It is with a heavy heart that I pass on the dreadful news that my friend, Rod Hay, died yesterday flying his beloved Jabiru.
Rod was a true country gentleman. He took everyone at face value, and welcomed everyone who cared to say hello.
I had known Rod for some five years. I came to know Rod from a phone call I made to him one day, asking if he would welcome some nutter astronomers to use his Airfield once a month. Not knowing me from a bar of soap, Rod said without hesitation "Yes mate! No problem. When would you like to come?". He did not want money for this, so we left with him a slab of his preferred brew every time we used his Airfield.
Not just to use the Airfield, but we were welcome to use the office building to get some shut-eye, and light up the combustion heater in the depth of winter.
I last spoke with Rod just this last Tuesday, to organize another session for us astro lot. And as always, he was only too happy to have us over, and I always looked forward to seeing my friend again.
I will miss my friend. I will miss our long talks at the Airfield and on the phone. I will miss calling the coppers when he doesn't answer his phone for a week, and I have to cops go by the Airfield to check on him, only to find him in his PJs having a cup of tea, and the phone on the blink...
I will miss the overnight stays I did with my son at the Airfield. It was a little 'boy time' get away that we enjoyed. Talking to Rod was something my son looked forward to, and going for our dawn walk, me bleary eyed after a late night at the scope, but we enjoyed the two hour walks exploring the expanse of the property, and following tracks left by passing animal overnight.
We'll meet again, one day my friend. Say hello to my dad, and have a look down on us every now and then.
I connected the dots this afternoon when the media began to name him. I hope it is a comfort to those close to him that he went out doing what he loved most.
He was such a gentleman. I spoke to him a few times as he would come by and check up on us folk who would get to the airfield early. He even gave me the Katoomba Airfield hat I have on shelf next to me.
I placed a post on this forum prior to reading this one sorry.
I have to echo Mental4Astro's comments. Rod was a true gentleman. He showed interest in what we were doing often coming up to the scopes and having a look at the heavens. On the occasions when Mental couldn't coordinate the nights and I took the reigns Rod was just as welcoming. If you arrived early he'd even share the slab with you as long as they were cold.
Two years ago when I arrived one very hot day in January he (aged 78) was on the roof of the office clearing off the leaf litter. When I offered to climb up and help I was told no it's too dangerous. When he saw the beer he called it a day. I had many a conversation with him about flying and aircraft. Aviation truly was his passion.
He loved the clear skies just as much as we do but for different reasons.
Farewell mate.
probably a bit hackneyed now but he sounded like a true gent and a man born to have wings..
RIP,
Graham
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air… .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
The local community here in the upper blue mountains are feeling very sad at the loss of Rod who was a very well known identity in the area. Today's "Blue Mountain's Gazette" has published a front page story concerning Rod's death last weekend. A link to the Blue Mountains Gazette story is as follows : http://magresources.f2.com.au/bmg/
Astro loses an ally - Katoomba Airfield's Rod Hay
. Going to miss him.
