Aviation is populated by no small number of "personalities" -- interesting and unique people who bring their gifts to a community they love and share of themselves in a most unreserved fashion. One of those unique personalities was a guy by the name of Jerry Rooks (receiving one of a number of awards bestowed upon him, right)... a Florida native who circulated a simple email newsletter about Florida aviation events and happenings, and was heavily involved in the Southern Aviation scene. He was a big of an odd duck... an interesting guy with his own slant on life and what mattered in the aviation world, but he was an unselfish and aggressive participant in our community... especially when it came to things that introduced younger folk to the aviation world.

I got an email a few minutes ago, as I was finishing up a flight test piece, that said that we lost Jerry after an extended illness that saw him, at the end, giving up some of his cherished possessions to his friends and sharing of himself yet again... in a uniquely personal way. Jerry passed quietly, aware that his time was short. We're going to miss his email blurbs, the occasional comments about a news item on ANN, and the latest gossip (which Jerry shared in abundance). The true richness of aviation is not the planes that we fly, or even that squeaker of a landing we all pursue with abandon... it's the amazing treasure we find in the collective brotherhood (and sisterhood) of flyers. Jerry was a joyous addition to that brotherhood, and his passing leaves a silence that we're going to notice a great deal.

We are such a unique presence, we flyers. We hope you'll take a moment and think a kind thought for a fella that gave that community such a pleasant and valued gift... himself. [ANN Thanks our dear friend Vern Peckham for the great photo of Jerry...]

Fair winds and blue skies, Jerry...

FMI: http://jerryrooks.tripod.com