Richard Collins gone west . . .

Sad to hear. Learned a lot from his articles when he was at Flying magazine and I was learning to fly in the early 70s. Been a Flying reader and subscriber, on and off, since the early 70s and always enjoyed AND learned from his articles. RIP Richard Collins.
 
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Sad talked to him , while at sun n fun,many years ago. May He RIP
 
Pilawt said:
One of the most influential writers in this industry over the past half century. He was an asset to general aviation, and a true gentleman. He will be missed.
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Agree 100%. I read and have re-read many of his books and articles in Air Facts. A very sad day indeed. He will be missed. RIP.
 
A life well lived I believe.
Fair skies and tailwinds!
 
Sad. This may be the most personal aviation death for me in my lifetime. I bought my first FLYING Magazine in February '79 (my first training flight was 2/17/79) right around the time I started flying and it was a flight training issue with a 152 on the cover. Been reading Collins ever since and also have his books from back in the day. My favorite aviation writer. An icon for sure and and will be missed.
 
So sad to hear. He was the original GA advocate and fact finder. The first guy I ever heard of to actually be analytical and dig up statistics to find the truth about GA safety. I greatly admired his writings and was saddened the day he hung it up and scrapped his beloved 210, but I have to say, that event spoke volumes to me about his moral character and his convictions. There really aren't many like him in aviation and he has been and will continue to be missed.
 
I've been reading his writings since I was a boy. Here's to you, Mr. Collins, for many years you were my flying inspiration.
 
Dav8or said:
...and was saddened the day he hung it up and scrapped his beloved 210, but I have to say, that event spoke volumes to me about his moral character and his convictions.
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I was going to mention how memorable his trials and tribulations with that plane were. Most of our little problems pale by comparison.
 
Dav8or said:
The first guy I ever heard of to actually be analytical and dig up statistics to find the truth about GA safety.
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If I'm not mistaken I believe it was his personal research on twin accidents that cause insurance to go up for twins because he showed they weren't safer than singles as many thought.
 
This is the saddest thing ever. Even my wife - who hates GA - knows who he is.
 
I also remember enjoying his column in Flying, years ago. RIP.
 
Sundancer said:
He and Gordon Baxter had a lot to do with my start in flying. . .
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I started somewhat earlier, inspired by the likes of Frank Kingston Smith (Sr.) and Gill Robb Wilson. But Dick Collins, Gordon Baxter and James Gilbert carried on the tradition of colorful, honest and informative writing.

We also lost Archie Trammell in the last few days. He was a contemporary of Collins on the staff of Flying in the 1970s. Those were the golden years of that magazine.
 
RIP Richard. One of my mentors. Baxter wrote of the romance & comedy of Flying.

Richard Collins wrote of the technical.
 
Sigh. Disappointing, all these people I read over the years going west. RIP Mr. Collins.
 
Wow.
He was a staple in the aviation training\writing business.
Farewell, Richard.
 
I remember reading that eulogy when it was first published. Thanks for posting!
I'm imagining the conversations now going on between Collins, Bax, Len Morgan and the others I used to read so avidly when I was younger.
 
Sad. I read his blog often...whenever I read it, I always heard it in my head in his voice.
 
He has commentary on my Sporty's IFR DVDs. They're old, and his segments older, and he's old in them. He must have been older than dirt. Must have been a really good pilot to get that old. RIP.
 
Blue skies and tailwinds—

I used to really enjoy watching the Sporty’s videos that he hosted, along with John and Martha’s stuff.

RIP.
 
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There's a picture in my high school yearbook, me, asleep in the library, face on my hands - the magazine under my chin is Flying. All the names mentioned above, I read them like a bible. They nearly got me killed, and probably saved me a couple times; they learnt me the universe doesn't care - you gotta own your own outcome. Not that they wrote that, in specific terms, but it rang clear, always, between the lines.

"I Learned About Flying From That Them"
 
Always looked forward to his articles. One that stuck with me the most. “Flying by the Numbers”
At least I think it was his.

RIP
 
I would always seek out his articles in Flying Mag. Thanks for all the advice Richard. RIP.
 
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