Captain Jim Alexander
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: uk
Posts: 141
Captain Jim Alexander
Sad to report the death on Friday of my dear friend Jim. Ex RAF/British Air Ferries/TNT and Flybe. Great company and he will be missed by many people. Condolences to Joan and son Richard and the family.
Last edited by ciderman; 20th Nov 2016 at 17:37.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 81
Posts: 3,758
Very sad news indeed. He was a larger than life character and an excellent shifter of aeroplanes. I have downed many a pint with Jim in various licensed premises across Europe and he was always good company. RIP old friend.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Huntingdon,Cambs,U.K.
Posts: 49
I can only echo the fond memories and sad reflection of earlier posters. Jim and I go back a long way ranging from early days setting out in RAF NCO pilot training through to FlyBe. One of the best has gone ahead.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The back of beyond
Posts: 39
Sad to report the death on Friday of my dear friend Jim. Ex RAF/British Air Ferries/TNT and Flybe. Great company and he will be missed by many people. Condolences to Joan and son Richard and the family.
Jim also worked for Alidair in the early eighties.
R.I.P. Jim you will be missed.
Jim also worked for Alidair in the early eighties.
R.I.P. Jim you will be missed.
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: U.K.
Posts: 459
I'm probably breaking one of the fundamental privacy rules of PPRuNe here by hi-jacking this account (password variety was not one of my dad's strongpoints), but my mum and I would just like to thanks you all for the kind words written in this thread.
Thanks,
Richard.
Thanks,
Richard.
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 924
Bit of a shock as only spoke to Jim a few weeks ago via E-Mail. RIP Jim you were one of the best and great fun to be with.
Great memories of "trucking" around the light house onto 33 at LSI, with Jim in the VC8. I was the trainer doing his annual line check, but hey in reality Jim was teaching me, as it was blowing a hooligan. He certainly could handle the Viscount.
Great memories of "trucking" around the light house onto 33 at LSI, with Jim in the VC8. I was the trainer doing his annual line check, but hey in reality Jim was teaching me, as it was blowing a hooligan. He certainly could handle the Viscount.
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 1,050
I'm a bit younger than some of you bunch posting here ,judging by the aircraft types but I had the great pleasure of flying with Jim on the 146 at Jersey European .He taught me one of the greatest lessons a young aviator could ever learn ....
Whilst the CPT may appear to be doing nothing or perhaps even reading the paper ,god forbid , he is missing nothing and that the time spent with said paper is one of the most valuable ingredients of a businesslike , relaxed , safe and professional day .
Richard , I'm sure i have a pic of Jim on the 146 with said paper , i will try and figure out how to post here .
RIP Jim , one of the good guys .
Whilst the CPT may appear to be doing nothing or perhaps even reading the paper ,god forbid , he is missing nothing and that the time spent with said paper is one of the most valuable ingredients of a businesslike , relaxed , safe and professional day .
Richard , I'm sure i have a pic of Jim on the 146 with said paper , i will try and figure out how to post here .
RIP Jim , one of the good guys .
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 81
Posts: 3,758
I have to tell you my favourite story about Jimbo. As some of you might remember, he brought a Pitts back from the USA and rebuilt it beautifully. One afternoon, he got it into an inverted spin and it would not come out so over the side he went. The Pitts went into a copse on a farm and Jim landed quite safely not far away. He rolled up his parachute, found the farmer and apologised, rang the police and then rang the AAIB and told them that there was nothing wrong with the aeroplane at the point when he departed and no one had been hurt.
He got a taxi home, had a few hours kip and came to work.
The Press got to hear about the crash, found out who Jim worked for and contacted our UK Headquarters asking to speak to the pilot. Well, they had no idea so they called Ops and asked where he was. "He's in Geneva and he is probably asleep so I suggest you leave him alone!"
Jim couldn't see what all the fuss was about. He had an escape plan and it worked as planned. It was a shame about the aeroplane but that was no reason not to go to work.
How things have changed.
He got a taxi home, had a few hours kip and came to work.
The Press got to hear about the crash, found out who Jim worked for and contacted our UK Headquarters asking to speak to the pilot. Well, they had no idea so they called Ops and asked where he was. "He's in Geneva and he is probably asleep so I suggest you leave him alone!"
Jim couldn't see what all the fuss was about. He had an escape plan and it worked as planned. It was a shame about the aeroplane but that was no reason not to go to work.
How things have changed.
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: MAN. UK.
Posts: 2,771
Sad News indeed.
I have fond memories of Jim from my days working out of Aberdeen in the late seventies. It's always sad to read of the loss of someone you started your flying career alongside.
Dave BB.
I have fond memories of Jim from my days working out of Aberdeen in the late seventies. It's always sad to read of the loss of someone you started your flying career alongside.
Dave BB.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wiltshire U.K.
Posts: 60
A very belated RIP to my old pal Jim, we were at Kinloss together in the late '60's. Jim was one of the best, and old school, I last saw Jim and Joan at the dedication of the Coastal Command Memorial at the National Arboretum.
PLE reached Jim.
PLE reached Jim.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 274
Like Shackeng, a very belated RIP from me to Jim. Sad to hear of his passing. A fine pilot and enthusiastic restorer of aircraft. It is directly because of Jim that I ended up owning a Stampe - the one he restored and flew from Insch!
