything like as much as G-ANHR, which lived out in the open year round with a cover over the engine and canopy.
Aircraft was silver doped finish with red lettering and pinstripe and had white piped red upholstery with a bench seat for two small uns in the back. Mike did all his own maintenance to a very high standard including recovering and painting.
I have often wondered if he is still alive, sadly I suspect not as he would be quite a ripe old age by now ( well into his 80s?). I shall ask what contacts I still have at Shoreham and post back whatever the news is.
Mike Macey a real old school aviation character if ever there was one!
Kind regards
Wunper
I looked through my school days logbook:
"10/7/71 4:35 pm Auster 5 G-ANHR pilot M.F.Macey , joy ride, 2 stall turns Shoreham 15 mins"
I remember him well he used to operate from the hut on the SE side of the field at Shoreham , he had an old LE Velocette motorcycle.
He had a very dry sense of humour and never minded being pestered by over inquisitive young aviation enthusiasts such as myself.
He had seen everything that came and went at Shoreham over the years and seemed to be able to eek out a living with his faithful Auster. Increasing activity, Air traffic Control and the requirement for Radio finally put paid to his operation.
He had handling it absolutely off to a tee with all of his sorties starting their takeoff and finishing the landing roll within feet of the perimeter road next to his hut irrespective of the wind conditions, not one thimblefull of fuel was wasted!
He also had a second Auster although I forget the reg but it was not used anything like as much as G-ANHR, which lived out in the open year round with a cover over the engine and canopy.
Aircraft was silver doped finish with red lettering and pinstripe and had white piped red upholstery with a bench seat for two small uns in the back. Mike did all his own maintenance to a very high standard including recovering and painting.
I have often wondered if he is still alive, sadly I suspect not as he would be quite a ripe old age by now ( well into his 80s?). I shall ask what contacts I still have at Shoreham and post back whatever the news is.
Mike Macey a real old school aviation character if ever there was one!
Kind regards
Wunper
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Sorry Shortstripper, I can't answer your question. However, I'm grateful for your post and the reply by Wumper. Reason being is that I've discovered who (probably ) gave me my first ever flight.
I knew it was an Auster from Shoreham circa late Sixties/early Seventies and this sounds like the one - set me off on a lifetime of aeroplane interest.
Good luck with your search.
I knew it was an Auster from Shoreham circa late Sixties/early Seventies and this sounds like the one - set me off on a lifetime of aeroplane interest.
Good luck with your search.
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Very Very sad news, and really rather weird.
Thanks to this forum I was able to trace Mike's whereabouts and his phone number. I passed this information to my friend last night.
We found out this morning that Mike Macey passed away last night
Thanks for all you help and spare a thought for the passing of yet another Shoreham airports colourful pilots. My condolences to his family.
IM
Thanks to this forum I was able to trace Mike's whereabouts and his phone number. I passed this information to my friend last night.
We found out this morning that Mike Macey passed away last night
Thanks for all you help and spare a thought for the passing of yet another Shoreham airports colourful pilots. My condolences to his family.
IM
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Sad news indeed SS
Strangely enough I was at Shoreham on Sunday and talking about Mike Macey and G-AHNR with another old Shorehamite.
Any news of his funeral date ? it would be nice to send some form of aeronautical condolance message to his relatives.
I am sure he gave many a budding pilot their first taste of flight in the years he worked at Shoreham myself included.
Kind regards
Wunper
Strangely enough I was at Shoreham on Sunday and talking about Mike Macey and G-AHNR with another old Shorehamite.
Any news of his funeral date ? it would be nice to send some form of aeronautical condolance message to his relatives.
I am sure he gave many a budding pilot their first taste of flight in the years he worked at Shoreham myself included.
Kind regards
Wunper
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According to G-INFO, 'NHR is registered to a lady in the Leeds area - CofA expired in 1986, but it is shown as first registered to her in July this year, so it must be making a comeback one hopes...
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I operated G-ANHR in Jersey from 1985 until C of A expiry when she was stored with wings off until a momentous day in December 1987 after one test flight, I flew her direct from Jersey via Southampton to Rushett Farm where she was to be restored by the late Geoff Masterton. unfortunately this became a long drawn out business and after Geoffs untimely death the dismantled airframe was moved to a strip nr Worthing where I sold it on to a chap at Gamston for his daughter's use. This presumably is the person it is now registered to, when I sold her the fuselage had been prepared for covering, one wing had been recovered the other was stripped awaiting recovering. The new owner reckoned it would take a couple of years to get her flying again.
