Tragedy to the aviation community.
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.