Glen Warden 1955 - 2021

[GL]

16 December 1955 to 11 December 2021
Glen Warden was the consummate aviation professional. He rose to the top of his field in the South African Air Force, then as an airline pilot, and also as an aerobatic pilot.
It was as an aerobatic pilot that his life ended five days before his planned retirement on his 66th birthday in a crash at the Baragwanath ‘Ace of Base’ competition.
As a jet fighter pilot Lt Colonel Glen ‘Gringo’ Warden was extraordinarily accomplished. Best known for his displays in SAAF "Black Widow’ Mirage IIICZ - he was gifted at displaying all types of aircraft from fast jets to flying whatever he was asked to display. He gained his callsign ‘Gringo’ from having been seconded to the Chilean Airforce. He ended his service to the SAAF with the rank of Lt Colonel, to take up a pilot position at Comair airline, where he became Flight Operations Director and then the CEO of the airline’s flight simulator business.
Glen Warden was passionate about general aviation. He devoted his weekends to sharing his love of flying through airshows – despite the death of his wife Louise in the Albatross double air crash returning from the Tzaneen airshow in 2011. He was a team member of the Sasol Tigers jet team and regularly flew the air force museum aircraft.
He was a highly skilled top-ranked aerobatics' pilot, competing for many years in the Advanced class – which he had won - and also being the contest director.
Glen Warden was a private person who above all will be remembered as a true gentleman. Patient as an instructor and vastly knowledgeable he was never boastful of his huge accomplishments. He was always quietly competent and a great leader and team player.
Glen Warden made a massive contribution to general aviation, the air force, and airline flying, and will be sorely missed.

[Ugly Duckling]

4GLEN airborne

[Ugly Duckling]

Godspeed Gringo

[Ugly Duckling]

Missed approach and return for landing

[Horace Blok]

This is one of the saddest aviation accidents I have ever experienced. I got to know Glen through the many Airshows that I have attended and he was always one of the humbler pilots on the circuit. He may be gone but his legacy will Never die.

PJL

[GL]

Any news on a funeral/ memorial service for Glen?

[amtr]

Was lucky enough to meet him at the PE Airshow almost a decade ago. Very down to earth and such a knowledgeable pilot. We will miss him:(

[Bell 407]

[Bearcat]

Any news on a funeral/ memorial service for Glen?

Friday 7 Jan at Kittyhawk
Missing Man formo by Good Year Eagles
I dont have a time as yet

[Chuck]

A nice talk by Glen on the flight training path for a student pilot.....

[brandsman]

I was going through my mail to delete some old ones and found my last email exchange with Glen. It brought a lot of memories flooding back! - what a true gent he was and what a loss to the aviation scene here, as well - of course - a far worse loss to his family.

[propjob]

11 Dec 2021 was a sad day for all of us. We lost a true friend and dedicated aviator, Glen. You have done so much for so many in the short time you were with us, and you have left a huge void in many of our lives.
May you fly high until we met meet again.

Dennis and the Goodyear Team

[apollo11]

A good guy and a fantastic pilot, I wanted to read the accident report to understand what had happened, but I could never locate it.