Brian Lecomber
Joined: Aug 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 0
From: South of France
That's sad news. Brian was the first to congratulate me when I passed my GFT at Northampton in 1983. I then kept bumping in to him over the years at various airports where he would be cadging some hangerage during his display season.
Fly on Brian...
Fly on Brian...
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
Sad news indeed. I met Brian a few times (he was a regular performer at the Barton Air Shows of the 80s and 90s). He was the chap who, no matter how much I persevered, would always be a far better writer and pilot than I could ever be. In fact his writing I rate as among the best ever.
And as for his flying.... I remember preparations were underway one Friday afternoon for the Barton Air Show - tents being erected, fence posts banged into the ground by the ker-donker machine, signs going up... when a Stampe appeared in the overhead and commenced an impromptu display before landing. It was Brian of course. All activity on the airfield stopped as everyone watched spellbound.
A massive round of applause from everyone on the field followed even though all Brian would have heard would have been the blatter of his Stampe's Gypsy Major engine as he slipped down a short final to a perfect 3-pointer.
His books are entertaining, beautifully written, and instructive. His description of dealing with a partial engine failure on take off from a jungle strip in a crop duster with a full tank of banana oil is masterful.
There should be a book published of his collected magazine articles. I remember on in particular in 'Pilot' entitled 'The Spin'. It comprised a couple of thousand words yet described a timespan of only a few seconds between losing control of his aeroplane, thinking he was about to die (he cold see the bit of Berkshire countryside where his life would end in a few seconds), and thinking things through to a recovery.
As the circumstances of his death confirm, he survived decades of display flying in a period where many others did not, yet his displays were among the most exciting to watch.
And I'll always remember his RT transmission while transiting between displays in the Stampe... "negative transponder, but we are painted bright orange".
When such as Brian leave us, I feel my mortality....
And as for his flying.... I remember preparations were underway one Friday afternoon for the Barton Air Show - tents being erected, fence posts banged into the ground by the ker-donker machine, signs going up... when a Stampe appeared in the overhead and commenced an impromptu display before landing. It was Brian of course. All activity on the airfield stopped as everyone watched spellbound.
A massive round of applause from everyone on the field followed even though all Brian would have heard would have been the blatter of his Stampe's Gypsy Major engine as he slipped down a short final to a perfect 3-pointer.
His books are entertaining, beautifully written, and instructive. His description of dealing with a partial engine failure on take off from a jungle strip in a crop duster with a full tank of banana oil is masterful.
There should be a book published of his collected magazine articles. I remember on in particular in 'Pilot' entitled 'The Spin'. It comprised a couple of thousand words yet described a timespan of only a few seconds between losing control of his aeroplane, thinking he was about to die (he cold see the bit of Berkshire countryside where his life would end in a few seconds), and thinking things through to a recovery.
As the circumstances of his death confirm, he survived decades of display flying in a period where many others did not, yet his displays were among the most exciting to watch.
And I'll always remember his RT transmission while transiting between displays in the Stampe... "negative transponder, but we are painted bright orange".
When such as Brian leave us, I feel my mortality....
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: London
I am saddened by this news.
I knew Brian before he came to aviation, during his time as a motoring journalist. He as much respected, well informed and entertaining.
I met him again much later when he was displaying, and I was a PPL.
Not many like him left I think.
I knew Brian before he came to aviation, during his time as a motoring journalist. He as much respected, well informed and entertaining.
I met him again much later when he was displaying, and I was a PPL.
Not many like him left I think.
Joined: Apr 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 2,648
Likes: 307
From: In front of a computer
A massive round of applause from everyone on the field
At a subsequent show, now grandly named "The Manchester Airshow", I was display pilot liaison which was a bit like herding cats - apart from Brian who was a true professional. He signed my copy of his book "Talk Down" which remains a treasured possession..........
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,581
Likes: 73
From: England
I just dusted off my copies of Talk Down, Dead Weight and Turn Killer. Some books just stick with you and can be read over and over again. Gavin Lyalls The Most Dangerous Game and Shooting Script fall into the same category.
Brian in my view was a gifted writer who just had better things to do.
I needed something to read and Brians novels are as good as anything else out there.
Brian in my view was a gifted writer who just had better things to do.
I needed something to read and Brians novels are as good as anything else out there.
Last edited by ericferret; 29th September 2015 at 17:14.
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 898
Likes: 0
From: Do I come here often?
He taught me the Lomcevak, and gassed me with his pipe;
GA lost a superb instructor when Brian decided to write and display. I kept all his Pilot and Flyer articles in a scrap book. A man of huge wisdom and wonderful humour, until you said the word "planes." they were "Aeroplanes, I hate that bloody word planes!"
RIP Dwarf Rat, I'll bet there's some serious angel aeros in heaven today.
SND
GA lost a superb instructor when Brian decided to write and display. I kept all his Pilot and Flyer articles in a scrap book. A man of huge wisdom and wonderful humour, until you said the word "planes." they were "Aeroplanes, I hate that bloody word planes!"
RIP Dwarf Rat, I'll bet there's some serious angel aeros in heaven today.
SND
Gnome de PPRuNe
Joined: Jan 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 15,200
Likes: 1,202
From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
There should be a book published of his collected magazine articles.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 476
Likes: 0
From: Chilterns/Blighty
Joyce Lecomber has asked me to advise that we will all be saying farewell to Brian at the parish church of St Peter & St Paul, Great Missenden, HP16 0BA at 11am Friday October 9th.
There will be a private cremation service immediately after that, for close family, however there will indeed be a meet up at Brian’s usual nearby watering hole in the village following the committal.
PM me with any queries
There will be a private cremation service immediately after that, for close family, however there will indeed be a meet up at Brian’s usual nearby watering hole in the village following the committal.
PM me with any queries
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 395
Likes: 63
From: UK
Ericferret - I couldn't agree more. Spellbinding books and well worth reading over and over again. Both those authors had a superb way of describing flying.
I still recall with pleasure talking with Brian when he was trying to persuade me to put a 200HP supercharged engine into our Stampe, to replace a badly misbehaving Renault. "Just think of the upward verticals you'll be able to do!" He did admit the down verticals would still be the challenge.
To watch Brian in a Stampe, was just lyrical pleasure - even we LAROSA types could imagine how much fun that ought to be. And in the Extra for example - wow!
Very sad news. I doubt if I can be down there to say farewell, may just go fly and think.
I still recall with pleasure talking with Brian when he was trying to persuade me to put a 200HP supercharged engine into our Stampe, to replace a badly misbehaving Renault. "Just think of the upward verticals you'll be able to do!" He did admit the down verticals would still be the challenge.
To watch Brian in a Stampe, was just lyrical pleasure - even we LAROSA types could imagine how much fun that ought to be. And in the Extra for example - wow!
Very sad news. I doubt if I can be down there to say farewell, may just go fly and think.