Captain Chas Finn-Kelcey MBE
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Captain Chas Finn-Kelcey MBE
It is with huge sadness that I have to inform you that Captain Chas Finn-Kelcey (Britannia Airways aka whitehat) died at about 15:00 on April 1st 2004.
Chas was one if not the most generous person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. His enthusiasm for all things aviation, PPRune, life and people in general was second to none.
He was more than a colleague to me, he has been a personal friend for many years and I will miss him greatly.
My thoughts are with Di, family and all his friends.
Details of the funeral will be announced later.
Rest in Peace
Chas was one if not the most generous person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. His enthusiasm for all things aviation, PPRune, life and people in general was second to none.
He was more than a colleague to me, he has been a personal friend for many years and I will miss him greatly.
My thoughts are with Di, family and all his friends.
Details of the funeral will be announced later.
Rest in Peace
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Many will also remember, with great fondness, Chas at GatBashes ... under his PPRuNe title Dr Syn.
A true gentleman and one of those who lived life to the full.
Deepest sympathies to all his family and friends.
A true gentleman and one of those who lived life to the full.
Deepest sympathies to all his family and friends.
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Oh no. Not Dr Syn.
What can I say? A helluva nice guy and damned unfair that the good guys go first.
When I first met Chas, I had no idea of his accomplishments in life and took him for what he was, a damned fine human being. He always was a WYSIWYG sort of chap, someone who gained immediate respect, simply because of the way he approached people.
I only met him and his lovely wife Di a few times, but I feel priveledged to have done so.
He is someone who will be sorely missed.
Condolences and deepest sympathy to family and friends.
What can I say? A helluva nice guy and damned unfair that the good guys go first.
When I first met Chas, I had no idea of his accomplishments in life and took him for what he was, a damned fine human being. He always was a WYSIWYG sort of chap, someone who gained immediate respect, simply because of the way he approached people.
I only met him and his lovely wife Di a few times, but I feel priveledged to have done so.
He is someone who will be sorely missed.
Condolences and deepest sympathy to family and friends.
Last edited by Flypuppy; 5th Apr 2004 at 13:49.
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I'd like to pass my deepest condolences to Di and the rest of the family.
Chas was one of the longest serving PPRuNe members. I remember him first getting in touch with me over something controversial and from that time on I got to know him. He became a moderator when we set up the Britannia Airways Pilots Forum and was always ready with help and advice if it was needed.
Many of you will remember Chas from PPRuNe bashes and I don't think he missed any of them. His help to Don with the PPRuNe Fund was most appreciated.
My heart goes out to Di and she can be comforted by the fact that Chas will be missed by everyone who ever had the good fortune to meet him.
Chas was one of the longest serving PPRuNe members. I remember him first getting in touch with me over something controversial and from that time on I got to know him. He became a moderator when we set up the Britannia Airways Pilots Forum and was always ready with help and advice if it was needed.
Many of you will remember Chas from PPRuNe bashes and I don't think he missed any of them. His help to Don with the PPRuNe Fund was most appreciated.
My heart goes out to Di and she can be comforted by the fact that Chas will be missed by everyone who ever had the good fortune to meet him.
I only knew him from his contributing to the excellent STS Columbia thread. He posted some incredibly detailed analysis. Obviously a clever chap.
My condolences to all who knew him personally.
My condolences to all who knew him personally.
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It was Chas who introduced me to proon and it was Chas (and Di, of course) who helped me any many others stay awake past dawn at various Aviator Balls in Maidstone courtesy of his Country & Western guitar and magic fingers. Only last December I was insisting that Di find a "brother of Chas" for me as he was one of the most fun, decent, entertaining, smart and loveable guys anyone could have the privilege to call a friend and... I wanted one of my own! Di told me that the mould was broken after it made Chas and... dammit... she was right.
It was as Dr Syn that Chas chose to ignore the increase in my girth and the various pics he posted of me at Gatbashes were always flattering - I never quite did get to know how he managed that when others couldn't.
Suffice to say, my last memory of Chas is in the wee hours of December 14, 2003, him strumming guitar in the lounge-bar of the Tudor Park Hotel, Maidstone, and the crowd of at least 50 still there at that time singing along...
RIP Chas... you have now slipped the surly bonds and are probably soaring on high on laughter silvered wings, if I know you!
It was as Dr Syn that Chas chose to ignore the increase in my girth and the various pics he posted of me at Gatbashes were always flattering - I never quite did get to know how he managed that when others couldn't.
Suffice to say, my last memory of Chas is in the wee hours of December 14, 2003, him strumming guitar in the lounge-bar of the Tudor Park Hotel, Maidstone, and the crowd of at least 50 still there at that time singing along...
RIP Chas... you have now slipped the surly bonds and are probably soaring on high on laughter silvered wings, if I know you!
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, but we celebrate his life
Dir. PPRuNe Line Service
Chas was one of those genuinely nice people who make life so much fun... he'll be much missed and I for one will be raising a glass or three to him at the next bash!
My thoughts are with Di... also one of life's genuinely nice people!
...Mik
My thoughts are with Di... also one of life's genuinely nice people!
...Mik
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I am still trying to come to terms with this - as an ancillary comment to my previous post... how did Chas die? was he ill? what happened?
I am in shock - he was slim and fit and so unlike me (we used to laugh at how I dice with death being so big these days)... can't think of anyone else who shared my passion for NASA and space exploration... damn... can someone shed light on what happened? I was not a close friend, as in not someone who saw Chas and Di every day but... at least twice a year we "caught up" and it was as if we were just continuing on yanno? .... ::lighting a candle::
I am in shock - he was slim and fit and so unlike me (we used to laugh at how I dice with death being so big these days)... can't think of anyone else who shared my passion for NASA and space exploration... damn... can someone shed light on what happened? I was not a close friend, as in not someone who saw Chas and Di every day but... at least twice a year we "caught up" and it was as if we were just continuing on yanno? .... ::lighting a candle::
Last edited by brockenspectre; 1st Apr 2004 at 19:33.
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Many thanks to Chas and Di for the great bashes we had... I met Chas before I joined Britannia and we always talked about flying together some time so it is with great sadness but also with great pleasure that I remember our night flight to Corfu.
6 hours deep into the night we spent talking, laughing, looking at the stars and Mars, making plans to meet over the summer.
Good bye Chas, my thoughts going to Di and family.
6 hours deep into the night we spent talking, laughing, looking at the stars and Mars, making plans to meet over the summer.
Good bye Chas, my thoughts going to Di and family.
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When Chas came out of the RAF I gave him his first civilian job. He was an oustanding pilot and a great organiser. When I acquired a Twin Otter Chas volunteered to get it on the AOC and wrote the manual for it. 6 Weeks later the CAA were happy with his effort and the rest is history. His capacity for knowledge knew no bounds. He was an expert on many things, space, steam locomotion, flying, a superb artist and a very good muscian.
We grew to be great mates and so it went on. Families together.
Good times, fun times - always fun times and I admired him in every aspect of his life. He was a very generous man - to a fault usually - and Di simply was to him everything. I have been close to him, with Di and the family, over the past few horrendous days but I do have some little moments we shared that I shall treasure for evermore.
I wonder what I am going to do without Chas, how my life without his humour and friendship and counsel will suffer, but I know he would not like to think that I had such thoughts, so I will cherish his love and memories - but I will never get over losing my best friend.
RIP Chas x
We grew to be great mates and so it went on. Families together.
Good times, fun times - always fun times and I admired him in every aspect of his life. He was a very generous man - to a fault usually - and Di simply was to him everything. I have been close to him, with Di and the family, over the past few horrendous days but I do have some little moments we shared that I shall treasure for evermore.
I wonder what I am going to do without Chas, how my life without his humour and friendship and counsel will suffer, but I know he would not like to think that I had such thoughts, so I will cherish his love and memories - but I will never get over losing my best friend.
RIP Chas x
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I met him only through these pages, but he was one of those I hoped I'd meet in person. Now alas that will not happen. My deep condolences to those left to mourn.
We met Chas at the last two GatBashes. What an interesting gentleman, and what a couple he and Di were. We are all worse off after losing him. Deepest condolences to Di and the family. Please keep us posted with funeral arrangements.
With regrets
L and Mrs L
With regrets
L and Mrs L
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I had the honour and pleasure of meeting Chas at the GatBashes and always found him extremely generous. He and Di made everyone feel at home. What a terribly sad day - my love & best wishes are with the family.
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