I first met Ian in the 1990s when we were both Flight Engineers on BA’s 747 ’Beach Fleet’. It was probably in a beach bar somewhere in the Caribbean but I do remember laughing at him explaining his “unusually low hairline” after someone had remarked that his hair MUST be a hairy helmet.


In later years, as a trainer, he had the misfortune to carry out my simulator checks  and it was testament to his experience and style that those details were among the less stressful that I was subjected to.  My earlier remarks about his hair probably long forgotten.

I left flying in the early 2000s and joined the pilot training groundschool where I was joined about 10 years later by Ian. I was on his technical interview panel and having previously guided him through the selection process watched him sail through the interviews. I knew that he would
be a perfect fit in our department. A view shared by BA’s HR department who were particularly impressed by what they called his ‘people skills’. That would come as no suprise to anyone fortunate to have shared time with Ian. 
His technical acumen was a given and he embraced the challenge of learning the unfamiliar technologies of the newer Boeings.  A bigger bonus for his new colleagues was his, often self deprecating, sense of humour. In my time in training there were probably only a handful of colleagues who would genuinely lift my spirits just by appearing and he was one of them. Unfortunately, the stress (and cost) of his daily commute from West Sussex to Heathrow, albeit in a big BMW, proved a "bridge too far" and he left BA for the new challenge at the relatively local Boeing Training centre.

Over the last few years we shared the odd telephone conversation but my last beer with Ian was at a work Christmas event. He was enjoying the night so much that he missed his last train home. He spent the early hours in the local Travelodge trying to convince two colleagues that there was room for one more in their modest room… and bed. The two ex flight engineers
showed zero camaraderie and he was forced to buy a room.  His efforts to get a BA discount were unsuccessful.  Cue more laughs.

I did once see him deadly serious, and angry, having been awarded a parking ticket for momentarily stopping at a bus stop in nearby Feltham. We thought it hilarious. Inevitably, he did end up joining us in seeing the funny side.

A story for another time was when I mentioned the name of one of the captains that I was guiding onto the A380. “Wow” he exclaimed as he launched himself off to renew his aquaintance with the pilot he hadn’t seen for 20 years “I saved his life once…”

Ian. Once met... definitely never forgotten.
RIP mate.