Derek Piggott
Flew with him when I was a member at Lasham and he was CFI, then got to know him better when he submitted several articles to Today's Pilot. An amazing pilot, lovely bloke and a life well lived.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Do I come here often?
Posts: 898
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Flew with him back in the 1970’s. A full and fascinating life. His books (autographed) and read many times have always had a prominent place on my aviation book shelves.
When I was a kid he WAS gliding. I bet he wasn’t scratching for lift on his way to heaven!
SND
When I was a kid he WAS gliding. I bet he wasn’t scratching for lift on his way to heaven!
SND
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Norfolk
Age: 84
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He sent me off in the Olympia at Lasham in ‘57.Happy times. We met again on the display pilots committee. Very quiet chap, but a fascinating guy if you could get him to talk about his experiences which wasn’t easy.
My initiation into flying was with Derek Piggott at Lasham in 1958 in a T21; in among every other gem he imparted, he taught us to fly accurately. Careless turns would earn an instant rebuke; "Keep the ball in the middle!". (Or was it the string on the pitot tube? Did the T21 even have a T&S indicator?). So would a failure to judge an approach so as to touch down precisely where he wanted it, a lesson that later came through in successful field landings, as well as unwanted forced landings (2) in powered aircraft.
It's a sad closure to an era.
It's a sad closure to an era.
Last edited by old,not bold; 11th Jan 2019 at 17:08.
