Vale: Foot, aka Brian Gettens

[topendtorque]

I heard from a friend Graham Tadgell yesterday that Foot had passed on to the world of freestyle flight day before. Foot, also known as Brian Gettens, kicked off as a Jackeroo for Vesteys, ran the Cattle Ck outstation at a young age and moved to helicopters in '79. I have his name in my log book numerous times, starting May 79 where I checked him out for his mustering endorsement in Bell 47 G5, SJY. Foot was a great pilot which was just as well as SJY did not have duals. Whilst still with Helimuster he did a stint with Webby out of Wauchope, Kerry Slingsby in the West, and later ran the Normanton operation. Learnt about restricted areas when he got apprehended one day in Alice Springs by some very large American provosts for flying right over Pine Gap in his '47. They had large holes in the pieces they were pointing at him he reckons. Foot went on to media and corporate flying for Channel nine after doing the fires for a while and for a time was KP's pilot in both the Huey and S76. You can hear foot on the radio in film clips from his Channel nine machine while he is guiding Dan Tyler onto life jackets during the infamous Sydney Hobart Yacht race disaster.
Foot lived for flying and had a chance to go dual in a Mustang Stateside last year, was an excellent family man and father, just an all round good guy. And oh Foot? christened that by Bill Neimann during one of the old Vestey Negri Rodeos / Races, all to do with boots, when he was very much younger.
Laughter and a top attitude were his constant companions. No idea this stage on further details.

[Ascend Charlie]

There are more tributes to Foot on Bladeslapper as well.

Very nice bloke, miss him greatly.

[RVDT]

Damn.

Top bloke and top pilot. Made it look all so easy.

Flew with Foot as Chief Pilot in Sydney ~ 1987 ->

RIP Mate

[belly tank]

Footy was a statesman a great guy full of fun laughter and love for aviation. I've known him for 15 years and we always shared stories and general conversation on life!. He had a distinguished career over 35 yrs mustering and then with CH9 news and flew Kerry Packers S76 on a casual basis. He was a mans man no fuss just got on with the job and enjoyed every minute of it!.

Footy flew 47's mustering in the 80's, I once heard a pilot in the air the same time as footy exchanging pleasantries this said pilot was in a B47 and quoted its call sign, Footy said in reply she's a great machine I've got 7000hrs in it. The guy flying the 47 said "what 7000 in 47's" Footy said " No 7000 in that one your flying alone!"

Ill miss your split arsed turns foot and the great chats we had on the lounge at the heliport!.

RIP my friend

[malupham]

Foot

l wish people could actually put there names to things.
Anyway l new Foot maybe as well as anyone and l just want to say how sorry l am to hear of his passing to his family .
I have plenty of story's , between Foot and myself and god bless ya mate.

Mal Upham

[Ascend Charlie]

Sendoff for Foot at the Clovelly Surf Club, Wednesday 2pm.

[helmet fire]

Great bloke, great pilot.....
RIP mate.

[imabell]

hi mal and john,

unfortunately i won't be in town for foots memorial but i will be at VRD mustering. we had some great days together. i'll be thinking of him.

graeme.

[topendtorque]

This will be when those great days were happening circa 1983, several months before the first R22. It's not a good scan of an old photograph. Several of the machines have yargi aerials on them which can't be seen, for tracking judas collars, Chief pilot's "stars and stripes" on rear fuel pad, boss's "pink" machine to the left, four or five more in shed, FJP is the camera ship, JC the camera man. The first jetty, BLI. engine truck upper right.

It's the end of year when machines drop by for 'fixing' and pilot's with brand new sling endorsement all headed south for the fires, or other recreation.

Yep that is where pilots like Foot flourished.