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Rocket down at KOXR - Jim Ayers

Pierre and Stephen, sorry about the bum link, it worked for me without a subscription. Ah, the Internet. Googling it initially, I found the usual assortment of misinformation, including "It was a two passenger RV3."

My condolances to everyone involved.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAAST Team Representative
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
A friend...

It was Jim Ayers a friend and fellow VAF member. Best of the best. He was MT Prop guy in the LA area. He will be missed.
 
Jim

This,like any accident, is a terrific loss. I met Jim about a month ago. At that time he had a RV3, RV6. & a Rocket. This is very sad. Ron
 
I met Jim about a month ago as well. He and my hangar mate Ron were really good friends, and he'd stop by often to chat. Friday after we all went to lunch, he loaned me an engine hoist from the EAA chapter and a torque wrench so I could install my prop.

Great guy, and an amazing wealth of knowledge. This sucks.
 
Jim Ayers and his passenger, Craig Templeton, were killed in a crash last Saturday in Jim's HRII at Oxnard, CA. Jim attended many events at Oshkosh and Sun-and-Fun. He was an MT Prop distributor and overhauler. Jim's first project was an RV-3 which he eventually fitted with a supercharged LOM engine. He also owned an RV-6A that he used for propeller comparison testing. It's not clear what happened, but it appears the engine failed just after takeoff and they crashed in a freshly-plowed strawberry field about a mile from the airport. Craig had recently completed an RV-12, his first aircraft, and was very excited about flying. Both of these gentlemen were very generous and supportive of the local experimental flying community. We'll miss them both. The preliminary NTSB Report has been released but there is not much info.
:(
Here are the details for services for Jim Ayers and Craig Tempelton:

Jim Ayers
Saturday, July 20, 2013 2pm
United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks
1000 E. Janss Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-495-7215


Craig Tempelton.
Saturday, July 13, 2013 2pm
Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park
5600 Lindero Canyon Road Road
Westlake Village, CA 91362
 
Always a friend

Even though he lived many hours away, he liked to pop in at Paso Robles just to see how my six was progressing.

He laughed alot and gave good advice.

Sometimes we would go to the Odyssey restaurant.

Jim always had a good perspective on life, I am going to miss him :(
 
Thanks Tom. I made one of those trips with Jim. He flew his 6A and I flew his RV-3. It was interesting seeing your company. Hope to see you again when I get my F1 Rocket flying.

Mark Swaney
 
Good to here you...

I am bad at names, but I remember that I, Jim and you had lunch.

We went to my house and you and Jim took a look at what I was progress for that day.

Come on by and see the slowest progress, but very nice.

Thanks for the memories.
 
Jim the Gentleman

Jim and I met at the Chino airport in 1990, he made sure I finished my Sidewinder then made sure I built an RV-6! Thank you Jim. It was better built, lighter and definitely faster because of his help. He was always more than generous and nice to everyone he met. He will be missed very much.
My condolences to everyone who knew him.
Rick
 
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