R.I.P. Gordon Baxter

I came across his obituary today while reading the Houston Chronicle at
breakfast. For those who knew of him, his health had been poor for many
years, and his passing was inevitable. His columns were a regular read
when I subscribed to Flying in the early 80's

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...olitan/3225894

OBITUARIES
Baxter, 81, radio host, columnist
By LYNWOOD ABRAM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Gordon "Bax" Baxter, radio personality, newspaper columnist, pilot and
writer whose unorthodox views and madcap style often got him fired, died
of respiratory problems Saturday in a Beaumont hospital. He was 81.

In a 50-year career, Baxter bounced from station to station in Southeast
Texas, but his fans seldom deserted him......

Thanks for posting the announcement Dave.
The aviation community is deeply saddened by the Baxter family's loss.

"Dave S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I came across his obituary today while reading the Houston Chronicle at
breakfast.

Thanks. That's a bummer, but of course it happens to us all, eventually.

Lots of writers have been compared to Bax, some even favorably. But I've
yet to see anyone who genuinely comes even close to achieving his warmth,
truthfulness, and art. Without exception, when I see someone say "you write
as well as Bax", what they really have said is "you've done an okay job
trying to emulate what came to Bax naturally".

IMHO, anyone who thinks there's a writer today that comes close to being on
par with Gordon Baxter just has no idea what good writing really is. They
are probably the same people who think Hollywood consistently turns out
great movies.

He's the only aviation personality I ever thought that I'd really enjoy
meeting in person. I never believed I'd ever have the chance, but now the
question is resolved for certain. We'll probably never see anyone quite
like him again, which is a pity.

Pete

Indeed, may he rest in peace. He has been missed here for some time and
he'll never be forgotten by this pilot and avid reader of his Flying column.

I will be pulling out a random selection of Flying mags this evening and
refreshing the memories.


Dave S wrote:
I came across his obituary today while reading the Houston Chronicle at
breakfast. For those who knew of him, his health had been poor for many
years, and his passing was inevitable. His columns were a regular read
when I subscribed to Flying in the early 80's

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...olitan/3225894

OBITUARIES
Baxter, 81, radio host, columnist
By LYNWOOD ABRAM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Gordon "Bax" Baxter, radio personality, newspaper columnist, pilot and
writer whose unorthodox views and madcap style often got him fired, died
of respiratory problems Saturday in a Beaumont hospital. He was 81.

In a 50-year career, Baxter bounced from station to station in Southeast
Texas, but his fans seldom deserted him......

Surely Len Morgan is in that category too. His description of his
first revenue flight as Captain with minimal experience, a full load on
a hot day bound for Honolulu from Dallas in Braniff's only 747 is a
classic.

Maule Driver wrote:
Indeed, may he rest in peace. He has been missed here for some time and
he'll never be forgotten by this pilot and avid reader of his Flying
column.
I will be pulling out a random selection of Flying mags this evening and
refreshing the memories.

IMO... the most moving piece Bax wrote was the one explaining his
decision to give up flying solo.

It's another loss for the aviation community.
I discovered his "Bax Seat" column by accident, when I was looking for Frank
Kingston Smith's "Weekend Pilot" , which took up the back page of FLYING
back in 1970, when I started to fly.

Add his name to Robert Blodget, Len Morgan, and a few others.
"Dave S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I came across his obituary today while reading the Houston Chronicle at
breakfast. For those who knew of him, his health had been poor for many
years, and his passing was inevitable. His columns were a regular read
when I subscribed to Flying in the early 80's

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...olitan/3225894

OBITUARIES
Baxter, 81, radio host, columnist
By LYNWOOD ABRAM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Gordon "Bax" Baxter, radio personality, newspaper columnist, pilot and
writer whose unorthodox views and madcap style often got him fired, died
of respiratory problems Saturday in a Beaumont hospital. He was 81.

In a 50-year career, Baxter bounced from station to station in Southeast
Texas, but his fans seldom deserted him......

"nrp" == nrp writes:

nrp Surely Len Morgan is in that category too. His description
nrp of his first revenue flight as Captain with minimal
nrp experience, a full load on a hot day bound for Honolulu from
nrp Dallas in Braniff's only 747 is a classic.

Len Morgan passed away in March. Another great pilot and writer lost,
and I'm not seeing their replacements....

I'll never be Bax, but it's a great goal to keep in mind. I met him at
Oshkosh '95 when I was 14 years old. Back then, the idea of stringing
words together frightened me.

I still have a tape of the forum he led. It's in one of these desk
drawers, somewhere.. I've since got my ticket, worked with an air show
team, and moved on after the disaster I never dreamed would happen. I'm
now writing sports for a newspaper in a hole-in-the-wall town - One
day, I hope they'll have a slot open at Flying. :-D wishful thinking

I bet there's quite the reunion going on somewhere.. Len, Bax, Ernie
Gann.. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

We'll miss him.

"Dave S" wrote:
I came across his obituary today while reading the Houston Chronicle at
breakfast.

Sad to hear. I miss him a lot.

his passing was inevitable.

That goes for all of us.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM