Helicopter missing in the Mourne Mountains, & tributes to AJ
669 Sqn's SQHI when I was an Airtpr there, AJ gave me an introduction to the fine art of poling. No doubt there'll be some tales to be told. Last time our paths crossed would have been at R850, when he was on Pumas. Hearing his approach down the corridor, we'd switch the TV to the Jeremy Kyle show, and hide the remote, leaving a dud remote out for AJ to find. Much colourful language would follow, until he'd head off to the Officer's Mess and leave us in peace.
RIP, AJ
RIP, AJ
Last edited by diginagain; 28th Oct 2010 at 21:01.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Thailand
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AJ saved my neck on a pure military matter on one occasion, my lads fouled up but AJ took the rap.
Some years later his quick reaction when a trainee flew us into a bank of low lying cloud saved all our lives.
A controversial man but one who did right by me.
john
I will not get onto His TV and it was His, by God given Right.
Some years later his quick reaction when a trainee flew us into a bank of low lying cloud saved all our lives.
A controversial man but one who did right by me.
john
I will not get onto His TV and it was His, by God given Right.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: South Africa & 71 32S 8 48E
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Found this article from the Sunday Times last year.
'If I take my hands and feet off the controls, we'll all be dead in a minute and a half' - Times Online
'If I take my hands and feet off the controls, we'll all be dead in a minute and a half' - Times Online
Moreover, in the co-pilot's seat is “AJ” Smith, a droll Lancastrian with decades of experience flying helicopters in the RAF. AJ now works for Kudos Aviation, the company that manages Mr Smith's fleet. AJ and Mr Smith spend much of the trip abusing each others' flying skills and joking about AJ's attempt to sell him an Agusta 109 helicopter.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Not lost, just temporarily unaware of my position
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Known fondly as f*****g AJ.....
One of the very best pair of hands I ever had the privilege of flying alongside. I clearly remember witnessing a masterclass of Puma instructional around a decade ago from the centre seat. Location was Ballykelly with AJ driving from the left teaching a young pilot (right hand seat) some of the more dynamic tactical aspects of flying the ac. Limited combat ready young pilot, just post conversion, was having a bad day in the office. AJ with a big sigh said 'I have f*****g control' and flew the next serial on rails passing on the knowledge and ability to do so. AJ was one of the few capable of safely demonstrating some of those techniques and learning occurred. Legend.
I'm also fondly remembering many crewroom escapades in Enniskillen and Bessrook, mostly regarding TV remote controls and colourful use of the English language. PC he was not which was his most endearing personal trait.
You'd be hard pushed to find a more experienced, qualified or competent pilot in the UK and he knew the Mourne mountains like the back of his hand.
Sincere condolences to all family and friends and a huge loss to the ex-miltary community.
RiP AJ.
I'm also fondly remembering many crewroom escapades in Enniskillen and Bessrook, mostly regarding TV remote controls and colourful use of the English language. PC he was not which was his most endearing personal trait.
You'd be hard pushed to find a more experienced, qualified or competent pilot in the UK and he knew the Mourne mountains like the back of his hand.
Sincere condolences to all family and friends and a huge loss to the ex-miltary community.
RiP AJ.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AJ
I had the pleasure of flying with AJ when I joined my first AAC Sqn in Detmold. These were the days before NVG and he was tasked with showing Capt apple some EOLs that night (The Sqn Comd meant PFLs but that's not what he said). AJ being a new QHI did as he was told and after the sixth Engine Off landing in a gazelle on a dark grass strip we both agreed that they were a bit sporting and we'd had enough! I wasn't at the debrief with the OC the following morning.
Bumping into him along a varied career, I had the pleasure of sharing a cockpit with him in more or less the same roles some 20 plus years later but this time in a Puma in S Armagh - oddly enough in the Mourne Mountains area. His flying skills were legend, although standardisation was not a strong point when he knew you had a little more about you than basic experience.
My endearing memory of AJ was his candour, his complete disregard for bullsh*t and the pinko-lefty-PC brigade and his warmth. He was honest and open - his strength and his weakness and he simply could not leave the f******ng TV remote alone. Remember the remote jammer at Eniskillen anyone?
I am saddened by his loss - I just assumed he would be telling dits to young 'uns well into his dotage.
My thoughts are with his family and friends. The world is poorer without AJ.
Bumping into him along a varied career, I had the pleasure of sharing a cockpit with him in more or less the same roles some 20 plus years later but this time in a Puma in S Armagh - oddly enough in the Mourne Mountains area. His flying skills were legend, although standardisation was not a strong point when he knew you had a little more about you than basic experience.
My endearing memory of AJ was his candour, his complete disregard for bullsh*t and the pinko-lefty-PC brigade and his warmth. He was honest and open - his strength and his weakness and he simply could not leave the f******ng TV remote alone. Remember the remote jammer at Eniskillen anyone?
I am saddened by his loss - I just assumed he would be telling dits to young 'uns well into his dotage.
My thoughts are with his family and friends. The world is poorer without AJ.
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Essex
Age: 75
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GG
very shocked and saddened to hear about AJ,I flew with him a few times and he was indeed an excellent pilot and once met never forgotten. we were signing in somewhere and a poor girl asked his name,he replied Smiff with 3 f`s she couldnt work it out.still makes me smile.
A legend!
A legend!
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Singapore
Age: 61
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am very sad. Seems to be dust in my eyes at the moment. AJ was one of the great aviation characters. He was my first instructor on Puma. A loyal friend, devoted family man and had very few vices! Didn't smoke, didn't drink but loved a go on the fruit machine! I spent many many times in his company, normally laughing my head off. Watching him on the sim trips in Norway when he would unpack his suitcase full of pot noodles so he could save the rates and have lots of money when he went home. There was never a dull moment with him. My first trip in the sim with him he turned to me and said in his legendary accent "Right then you just sit there, watch me and don't touch a f****g thing" still has me in stitches now. He was a genuine Tigger type.
Ang and the kids, please know that AJ was a much loved character in our world, and his passing leaves a void in the flying world as it surely does your own. He was a fantastic mentor, knew his stuff and would always fight the corner for his men. The bosses would run for cover when they knew AJ was inbound to take them on head to head. I want to cry, but cant help laughing at all the times we had in NI and yes all the stories of remote controls are true. he had a heart of gold. Sincere condolences to you all.
Ang and the kids, please know that AJ was a much loved character in our world, and his passing leaves a void in the flying world as it surely does your own. He was a fantastic mentor, knew his stuff and would always fight the corner for his men. The bosses would run for cover when they knew AJ was inbound to take them on head to head. I want to cry, but cant help laughing at all the times we had in NI and yes all the stories of remote controls are true. he had a heart of gold. Sincere condolences to you all.
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: London
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am AJ's brother in law and it has been great to read the fantastic stories about him. I will make sure Angie, Amie and Bret get to see them all. Thanks for all your messages it is much appreciated. Andrew
On detachment in Portugal with him. Totally refused to come out and eat with us in a local restaurant " I don't eat f@***** fancy foreign food". Real character. Condolencies to Angie and the family (we brought Angie back from Gut for kids half term. Cor, can she talk!).
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Kent
Age: 55
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hearing all the tales about AJ, if you knew him well they are all so true, we all have saying or a story about him that will let his family see the side of his life that they don't know, I am gathering together tales and sayings from him to put into a book for Angie and the kids, please pm me so I can ensure we pass on the many laughs we all had with him.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: planet earth
Posts: 451
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Knew "AaaaaJaaaayyyy" from 230 days at Gut - what a character and a sad loss.
Amazing, have not seem him in over 20 yrs but still remember him like yesterday and the crew room banter involving him and a TV remote.
RIP AJ
Amazing, have not seem him in over 20 yrs but still remember him like yesterday and the crew room banter involving him and a TV remote.
RIP AJ
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Cyprus
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aviation has lost a true character.
Knew him well from Soltau 1974 - 1977 and later when he was a fledgling instructor at Wallop.
Sincere condolences to Ang and the children. Alan and Sheila W
RIP AJ
Knew him well from Soltau 1974 - 1977 and later when he was a fledgling instructor at Wallop.
Sincere condolences to Ang and the children. Alan and Sheila W
RIP AJ
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AJ, after a run-in with the engineers, venting off in the crewroom to all, (who had to listen if they wanted to or not!) describing his displeasure after a similar 'engineering' confrontation in Germany some years earlier....
"So I said to this engineer, 'I could walk out to the runway, drop my flying suit, do a **** on the centreline, and IT would have more sense than you!' ...******n' engineers, I **** on 'em!"
We knew it was (mostly) tongue-in-cheek, but no one could make a point like 'Ehh-Jehh'.
Demonstrating a zero speed auto in a Puma...
"Loook, she's perfectly happy, perfectly controllable, yoo can poot 'er where yoo want 'er...this '70 knot' business... what a load of b*******s!"
...and demonstrating Puma stability during NVG sloping ground...
"Just stay light on the controls, it'll fly itself, STOP FIGHTIN' IT!...loook, see?....just touch the cyclic, that's all..."
Whatever his style of delivery, I think most pilots will always remember AJ's flying skills. Few could fly the Puma as he did.
"So I said to this engineer, 'I could walk out to the runway, drop my flying suit, do a **** on the centreline, and IT would have more sense than you!' ...******n' engineers, I **** on 'em!"
We knew it was (mostly) tongue-in-cheek, but no one could make a point like 'Ehh-Jehh'.
Demonstrating a zero speed auto in a Puma...
"Loook, she's perfectly happy, perfectly controllable, yoo can poot 'er where yoo want 'er...this '70 knot' business... what a load of b*******s!"
...and demonstrating Puma stability during NVG sloping ground...
"Just stay light on the controls, it'll fly itself, STOP FIGHTIN' IT!...loook, see?....just touch the cyclic, that's all..."
Whatever his style of delivery, I think most pilots will always remember AJ's flying skills. Few could fly the Puma as he did.
