lightningmate
 

I've just been informed that the above, not to be confused with 'Lightning Mate', is no longer with us.
I knew him from his test flying days at Farnborough and remember COEF running upstairs to the tower and asking 'what does Mr ...... think he's doing?' as he did a couple of low passes (below treetops) in West Area to mark the retirement of the Lightning 2 seater. Honey Monster (also no longer with us) was controller and answered 'er hairy beatups where sir won't see him?'
'Well both sirs saw him' replied COEF (meaning OC Flying too)

chevvron,

Just for clarity, are you referring to Lightning Mate (DW) or lightningmate?
I'm not trying to be pedantic, but your capitalisation is slightly confusing.

I'm referring to an ex Farnborough/Boscombe test pilot. I agree it's confusing with 2 similar sounding noms de plume on the forum!

No longer with us as in he just doesn't post or log in anymore, or something more serious.....

A search for user names reveals only "Lightning Mate" and no "lightningmate" so I'm assuming there is no ambiguity. LM last posted in April 2014 (on the loss of the MSA flight thread).

A sad loss to the forum. He and I had an unsuccessful battle with the mods who were being rather petty about a quiz thread on Aviation Nostalgia which they closed for no better reason than they didn't understand the rather cryptic clues which made up the questions! LM took this to heart and got himself banned for his robust remarks about the mod who closed the thread down.

I have a nice souvenir of him in the form of a lovely photo of a 29 Sqn Lightning in company with a Victor K1 on their way to Cyprus, with the Alps in the background, which LM took from the other Lightning in the formation. I use the picture as my screen "wallpaper", so I'll be reminded of him, as well as many happy Panther Trails each time I switch my computer on.

RIP LM

:sad:

RIP.

Strange, because my search for "lightningmate" by user name reveals:-

http://www.pprune.org/members/21796-lightningmate

Yes I see my mistake. I entered "lightning mate" into the search and got around 10 suggestions, all of which included the word "lightning". The computer of course didnt recognise "lightningmate" as a possibliilty as it didnt include the single word "lightning".

Any more details chevvron?

LightningMate http://www.pprune.org/members/21796-lightningmate

Is not DW. I believe Chevron is referring to the loss of another person.

The one I'm referring to is TA. My informant told me he died on sat 21st of brain cancer.

Thank you Chevvron for clearing that up. May they RIP.

Is that TA, who flew us "sickie trainees" at Farnborough in the late 80's early 90's in the Hunter and Hawk?

Yes he's the one. I had a ride with him in a Hunter one day.

I never knew LM by his actual name so initials don't help me, but "my" man was the same age as me and had been on 29 Sqn in the 70s. Anyone confirm that's the guy?

Check you PM's TTN.

A sad day. TA was a great inspiration to a young aviator and very supportive in getting us "sickies" back into training. Never forget getting into the mix with TA in a hawk from IAM and an ETPS Hawk. Thank god I was at the end of the sickies course! RIP lightning mate.

Is that the TA who had 5 Sqn early 80s and was a keen windsurfer. I am not a Lightning Mate, but if him, much saddened, he was a great help to me as a retread /re-entrant from aircrew to scribbly. RiP

Sorry to hear this. My last posting was to RAF SAM where he was our only permanent aircrew.
He even forgave me when I managed to fit an empty cylinder to his wet drill dinghy.

A question for the Mods - is it OK to name 'lightning mate' and pay tribute to him properly? Knowing the sensitivities over this, I have refrained from doing so yet but he was a great colleague and friend who I had known and worked with for over 30 years. And if we are to post details of his funeral once they are announced, it will be strange if a name is not posted with the time and place!

Absolutely with you on that one LOMCEVAK - there have been many threads about deceased chums on PPRuNe who are mentioned by name from the outset, and I can see no reason whatsoever to name LM.