Thursday, May 08, 2008

Tom E. Lampitt 1932-1979


Tom Lampitt was a well know figure in British Civil Aviation. He served 6 years in the RAF between 1949 and 1956, flying with 43Sqn from 1952 onwards. He was a member of the Squadron and Fighter Command formation aerobatic team from 1954-1956. He joined D.Napiers as an engine test pilot, leaving only when the test facility was closed.

After a period in general aviation he joined the West African Flying Doctor service as a pilot in 1963, flying the service's Dornier DO-27 from Northern Nigeria. He joined Aer Lingus as a pilot and in 1967 he began a long association with Eagle Aircraft Services. He became a flight operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Authority in 1972 but continued to do flying training for Eagle on an ad-hoc basis.
He was killed in the crash of a Super King Air near Nantes in 1979.