<p>It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Bill Michie on Wednesday 9th January 2019.</p>
<p>Bill was born in Essex but his family moved to West Africa when he was aged 2. They then moved to Rhodesia where Bill served in the Rhodesian Air Force 74 – 81 before moving to South Africa.</p>
<p>He flew precision aerobatics (F3A) in South Africa – called pattern then – and won several National competitions, but was not in the National Team due to work and family commitments. Made the FunFly Championships and won it more than once. While in South Africa, Bill worked for a Power Company flying helicopters inspecting the power lines where he had to hover with the blades inside the power cables so that the insulators could be inspected – very scary!</p>
<p>After returning to the UK in 1997, Bill became an airline pilot and ended his career as a captain for Ryanair.</p>
<p>Bill's modelling career was even more extensive and varied.</p>
<p>He flew both F3A and FunFly He taught his sons to fly and regularly went to competitions with them, </p>
<p>and occasionally managed to beat them! He was a regular competitor in the UK at GBRCAA competitions and flew in the first of the F3A World Cup competitions held in the UK..</p>
<p>Bill actively supported the New Pilot Open Days and Clubman Events that were held in East Anglia. He was extremely through in his coaching and helped a number of tyro aerobatic pilots to make the jump into flying competitively,.</p>
<p>Bill was an excellent all-round aeromodeller, mentor and Club Member. He was the Chairman of the Stansted Model Flying Club, Area Chief Examiner for the East Anglia Area, demo pilot for the Area Fixed Wing Workshops, flew in Vintage Aerobatic competitions and held mentoring sessions to assist modellers of all ages and abilities to set up their airframes so that they flew better.</p>
<p>Bill’s support to the Achievement Scheme was recognised when he was awarded one of the first four Certificates of Merit at the 2018 BMFA AGM. Sadly, by that stage, Bill’s illness prevented him from being at the AGM in person so the Certificate was collected on his behalf.</p>
<p>Bill held Aerobatic 'C' and a Scale 'C' Certificates and regularly flew the fast, furious and total mayhem of r/c combat where he had the 'handle' of Pontius – well, he was a pilot!</p>
<p>One of the good guys.</p>
<p>He will be missed.</p>
