Gary Austin Fly Safe

[warbird1]

Oh noooooo. I am so deeply saddened and words cannot express my true feelings. Though I never met Gary, I felt as if I knew him through his postings here on WIX. I would have liked to have met him at an airshow in the future sometime, but unfortunately that will never happen. Gary has done so much for the warbird movement, the CAF, WIX and touched many people's lives. Unfortunately, he will never know the true positive impact he has had on many people around the globe. I can only say that this world will be much sadder without Gary here. I don't know what else to say, except I'm very heart-broken right now.

Did Gary have any close family members or was he alone? Depression is a very serious illness as this illustrates. Unfortunately, Gary is not the first I've know who has had this or ended their life prematurely.

What a huge loss for our warbird family. I just hope someone can do a really nice memorial/wake/funeral or whatever form of remembrance ends up taking part, because he deserves it!

Blue skies, Gary!

[Ztex]

This news is very shocking to me.
I never met Gary in person. I have talked with him on the phone and electronically for the past several years. He has been a part of my life here in WIX. Strange to say something like that. But we get to know people via the internet just as we might face to face. Hanging out on this board has touched me in ways that most of you will never know. I really never realized it myself until now.

For the good guy! He made me laugh and taught me a thing or two about persistence and doing the job right.

So long Gary. God Speed and happy landings.

[Warbird Kid]

Well said Ryan. I do hope as well we see his knowledgeable words in a book one day.

A small but eclectic few are weeping around the world tonight.

And as cheesy as this sounds, I'm sure he would have wanted us to move on with an ever quickening stride towards the horizon. To dream and live big. To meet and exceed our goals, no matter what they may be. This is something very large that has happened on our forum my friends, but you all know this.

All I can think of right now is that TOGETHER we can all preserve and remember the portly man from Midland. May his passion and character never be forgotten.

Christopher Soltis

[Speedy]

Viya con Dios, Jose.....

[Warbird Kid]

A quick question,

How hard would it be to take the stuff from the Old 927 thread and make a book out of it.

I don't think it would be impossible. Just alot of copy and pasting I'm sure, and then someone willing to sow it all together in InDesign. I would like to but don't think I could immediately.

[warbird1]

A quick question,

How hard would it be to take the stuff from the Old 927 thread and make a book out of it.

I wouldn't think it would be too hard, unless it is somehow copyrighted. How about doing that, along with pictures, maybe some words of other people who worked on the project as well. Put that all together in a book and sell it under the WIX umbrella. Perhaps the proceeds from that could be put into some kind of charitable organization set up in Gary's name. Maybe a scholarship for future A&P's? There are numerous things that can be done.

Maybe a little later the WIX guru's can consider that. For now, let's remember Gary!

[N3Njeff]

A quick question,

How hard would it be to take the stuff from the Old 927 thread and make a book out of it.

I don't think it would be impossible. Just alot of copy and pasting I'm sure, and then someone willing to sow it all together in InDesign. I would like to but don't think I could immediately.

That would be cool!!! lord knows he helped alot of us. That would be a fitting tribute.

[Pooner]

There's not much one can say about the loss of a mentor, a craftsman, an inspiration, a sounding board, brilliant writer, comic, ombudsman, and someone who helped to point out clarity in among chaos as I chose to see things in my silly little corner of the world.

I only wish I had been able to pass on even a fraction of what he'd given me ten-fold. The debt is as heavy as my heart.

Gary, you were truly a gentleman, a scholar, and above all, my friend.

Words do not adequately show how profoundly and deeply you are missed right now.

- R

[Tim Savage]

I am deeply saddened by this. Gary was my friend, and we spoke occasionally and emailed regularly. Just last Thursday he reached out to me to ask how I was doing with all of my present aviation business difficulties. That is a measure of a true man...he was suffering, but he was reaching out to see how I was doing. Towards the end we spoke about his struggles and how he was having a hard time finding the right meds to help his situation. I asked a good friend who is a noted psychatrist to call him the nexy day and see if he could lend a hand. I am sorry to say, I never followed up on Friday to make sure that it happened. If I knew it was that bad I would have been on a plane to MAF.

Rob: Gary spoke often to me about converting the B-24A thread into a book. We were going to do the layout for him to give him a leg up. For a myriad of reasons it never really got off the ground.

I will miss my friend Gary who always encouraged me and was a true craftsman. He also restored my faith in the CAF. They don't know what they lost when they parted ways.

God Speed Gary. I wish I would have been a better friend.

[Don Martin]

Nothing but tailwinds and blue skies into the sunset, Gary! We'll all miss you!
Don

[Jack Cook]

How hard would it be to take the stuff from the Old 927 thread and make a book out of it.

That's was close to happening but SB killed it dead!
I'll sign off for the night has my anger is getting the better of me.

Last edited by Jack Cook on Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

[tom d. friedman]

i've been a wixer since 2004 & this is the only time i've read every post on a 5+ thread. i highly respected him & most certainly loved interacting with him on this site. i'm sorry i never got to shake his hand. without sounding corny... he was a pillar of this site. when i donated to the 927 project & he sent a piece of her old skin as a token of thanks, i'm sure he took the time & effort to do same for every donor. i will now cherish that more than ever. what a gentleman. it's ironic in a matter of speaking as i've been bummed all day because it's 1 year today that my dad died. now i'm double bummed. just remember all friends on this site that depression is a silent killer too. gary rest in peace & god bless.

[Dave Hackett]

I was having a conversation the other day with my F/O about the change in social dynamics as a result of texting. We came to the conclusion that in a few years, kids will have no personal social interaction, just texting if the trends continue.

Tonight, it appears that the internet has done that for many. While I was lucky enough to spend 10 minutes of his precious time at Reno a couple of years ago and have traded many an email....I like many others have become personally attached to someone without the personal social interaction.

A huge loss for the WIX family. Huge loss for the warbird movement.

Thoughts and prayers to the close friends and family. To the WIX family too!

Hope you can find peace Gary!

Dave Hackett

[Mark_Pilkington]

I'm speechless and practically in tears. Gary was my best friend that I never met. I just had a message from him on my voicemail and hadn't returned it. OMG

I echo Jack's comments, Gary was also "my best friend that I never met", here was a man who bent over backwards to help me, as a stranger from the other side of the world, undertaking unpaid work other than fuel and accomodation, and then storing the aircraft for free for a number of years, as if we had been life long friends!

Our work together to save Sea Bitch was undertaken mostly by email with few phone calls, and little in the way of formal terms and conditions, more like a long distance hand shake. Just two aircraft enthusiasts sharing a common interest from either side of the world to save a forgotten warbird, as I have said elsewhere Gary is the true saviour of Sea Bitch, I had the easy job at the end of a cheque book.

Gary was a humble and true gentleman in all of my dealings with him, and that is how I will remember him for the rest of my life.

I had on my "to do" list a trip to the US in the future, to catch up with both Gary and Sea Bitch.

The PBY - Sea Bitch and B24 - Ol 927 will survive as testimony to Gary's efforts and love of old aeroplanes, but for those who dealt with him personally, I think he will be remembered mostly as the true gentleman that he was, a very rare type of person.

I'm very sad to hear of his passing, and know of the places depression can take someone.

Unfortunately sometimes people get taken to a very dark place that quickly that no one is there to help, or to see the signs, and a moment's decision results, in a sad and irreversable outcome.

The world has lost someone important today, who still had much to offer, and to enjoy, goodbye Gary and thankyou for your assistance and support.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[Matt Sharkey]

Prayers to the man, his family and friends. His postings and stories are some of the best ever.