Dick Stratton
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Dick Stratton
I'm sorry to hear this morning that Dick Stratton, passed away quietly on Thursday 20th September at 3 pm.
Dick was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Royal Aero Club Silver medallist, formerly Chief Technical Officer at the British Gliding Association, and before that head of helicopter development at Saunders Roe. Formerly he'd run the flight test programmes on the Saunders Roe Princess, the SR53 rocket plane and had started his working life as an RAF flight engineer on Sunderlands.
To the end he was loud, reactionary, often awkward - and rarely wrong. His encyclopedic knowledge of aviation, his generous help to many many people across light aviation (although especially in gliding in later years) was inspirational.
I shall miss the occasional conversations and arguments with Dick, he was an astounding source of aeronautical wisdom, and we are all poorer for his passing.
On the other hand, he was a very ripe age, he was active to the end of his life, and I doubt that he died with any significant regrets about his life. He was very much one of the good 'uns, that light aviation has been so privileged to have amongst out number.
G
Dick was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Royal Aero Club Silver medallist, formerly Chief Technical Officer at the British Gliding Association, and before that head of helicopter development at Saunders Roe. Formerly he'd run the flight test programmes on the Saunders Roe Princess, the SR53 rocket plane and had started his working life as an RAF flight engineer on Sunderlands.
To the end he was loud, reactionary, often awkward - and rarely wrong. His encyclopedic knowledge of aviation, his generous help to many many people across light aviation (although especially in gliding in later years) was inspirational.
I shall miss the occasional conversations and arguments with Dick, he was an astounding source of aeronautical wisdom, and we are all poorer for his passing.
On the other hand, he was a very ripe age, he was active to the end of his life, and I doubt that he died with any significant regrets about his life. He was very much one of the good 'uns, that light aviation has been so privileged to have amongst out number.
G
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: UK, Paris, Peckham, New York
I second that. I was only lucky enough to meet him once this Easter, during a permit renewal for my aircraft, but truely one of the most knowledgable people I have met in the aviation world.
I was very much hoping to meet him again and llistem to some of his stories and unfortunately this will not now be possible.
A british aviation legend.
UAV
I was very much hoping to meet him again and llistem to some of his stories and unfortunately this will not now be possible.
A british aviation legend.
UAV
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Wessex
For what it's worth I reckon Dick was one of the last great aviation engineers & I agree with everything Ghengis has said (Dick was also the Flight Test Engineer on the Princess flying boat). It was my great privelidge to know him & be entertained on many occasions in various resteraunts around Bicester with the snippets of information that he told to friends. God Bless you Sir we will all miss you - especially those at Windrushers GC. I hope we can give him a good send off.
R2
R2
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From: UK
I was really sorry to hear about Dick Stratton whom I had the priviledge of meeting many times at the GAMTA engineering committee meetings in Brill. His knowledge about aviation was phenomenal and I regret never hearing one of his talks. Truly one of the last great aviation Engineers.
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: UK
I knew Dick pretty well starting at Bicester over 40 years ago. He was a very clever guy and also very practical.
I remember taking a Kestrel 19 over to Bicester to have a mod done on the actuating mechanism at the base of the rudder. The engineer started talking drilling holes in bolts and inserting split pins.
"B*llocks" said Dick "use stiff nuts". "Not happy" says engineer. "Dear boy" says Dick "entire American aircraft are held together with stiff nuts. Why in God's name do you want to start a rabbit warren"!
So stiff nuts it was.
I remember taking a Kestrel 19 over to Bicester to have a mod done on the actuating mechanism at the base of the rudder. The engineer started talking drilling holes in bolts and inserting split pins.
"B*llocks" said Dick "use stiff nuts". "Not happy" says engineer. "Dear boy" says Dick "entire American aircraft are held together with stiff nuts. Why in God's name do you want to start a rabbit warren"!
So stiff nuts it was.
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Hampshire, UK
Dick had an incredibly rich career, pioneering on so many occasions; aviation really did seem to be his life. Twenty-odd years ago he was one of my gliding instructors, and - like Rocket2 - I've enjoyed Dick's stories, humour and forthright wisdom in the years since. Dick's memory and wit remained sharp to the end, even as his driving skills deteriorated, and he continued to entertain with his reminiscences, talks and informed views on aviation history as well as recent topics. As Gengis writes, Dick was often blunt, and only rarely wrong; but he was also quietly thoughtful and, behind the gruff facade, a kind and gentle soul.
Windrushers have promised to post details of Dick's funeral on the website www.windrushers.org.uk/news.htm.
Happy soaring, Dick.
Windrusher
Windrushers have promised to post details of Dick's funeral on the website www.windrushers.org.uk/news.htm.
Happy soaring, Dick.
Windrusher
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Beechy Bucks
A wonderful character, a brilliant engineer and an aeroplane enthusiast to the very end.
For the past three years I've been flying from Bicester, I doubt there was a single day when I pitched up at the airfield and not found Dick there.
He'll be sadly missed by a lot of people. There's no-one for whom "Blue Skies" is a more appropriate farewell.
For the past three years I've been flying from Bicester, I doubt there was a single day when I pitched up at the airfield and not found Dick there.
He'll be sadly missed by a lot of people. There's no-one for whom "Blue Skies" is a more appropriate farewell.
Thought police antagonist
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Met Dick several times over the years....including doing a couple of air tests in a Chippy with him..."interesting ride" 
.....last met about a year ago over dinner in a Bicester pub....conversation ranged from his opinions of MTBF...he worked on the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " principle and a detailed explanation of the primitive "Q" feel sytems he worked on. The meal was quite good as well 
Watched his delight once when he found a bogus part..Chipmunk rudder trim cable...and off he went with a huge grin on his face.
A very practical engineer whose contribution to UK aviation will be sorely missed.
.....last met about a year ago over dinner in a Bicester pub....conversation ranged from his opinions of MTBF...he worked on the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " principle and a detailed explanation of the primitive "Q" feel sytems he worked on. The meal was quite good as well Watched his delight once when he found a bogus part..Chipmunk rudder trim cable...and off he went with a huge grin on his face.
A very practical engineer whose contribution to UK aviation will be sorely missed.
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Norfolk
I met him a few times when he was CTO of the BGA and he did my verbal test and interview to become an inspector.
'Well you appear to know a bit about what you are doing so I'll let you through - but never be afraid to ask for advice - that's my advice.........'
What a great guy - an absolutely unique individual.
I think he was responsible for the first RAFGSA Supermunk conversion too as I recall................
Arc
'Well you appear to know a bit about what you are doing so I'll let you through - but never be afraid to ask for advice - that's my advice.........'
What a great guy - an absolutely unique individual.
I think he was responsible for the first RAFGSA Supermunk conversion too as I recall................
Arc
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: West London
Dick Stratton
Just logged on and heard the sad news. Sincere condolences to Dick's family.
As others have said, a very practical man and a true judge of pilot and aircraft as a 'combination'.
He used to sign off my Cub. One year he came up after I'd called, kicked the tyres, had a good look at the control stick casting and signed me off.
A real friend of light avaition.
Lom
As others have said, a very practical man and a true judge of pilot and aircraft as a 'combination'.
He used to sign off my Cub. One year he came up after I'd called, kicked the tyres, had a good look at the control stick casting and signed me off.
A real friend of light avaition.
Lom
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: wherever it was they sent me
Dick did more than anyone within the BGA to make winch-launching safer by encouraging all the clubs he visited (and he visted them all I think), to invest in good equipment and good cable.
I wonder how many lives he saved by his relentless and devoted solo crusade.
A great man and sad loss.
I wonder how many lives he saved by his relentless and devoted solo crusade.
A great man and sad loss.
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: South East.
Just heard. Very sad news.
Knew Dick for a few years in the early seventies when he was Chief Engineer at CSE, Oxford.
I was instructing at OATS and he always had the time to help if I had a tech.query I couldn't fathom.
I was fortunate enough to bump into him once more when I flew into Bicester last year. His memory was still as sharp as a needle. A sad loss of a fine man.
> "Oh, I have slipped the surly bounds of earth- " <
Knew Dick for a few years in the early seventies when he was Chief Engineer at CSE, Oxford.
I was instructing at OATS and he always had the time to help if I had a tech.query I couldn't fathom.
I was fortunate enough to bump into him once more when I flew into Bicester last year. His memory was still as sharp as a needle. A sad loss of a fine man.
> "Oh, I have slipped the surly bounds of earth- " <
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Northampton
Dick Stratton
I remember Dick from my "Moonraker" days back in 1960. I remember him asserting that he held theworld record for the greatest number of in flight engine failures at one time, I think it was six, from his days on the Princess.
He was a gentleman
He was a gentleman
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Buckingham
Dick Stratton
Yesterday 12th October 2007 at 13:00hrs Banbury Crematorium we all celebrated the life of a true aviation legend. The turn out was amazing and a large number of us had to stand outside. We would have stood there in a storm had there been one.
The ceremony included a reading of High Flight, the RAF Hymn and an Address by Air Vice Marshal John Brownlow which raised many a smile.
Finally just as the curtains closed, with RAF timing and precision, a lone jet arrived overhead in the clouds, turned hard, opened the throttle and departed. (Odd thing is, no one seems to know who organised a fly past).
The wake at RAF Bicester (Windrushers) was in true Dick Stratton fashion and humour, someone asked who the CAA man was, as it was rumoured they had sent someone along just to make shure it was not one of Dicks tricks to catch them out.
Dick - We thank you with all our hearts, you will not be forgotten.
The ceremony included a reading of High Flight, the RAF Hymn and an Address by Air Vice Marshal John Brownlow which raised many a smile.
Finally just as the curtains closed, with RAF timing and precision, a lone jet arrived overhead in the clouds, turned hard, opened the throttle and departed. (Odd thing is, no one seems to know who organised a fly past).
The wake at RAF Bicester (Windrushers) was in true Dick Stratton fashion and humour, someone asked who the CAA man was, as it was rumoured they had sent someone along just to make shure it was not one of Dicks tricks to catch them out.
Dick - We thank you with all our hearts, you will not be forgotten.
Last edited by renegadespirit; 15th October 2007 at 07:49.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 780
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From: East Anglia
I was there yesterday as well. It was a fitting send off for an absolute legend and a true gentleman. Bicester airfield will never be quite the same again without Dick's presence, but I am absolutely convinced he is up there somewhere looking down on us.
