GaryV Gone West

Ah ----t. That's absolutely heartbreaking. He had posted late last year that he had moved to AZ, presumably upon his wife's retirement. That just hits me hard. Work all your life and don't get to enjoy the leisure of retired life. Rest in peace Gary. Between his and @GRG55 both very untimely passing, the carpe diem anxiety hits me hard. I'm really happy I did my bucket list trip early this year. This life waits for no one. I gotta get that damn RV yesterday.

My sincere condolences to the surviving spouse and extended family (it does not appear they had children?). Gone entirely too soon. This place will be a lesser place without him. A nickel..
 
This is sad. Someone mentioned high heat, high DA, but the number was <5k, and he was by himself. Clearly a sharp guy, this doesn't make sense to me.
 
The Management Council grieves the loss of @GaryV and his untimely passing. We will certainly miss him! Blue skies and tailwinds, Gary! :(
 
Crap.

He was just back from Reno, wasn't he? His last post on 9/6 said

We’ll be flying over on Tuesday but won’t be at the races until Thursday.
Gary
 
I left work today because this one hurts too much.

Maybe a fitting photo for Gary, as we say goodbye is one of the last ones I took of him... Godspeed Gary.

48515550957_d8b3af08cb_b.jpg
 
Huge condolences. This is the first crash I can recall of an active POA member.
 
Huge condolences. This is the first crash I can recall of an active POA member.
That’s what I had thought earlier. I’m sure there have been many over the years that we haven’t heard about, but this is the first fatal accident that I can think of in my 11yrs on POA.
 
I'm so heartbroken. Gary meant so much to me. He was one of my biggest supporters. He was so proud of the photos I took of him, that he submitted them to Cessna Owner Organization for their calendar and they hired me. He continued to promote me, even sending me opportunities every time he saw them.

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/cessna-177rg-cardinal.120640/

YOU’RE the one who took that incredible photo in the Kathryn’s report link? I was wondering how anybody got such a close up from the front of him in flight, I’m thinking a telephoto lens, formation kind of in front and a bit to the right and looking back out your left seat window? Or did you have a camera on the tip of your wing? The tail of your plane?
 
YOU’RE the one who took that incredible photo in the Kathryn’s report link? I was wondering how anybody got such a close up from the front of him in flight, I’m thinking a telephoto lens, formation kind of in front and a bit to the right and looking back out your left seat window? Or did you have a camera on the tip of your wing? The tail of your plane?
Gary had taken at least one class in formation flying and was incredibly easy to work with. These head-on shots are basically both planes slipping (skidding) with opposite inputs. And yes, 70-200 lens.
 
YOU’RE the one who took that incredible photo in the Kathryn’s report link? I was wondering how anybody got such a close up from the front of him in flight, I’m thinking a telephoto lens, formation kind of in front and a bit to the right and looking back out your left seat window? Or did you have a camera on the tip of your wing? The tail of your plane?
The one time I saw Jack Fleetwood taking pictures he had the biggest lens I'd ever seen. I'd have to admit to just the least bit of envy spotting that sucker. I think he could have taken nice close ups of the Moon with that thing.
 
Condolences to his family
 
Condolences to those Gary leaves behind. We'd been really looking forward to meeting him on Thursday :(
 
I left work today because this one hurts too much.

Maybe a fitting photo for Gary, as we say goodbye is one of the last ones I took of him... Godspeed Gary.

48515550957_d8b3af08cb_b.jpg
Great picture as a tribute…

I have no doubt this has to be really hard for ya.
 
Side ?: is there any change made (avatar, etc) to indicate when a member goes west?
 
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