Fair winds Inspector

[Mark Allen M]

If you all don't mind I would like to add that this is the second time recently I've witnessed on this website the courage of a son to post the loss of his father. As much as Bill's presence here was profound and meaningful to many of us who followed him, his son's consideration for the feelings of mostly perfect strangers to his father is nothing short of honorable.

I hadn't shed a real tear in quite some time over much of anything ... until today.

[Taigh Ramey]

I am so sorry you lost your Dad.

I am also sorry that I didn't get a chance to meet him. From reading his posts it's pretty clear that he has been there and done that. He is the kind of an aviation guy that I'd like to know more about and had hoped to meet up sometime on a trip to the Northwest.

In time if you have any background or bio information about your Dad I'm sure a lot of us would like to read about what all he was up to.

Once again I'm sorry for your loss,

Taigh

[K5DH]

I'm deeply saddened to learn of Bill's passing. I never met him in person, but we shared quite a few chats via PMs. He and I were both "gearheads" and we had a lot of common ground in our interests in all things motorized. He possessed a wealth of knowledge and he was always willing to share that knowledge. No doubt about it... I'm gonna miss him.

With a heavy heart...

[oz rb fan]

i'd also like to add my condolence's to you and your family
Even down here in Australia his post's were enjoyed and always respected his opinion.

i'll raise a drink tonight,you will be missed

Blue skies and tailwinds bill.

[TAdan]

So sorry for your loss. He will be missed.

[fnqvmuch]

darn.
hadn't taken long to learn to look for the posts under his name for something worthwhile.
darn.
time to go and skip some stones over the Coral Sea - in respect of The Inspector ...

(edit - darn is not what i wrote - i hate that)

[CAPFlyer]

I'm sorry to hear of Bill's passing as well. He answered many "lingering questions" I had about both MacDac and Boeing products both in the forum itself and on PM for me that helped me understand some of the things I saw out on the flightline and riding in the back that most people would never know, not even many of the pilots who flew them. His insight and willingness to share it is something that is too rare in this world and it was a privilege to get to receive some of it.

He will be truly missed not just by your family, but by his friends and his acquaintances here and elsewhere.

Fair winds and a hearty stout Bill.

-Chris

[Jesse C.]

My prayers and condolences to you and yours and to the extended WIX family.

Vaya Con Dios!

[airnutz]

Adios Bill, and condolences to all concerned for this loss. Thank-you for all you shared...you'll be sorely missed. What a d*a*m*n shame! I'll toss a few in your memory tonight...tailwinds!

A little tune which purportedly inspired one of Bill's musical hero's, Duane Allman to learn slide guitar...Beck's Bolero..an old school tune for a great old school guy..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuj5toLeyY8

[Tim Savage]

Sad news. Your Dad will be missed. I always enjoyed his posts and WIX will be less interesting without him.

[Punisher05]

Just got into work and saw this. I'm stunned.

I can say without hesitation that every time I have read one of his posts, it was entertaining and enlightening. He had this awesome combination of knowledge and experience matched with a political incorrectness that was refreshing when compared to the stilted air I deal with every day. We had a few great exchanges based upon my time at MSY and when he used to live/work down there, and I always came away better for it.

We are sorely lacking for his departure, but I am both thankful for his contributions as well as confident in his peace at this moment.

You have my condolences, and my prayers.

-Brandon

[Mr Widgeon]

I hope his son approves of this, I'm putting this out on my own.
I type this through tears, with shaky hands and a heavy heart, so forgive the typos.
Bill Downing aka The Inspector, was my friend for almost 40 years, we were brothers born to different mothers.
We had so much in common and thought so much alike that at times it was scary.
It was that way from day one and though we had our differences from time to time (mostly over politics) we were always close.
I met Bill in 1975 when he was working at Robertson STOL at New Orleans Lakefront Airport installing STOL kits.
He had scratch built a model of a Grumman Goose that I was interested in buying and the friendship took off from there.
At one point not long after my wife and I married, Bill moved in with us for a short time.
Having two guys named Bill got real confusing real fast, so my wife started calling me Bill 1 and him Bill 2, that quickly went down to just Bill (me) and 2 (him).
He remained Bill or 2 for the rest of our friendship, but he was in no way 2nd class.

A couple of you have wondered about his background, 252 crew can (if he wishes to) can fill you in on Bill's training.
He had worked for Boeing on the 727/737 and Hydrofoil lines, for Lockheed on L-1011 line and the North American on the B-1 prototype and had also been a semi truck mech. prior to our meeting.
After his return to Seattle from New Orleans in the late 70s he went back to work for Boeing before going to Badwrench (as he preferred it) and retiring from there.
He loved his craft and took exceptional pride in his work and would brook absolutely no slacking or corner cutting in regards to anything related to aircraft Maint. or safety.
He was also a heck of a model builder and would go out and do scratch built kit conversions that no one else would consider.
He loved all forms of aviation particularly old airplanes and especially warbirds.
It was that love for warbirds that made me tell him to come here and look around, he took to WIX like a duck to water (so for those that had a bone to pick with him you can blame me for dragging him here).

Bill was a walking encyclopaedia of automobile knowledge, he could look at a car part in a junk yard and tell you what make, model, year it came from (I know this 1st hand, I took him to the largest junk yard in So. Idaho a few years ago and he did exactly that).
Any time I had a question about a anything automotive he was my go to guy.
He loved the NHRA and for years was a big NASCAR fan, he took great pride in the 1963 Thunderbird he got from his Dad (who bought it new) and his motorcycles, he almost always had one to ride.

He was funny, had a absolutely twisted sense of humor and could be the grumpiest & most unforgiving SOB you ever met.
He could twist the English language into knots that would defy Webster's entire staff to untangle.
He had a way with words that he could (& DID) use like a knife (as I'm sure most of you know).
This photo of the two of us was taken the last time I saw him at the airport in Boise as he was heading back to Seattle a few years ago, he's in the Red hat and we were laughing at something he said, that both of us thought of at the same time (as was the norm).
This is the Bill Downing I knew & loved and the one I'll always remember.

[img]http://s92.photobucket.com/user/Mr_Widgeon/media/OLDFRIENDS004r_zps0ddfa5f3.jpg.html[/img]

He was my friend, my brother and I will miss him til my last breathe.
Fair Skies Bill.
Bill Bailey (Mr Widgeon)

[LadyO2Pilot]

I am so sorry for your loss, 262. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. It was such a pleasure to read your Dad's posts...even the grumpy ones And there was so much to learn if you just "listened" to what he was saying.

He will be missed and WIX will be just a bit lesser for his absence.

[SaxMan]

Our condolences to your family. While we seldom get a chance to meet the people behind the names here, Inspector was part of our small community and his loss will be keenly felt.

[maxum96]

I was shocked and saddened to hear about your father's passing. He was a wealth of knowledge and I loved reading his posts. I'd never met or spoken with him. But I can say with certainty that he will be missed.



My condolences,

Doug