RIP Steve Raddatz.. - Page 2

bhester · #11 05-24-2009, 07:14 AM

http://comment-blog.advance.net/cgi-...sh&blog_id=859

frankd · #12 05-24-2009, 11:29 PM

I spent last week with Steve in Tuscumbia. We flew together Friday afternoon. He was a superb craftsman, pilot, and person. This is a tragic loss. Steve was larger than life, full of good will and joy. We will all miss him greatly. I feel lucky to have known him.

kwkpilot · #13 05-25-2009, 01:10 AM

I just learned of this the day after, he was the Vice President of our EAA chapter here in Muscle Shoals. (EAA 615). I know he will be missed, and I already miss him.

A true go-getter Steve was. A good friend was he to the EAA/RV/general aviation community, R/C hobby community, anyone he met for that matter. I always have admired and looked up to him personally and as a fellow RV enthusiast. I recall conversations we had in person and over the phone about flying and RV's in general, and my opinion, we both are RV nuts and our favorite is the RV-8.

I always enjoyed going to EAA meetings/fly-ins at his hangar. His hangar @ Windward Point was truly a place of inspiration and awe for me, as I would get a chance to see all the RV kits he was building or advising on. You couldnt help but want to go home and start pounding out the rivets after seeing Steve's work and being around him.

Steve attracted positive energy and being around him always left a positive influence. I had the pleasure of watching Steve fly RV-4's/-8's, and R/C planes. I flew loose formation with him one time when I was in a C-172 and him in an RV-4 back in 2007. I rode in an RV-8 that he did build assist on in Decatur, and it truly was a wonderful bird to fly in, and it rolled beautifully, was very fast, light on the controls. My only regret is that we were not closer friends, and that I never got the chance to ride with him.

I sold my RV-8 tail kit in 2008, due to the economy, not knowing my King Air Captain job was soon to follow in Feb 2009 when the company filed chapter 11. I told Steve and others that I regret selling it but vowed to get one again when my situation allows for a build. After this tragedy, I vow to dedicate my completed RV-8 in memory of Steve by placing an appropriate inscription in the cockpit. I plan on incorporating several of the ideas and mods Steve and I talked about.

I'll always think of Steve as just a "big kid" at heart, a good family man, who shared the love of aviation as I do. RIP Steve.

Christopher Murphy · #14 05-25-2009, 10:44 AM

I had only met Steve once last Feb, when we discussed his participation in the Tennessee Valley Air Race/Air Show. He seemed like an interesting and nice fellow.

We have decided to pay tribute to Steve during the airshow portion of the event at Courtland on June 13th (9A4). The remaining members of the Red Thunder Team( one was invloved in the accident) plan to salute Steve at the show.

Chris Murphy Air Race Director and event co-organizer

weekendflyboy · #15 05-26-2009, 04:04 AM

I would personally like to thank the home building community for reaching out and caring the way that you have with the tragic loss of Steve.

Steve will truly be missed by all of us. Thank you all for your calls, emails and prayers and please continue to keep Steve's family in your prayers.

The funeral arrangements:

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia, Alabama. A service of remembrance will immediately follow at 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.

The address to the funeral home:

Morrison Funeral Home
825 N Main Street
Tuscumbia, AL 35674
Phone: (256) 383-7311
morrisonfuneral@bellsouth.net

Funeral Home Website
http://www.morrisonfuneralhomes.com/...me/Default.asp

Obituary in local News Paper
http://www.legacy.com/TimesDaily/Obi...onId=127698141

A second funeral will be held in Steve's home town of Oshkosh, WI later this week, but I do not have the details for it yet.

JDanno · #16 05-26-2009, 07:34 AM

Was this the same Steve who had a nice big hanger on a grass strip over near Shoals airport? I attended a fly-in there about a year ago as I wanted to look at RV-10s before purchasing the kit. He had several partly finished RVs that he was working on. I believe the fly-in was a local EAA chapter. Same guy?

lsu-rv · #17 05-26-2009, 09:25 AM

I could fill a few pages with compliments to Steve but I will try to keep it short.
He is the reason i ordered an RV8 kit. His work, ideas and improvements just kept coming. He loved aviation.
He was a youthfull, energetic breath of fresh air to aviation and had an open door to everybody. That is what i really liked about him. He did not mind stopping what he was doing to listen to my question or problem and give me a good simple answer.
I am still in shock about this but miss him much already.
Jeff Harrell
austin tx

rv7boy · #18 05-26-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDanno

Was this the same Steve who had a nice big hanger on a grass strip over near Shoals airport? I attended a fly-in there about a year ago as I wanted to look at RV-10s before purchasing the kit. He had several partly finished RVs that he was working on. I believe the fly-in was a local EAA chapter. Same guy?

Yes...regretfully, it's the same guy.

jimpappas · #19 05-26-2009, 10:50 AM

Please me to the long list of folks of those wishing Steve's family well.

I can't believe he's gone.

Bill Dicus · #20 05-26-2009, 10:52 AM

Steve's write up (in the RVator) of the first flight of his first RV-8 was a delight to read. Because of a ride in Tom Stearman's RV-4 and Steve's joy in his -8, RV fascination caught me and I'm well along with my own -8. Steve's first RV-8 was bought by a friend of mine, Mickey Fouts. We flew in our Lance to Wittman Field where Mickey took me up for a trial flight in Steve's -8. That was my first meeting with Steve and his delightful wife. Mickey left for Colorado in the morning in the RV-8. It was the coldest day of the year in Wisconsin - frigid. Mrs. Raddatz was so helpful, going out to purchase chemical heat packs for Mickey to use on this flight home; he probably could not have made it without those to counter the intense cold. Both Steve and his wife were wonderfully hospitable and helpful to me in subsequent months. Steve took time to come to Milwaukee and look over my project after the first year's work. He was incredibly generous, energetic and knowledgeable about RV's. His background as a machinist really enhanced his building ability. He had a wonderful family which shared his love of flying. What a tragedy. He'll be missed by so many people. Hard to believe, but he's the second friend and flying buddy lost to a formation collision (Randy Drake co-owned a Pitts S-1S with me and lost his life flying with the Red Barons exhibition team). Please be careful flying formation! Condolences to Steve's wonderful family. Bill