Lost a Friend at the Reno Air Races

"NotUnlessRoundIsFunny" (notunlessroundisfunny) 09/09/2014 at 01:26 • Filed to: planelopnik, sad, loss, death, reno air races, rest in peace

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Opponauts, I'm very saddened by the death of a good friend who was qualifying today for the Reno Air Races. Lee was a genuinely talented pilot and nice guy, and will be deeply missed.

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Additional Oppo details: this plane was one of a kind. It was constructed of wood, and powered by a small-block Chevy engine. It was quite a project.

phenotyp > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 01:33

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Shit. Pixels do no justice. I'm really sorry to hear this. "Catastrophic mechanical failure," huh? Reiterating: shit .

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > phenotyp 09/09/2014 at 01:36

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Thanks for the kind words.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > phenotyp 09/09/2014 at 01:41

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I'm still in shock to be honest, just had dinner with him and he offered me pit passes to the races. We even talked about doing a writeup of this plane for Oppo—there were quite a few technical challenges to making an SBC engine work well in an airplane.

phenotyp > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 01:53

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I'm sure you are. (Background: my great-grandfather was the oldest physical-passing pilot in the US when he died, in a plane crash; my dad's a lifelong pilot, has restored and built a bunch of planes; I flew before I ever drove a car; known lots of pilots; etc)

It's weird, the thing with pilots. I wanted to be one so bad when I was growing up. Now I want to fly like Nerf planes. I guess that's what having a kid will do to some people. The separation between the pilot and those on the ground remains, and the pilots accept the risk, regardless whether the rest have. And when that knock comes, which it almost inevitably will, they're just gone.

It's the sudden absence that everyone else is left to figure out.

I'm really sorry, man. I can't say anything that'll make anything better. But I get what you're going through.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > phenotyp 09/09/2014 at 01:56

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Seriously, I appreciate the thoughtful words. The "sudden absence" captures it so well.

Eventually it will be some comfort that he died doing what he genuinely loved, but I'm not there yet. Thanks again.

phenotyp > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 02:02

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Hope everyone gets through it.

desertdog5051 > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 02:58

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Sad to hear about a person that was a great friend passing. This gentleman seemed extraordinary. Anyone who sees this will feel a loss. My condolences.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 03:44

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Sad to hear about the loss of your friend. You have my condolences... I'm really at a loss at what else to say.

$kaycog > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 08:54

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I'm so sorry. This is heartbreaking.

ttyymmnn > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 10:02

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Very sorry to hear that. RIP.

Sam > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 10:04

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At least he got to go out doing what he loved, not in some sterile nursing home or hospital or whatever.

f86sabre > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 09/09/2014 at 10:13

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Sympathies to you and the family. Looks like Lee put a lot of passion into his flying.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > $kaycog 09/09/2014 at 17:28

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Thanks $kaycog. We're still sort of in shock.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > f86sabre 09/09/2014 at 17:29

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Thanks...and you're right, Lee was supremely passionate about all kinds of flying. And he went out doing what he loved.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > phenotyp 09/09/2014 at 17:29

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Thanks...appreciate it.