John Lancaster killed in crash

I remember John's posts from the old Board. He could bring genuine humor to a pretty bad conversation in the old Hangar Talk over there. He was definitely one of the "good guys" from that old board.

At least he went out doing what he loved to do best. That should always be a consolation for any of us, really.

Goodbye John Lancaster.

Jim G
 
lancefisher said:
I don't recall him talking about ski patrol, but he was a ski instructor in Colorado for several years before getting into flying as a career.
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Yeah, instructor it was, thanks. I knew you'd helped him get settled and become friends.
 
lancefisher said:
And here's John's link to his wife's homepage if you're interested:

http://www.lancasterequine.com/lisa_about.html
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That's one tough gal, farrier is one of the most back breaking jobs (not to mention having nails embedded into my thigh) I've ever done, and I only did my own horses. She's gotta be pretty smart to make it through vet school as well. Lisa if you end up reading through this, you have my utmost condolences and respect.
 
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In a note I received from Lisa Lancaster"

"Jerry, thanks for your kind words.
I can't bear to look on the boards right now but his friend Patrick has told me there are memorial threads, and Patrick is putting up a website where people can donate to an aviation charity.

thanks again,
lisa"

HR
 
I never knew him but am grateful to now have some insight into his legacy.
Let's all not let our guard down up there and be extra careful.
 
Oh, this is so sad. I do remember him, and he was always one of my favorites. He could be so funny.

Rest in Peace, John.

Judy
 
lancefisher said:
He and another close friend (a local TV helicopter pilot) of John's are putting together a group donation to a local aviation charity per Lisa's (John's wife) request.
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Looks like they're suggesting Angel Flight donations. That's just like the kind of man John was, always giving to others. Godspeed, John.

http://www.johnlancastermemorial.com/
 
Hello all-
I am new to PoA... But John Lancaster has been a good friend for over 20 years. He and I worked together as ski instructors for Vail Resorts. As I had gotten my SEL/MEL COMM before he left Vail, we talked of flying and his interest in it, all the time!

Many of you may not know what he did, prior to attending flight training, but he was a top pro in the ski industry. He was a supervisor of training for a group of about 300 ski instrs, a trainer and Examiner for the Professional Ski Instructors of America, Rocky Mtn Division, and a key member of the Education Committee of that same org.

He was as highly regarded in that career as he obviously (having read your generous comments about him here) was in this industry. Many of his friends are on another ski related site, <www.epicski.com>. The terrible news of his unfortunate passing is still just getting out among his peers.

The following is a post I made on that site.


Such a shock!

I received this news last night. It shook me a bit, as John and I have been in pretty close contact since my arrival in Houston. We shared many stories about flying our respective aircraft, and the other things pilots tend to BS about.

In one of his recent letters to me, he expressed his interest in getting back into to ski teaching, part time. Since he was on a 14/14 schedule, and living in Denver during his off time, he was excited to exercise his passion for skiing once again!

We discussed the changes that we had seen over our years together in Vail, the way the industry had changed, and he told how wonderful it felt to go skiing, if only on a small hill in the Mid-West, after his broken ankle a few years ago. It had been his only on-snow experience during the several years he was doing his flight training.

He wrote in glowing terms about his wife, Lisa, and the Vet business she is developing in Denver. I hadn't seen her in a very long time. My heart goes out to her, and I share her sadness.

I will miss him, knowing we will never make another turn together, knowing we will never share another flying story, and the ski and aviation industries are both poorer for his loss.

As we signed off every letter,

Fly Safe!


Thank you for letting me share a memory of John with you all. I will check on the memorial thread I see has been started.


Safe flying to you all!

Ric Reiter
ATP, MEL, CFII/MEI
135 Capt, King Air

Examiner, PSIA-RM
(former) Staff Trainer, Vail/ Beaver Creek Ski and Snowboard School
 
OMG, I just realized this was "the" John Lancaster. He was a great guy and a class act. I really liked his perspective on just about everything. I am sick. Wow, what a loss.
 
Well, that just sucks. He was a great guy.
 
Well this is terrible. John was always a sensible and fun contributer to the forums and I always liked him. What a loss to this world.

Diana thanks for reposting the chicken crossing the road thing. It had me howling with laughter when he first posted it.
 
I just received a letter/article that John wrote, about his work in the Golf of Mexico - It was written in conjunction with his powerpoint presentation...It is not only very informative, but it also really shows John's great sense of humor. It put a smile on my face and I posted it on the site
http://www.johnlancastermemorial.com/article.htm
 
Thank you for all of your kind posts.

I’m a cousin of John’s and grew up with him in Vermont. There were times when we were constantly together, and times when we wouldn’t see each other for years. Unfortunately I hadn’t been in touch with him for some time. Now I wish I had.

I always new JH to be careful in every thing he did. (well not always, but we were teenagers, that doesn’t count) I’m glad to know he maintained excellence in aviation. I am especially glad to know that he earned both your respect and friendship. Your posts on this thread are ample evidence of his professionalism.

As the only other professional pilot in the family, I hope I’m able to express your friendship and respect for John to the rest of the family at home.

Fly Safe.
Peter Field
 
Ironically, I was in Houma, La yesterday, to do a pick up of some people we had dropped off a few days earlier.

While wandering around checking out some of the cool aircraft Charlie Hammonds has in his hangar, I ran into a guy wearing a ERA Helicopter jacket. I introduced myself and asked if he did work for ERA, and in what capacity. It turned out he was the General Manager for ERA...

I mentioned that I had known John for over 20 years, and he told me that Lisa (John's wife) had just been down there to see where he worked, the rigs, and to meet his co-workers.

Apparently, she is doing as well as might be expected under these difficult circumstances.

So far, the initial NTSB finding is "contact with a known object, for an unknown reason". As there were no eyewitnesses other than John and his passenger, no one will ever know for sure exactly why this tragic accident happened.
 
colomtnflyer said:
While wandering around checking out some of the cool aircraft Charlie Hammonds has in his hangar, I ran into a guy wearing a ERA Helicopter jacket. I introduced myself and asked if he did work for ERA, and in what capacity. It turned out he was the General Manager for ERA...
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Did John work for ERA? My husband flew for ERA for awhile. I wonder if they knew each other. I'll have to ask my husband.

Judy
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Aww, crap. Now I can't find it. :(

It was titled "Don't be reasonable, just be EMPHATIC!" and as best I can tell it was posted on or maybe just before April 5, 2005. I found some e-mails I exchanged with him after that, but can't find the original.

Anyone else happen to save that post?
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Wow... I'd thought this was gone forever (couldn't even find it on archive.org back then) but I was digging around on my computer today, and found a text clipping buried about 4 folders deep that contained the text of John's post. The title wasn't part of the name or contents of the file, which is why I couldn't find it on my computer.

The context was that there had been a large number of heated political discussions that were so crazy they wouldn't have even been allowed in the Spin Zone here, and John, as usual, pretty much summed it up perfectly. So, without further ado, here is his post, titled "Don't be reasonable, just be EMPHATIC!" from the "yellow board" (AOPA's old web board) in early 2005:

John Lancaster said:
HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BIG WHILE ANNOYING REASONABLE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE:

- Draw connections where no connections exist, then use them to make huge generalizations. For example: Timothy McVeigh was a Republican, therefore all republicans support terrorism.

- Make stuff up and hope nobody checks your facts. (Who knows they might be right, and they sound good to you!) For example: Timothy Mcveigh was a Republican.

- When your argument is shown to be specious, attack the person who exposed you and ignore their points. For example: "Here are the documented facts which dispute your claims" - response - "You are a [whatever] and out to destroy the country. You probably party with Michael Jackson!"

- Always get in the last word. Unless you have been undeniably beaten and shown the fool, always get in one more personal or general derogatory comment about the poster in specific, or about whatever socio-political group you have slotted said poster into.

- Be as random, offensive, flame-bating, incorrect, combative, whatever, as you want, but immediately attack anyone who posts anything counter to your argument as... ...random, offensive, flame-bating, incorrect, combative, whatever. If you get called on this, just use the aforementioned "attack the poster" tactic.

- Treat all criticisms as personal attacks on you and your family. Even if the post was not a response to you, did not mention you by name, or even refer to a demographic group you belong to, take the opportunity to accuse the poster of "having it in for you".

Finally:
- Do not, repeat, not, attempt to engage in logical or reasonable debate. You will have your lunch handed to you.

PS - If you feel that this post is directed at you, it probably is.


John
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AdamZ said:
Wow we just need to make that a sticky!
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Perhaps Spiderman can help!

fail-owned-substance-fail.jpg
:rofl::D:rofl:
 
John was an eloquent guy!

I can think of a few people/situations that would have directly brought on such a post.

I do not miss those Wild West days on the aviation forums......:nonod:
 
Keith Lane said:
John was an eloquent guy!

I can think of a few people/situations that would have directly brought on such a post.

I do not miss those Wild West days on the aviation forums......:nonod:
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John was a class act. He and I emailed when I started helo lessons and talked extensively about career change. This post just further proves what a class act he was.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
smigaldi said:
I dunno Bill. Looking at the antics of late outside of the SZ I would have to say that there is virulent, mean and rude posts outside of the SZ as of late. Not fromm jsut one or two people either, but several.
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I was called a bad pilot, which is one of the worst insults I can imagine.
 
AdamZ said:
Wow we just need to make that a sticky!
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I knew John pretty well, went flying with him in my airplanes and his (sort of) helicopters and I'm pretty certain he'd approve that as part of his legacy.
 
lancefisher said:
I knew John pretty well, went flying with him in my airplanes and his (sort of) helicopters and I'm pretty certain he'd approve that as part of his legacy.
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I posted it in Spin Zone... But it's not a Sticky yet! Nor is that awesome engine-out thread, wherever it is. Did you guys on the MC run out of glue?
 
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