Popular Post Holger Sandmann Posted November 14, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted November 14, 2018 Dear all, I'm very sorry to have to let you know that our colleague and friend Neil Hill passed away on Nov 12th in Lynwood, WA, from complications with MDS, a blood illness. According to his daughter his final days were peaceful, with his family by his side. He was 80 years old. As you may or may not know Neil was our ultimate "airport enhancement machine", tirelessly working on transforming the lifeless and often incorrect default airports into much more realistic renditions. We don't have a full tally of his work for Orbx but we're talking many thousands of airports for the FTX Regions alone. And when he wasn't working on the payware commitments he completed yet more content for the ever-growing FTX Global Airport freeware package. In short, if you're visiting any of our FTX Region or freeware airports you're looking at Neil's work. Neil first approached me in February 2009 after learning that I was working on a small FSX landscape project covering the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. In his email he wrote "... I would like to let you know I would VERY MUCH like to help in reworking the airports. [...] I am retired so I have plenty of time". I gladly accepted his offer. The Olympics project later morphed into Orbx's FTX Pacific Northwest and included more than 400 airports enhanced by Neil, not a bad start... And so it continued: with each new FTX Region I would send him a spreadsheet of all airports within the coverage area and he'd start pumping out the airfields by the dozen, usually finishing well ahead of deadlines and asking us for more ;-) Put another way, without Neil's initiative it's quite likely that the Orbx Regions would not have included greatly enhanced default airports, at least not every single one within a given Region. Neil was assisted by other Region team members but he certainly laid the foundations for this particular component and his energy never waned. Even during his last months, being in and out of hospital, he kept on working on our current project, Australia v2, and managed to complete more than 600 airfields and airstrips, with the last batch submitted at the end of October. Judging by his file's date stamps the final airport he worked on was YIFY, Iffley, a small airstrip in Queensland. We'll miss you, Neil, rest in peace. If you have stories or photos of Neil that you'd like to share with the community feel free to do so in this thread. For the entire Orbx family, Holger P.S. An online obituary has been posted at http://www.whidbeymemorial.com/book-of-memories/3661404/Hill-Neil/obituary.php There will be a memorial service for Neil on December 14th, at 6:30 PM, at the Alderwood Baptist Church in Lynnwood, WA. 16 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonb Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Sad to read the news. I believe he was passionate about this hobby. We owe him much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post John Venema Posted November 14, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted November 14, 2018 Neil will be sorely missed; his energy and enthusiasm put many of our younger team members to shame. His legacy will live on through the untold countless hours of enjoyment he has brought to people arriving at thousands of airports worldwide. Even though Neil never regarded himself as being old, if the community agrees we’d like to rename the Old Coots Club the Neil Hill Memorial Lounge. RIP Neil, our dear colleague... 26 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryisenor Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Sorry to hear about Neil. I worked with him over the last few years and he certainly made my work better. He will be missed. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fltsimguy Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 (edited) Oh my goodness. Thank you for the notification Holger. Very sorry to hear this news on Neil. I'm sure the Orbx family will miss him as a collaborator, but all of us who have known him one way or the other over the years are also feeling this loss. I did interact with him on several airports issues and he was always so quick and responsive. Interestingly I know nothing about his "other" life outside of the flight simulation world so I can't speak about what other legacy's he has left this world but for sure his name and his legacy in flight simulation is well known and he was well respected. Bryan Edited November 14, 2018 by fltsimguy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Emms Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Neil a true Gentleman indeed He will be missed by us all. Rest in Peace. Emmsie. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friedi Gulder Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 A sad news. We will miss him.My sincere condolences to his family. Friedi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb613 Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 (edited) Hi Folks, Yeah - corresponded with Neil several times over the years - always a perfect gentleman - fair winds and following seas - sir... Regards, Scott Edited November 14, 2018 by scottb613 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 RIP Neil. Terry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilby Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Yes sad news. RIP Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Abernathy Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 A good friend and a tireless developer. Will be missed greatly. Neil got me into beta testing when the N. Calif region was being developed. Since my daughter also lives in Lynnwood, I never missed a chance to stop by and see him and Marty (his wife) every 3-4 months. A perfect gentleman and great father. I'll be in Lynnwood this Monday and wish I could see him for one last time. Just shows you, cherish every moment. RIP Neil. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zazaboeing Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Ohhh sad news! May he rest in peace!! His work was sure fabulous and he will be missed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc_Z Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 May he rest in peace. Condolences to his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greybeard Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Neil has left a giant foot print with ORBX with big shoes that will be hard to fill. His legacy will live on for many years to come. The idea of John's to rename "the old coots club" is spot on Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunk Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 RIP Neil, you will indeed be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 2 hours ago, John Venema said: Neil will be sorely missed; his energy and enthusiasm put many of our younger team members to shame. His legacy will live on through the untold countless hours of enjoyment he has brought to people arriving at thousands of airports worldwide. Even though Neil never regarded himself as being old, if the community agrees we’d like to rename the Old Coots Club the Neil Hill Memorial Lounge. RIP Neil, our dear colleague... My vote is YES! Great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregmorin Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Rest in Peace Neil! Your work is appreciated and you have left a legacy of which you may be justly proud! Thank you Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Harris Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 The term prolific was a vast understatement when referring to Neil, always finished first on a region project (and asking for more) he has left behind an incredible legacy spanning all the FTX region packs and many more countless freeware airports, a true gentleman in all the many great conversations we had, both while working on regions together and also off project, we'll miss him greatly. Blue skies mate. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Rest in peace Neil! My sincere condolences to his family and yes to the Neil Hill Memorial Lounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Hall Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 RIP Neil, you will be missed, thankfully your work will be with us for many years to come, a constant reminder of your great contribution to our hobby. blue skies and tailwinds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flya150 Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Very sad to hear about this. Rest in Heaven, Neil. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Cajic Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 RIP Neil, always such a pleasure to work with and such a nice guy too. The amount he's contributed in scenery to Orbx is truly mind blowing, likely no one has more people using their scenery than him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tttocs Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 Wow, sad news indeed. His enhanced airports are a big part of the "secret sauce" which help make regions so enjoyable. Add in all the freeware airports for Global and... I can't even imagine the number of his airports I've visited over the years. RIP good sir, Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlosqr Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 This is sad to read indeed but what honorable remark/post you made of him Olger. I find to know about his collaboration to Orbx very interesting. The description equals passion for his doing (job) and it is nice to see the face behind such a splendid job. Thank you for sharing. RIP Mr Hill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andiflyit Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 RIP Neil, I always enjoyed all the region airports a lot. It's an important component of the FTX Regions that we can find very acceptable airports everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sawatzky Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Thank you so very much Neil for all your contributions. Rest In Peace dear Sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Alex Goff Posted November 15, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted November 15, 2018 There's really no words that can encompass the volume of work and the dedication Neil put in. Neil did his work by hand, every one of his airports was worked over by him personally, there was no automation. I worked with Neil a fair amount during region development, he cared deeply about his creations. Every model I provided him, he expressed gratitude for the effort and that he could use it to create a better airport for our customers. We had a lot of email exchanges and Skype calls along the way, Neil was a caring and thoughtful man, he spoke about his family often. A little bit I knew about him, Neil was also an amateur radio operator, he talked to me about this a couple times, he had worked at a radio station for a while and maintained his license. I went and found his license, his call sign was K7NH. Another fun piece of info I found while searching, Neil was interviewed by a local paper in September and had his photo taken while walking on a trail: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/links-no-longer-missing-along-interurban-trail-in-lynnwood/ Neil was modest about his work and didn't bask in the spotlight, but he set a new standard and created an impressive legacy. It has been said a couple times already, but Neil's work is unparalleled and by the sheer reach of it, Neil should be remembered as one of the all-time greats. Rest in peace, Neil. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Harmes Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 It's very sad to hear of Neil's passing. My sincere condolences to his family. Neil has left us with an amazing legacy in his superb personality, his efforts and his creations. RIP Neil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Amengol Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Rest in peace, Neil. You will be very much missed for all of us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boetie Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Rest in peace Neil. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adambar Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 RIP Neil and thank you for all your hard work, you will be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holy Cheese Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 So sad to read this news. Neil will be sorely missed by all. RIP. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Clarke Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 There are approximately 83,000 Orbx members and Neil's work has been experienced by all of us in one way or another. Now that is what is truly termed as a legacy. I and many others would be humbled if our work affected that amount of people in our time on earth. RIP Neil and thank you for providing me so much enjoyment as a result of your dedicated work to simmers over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Kane Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Very sorry to hear, RIP Neil and thank-you for everything. Blue Skies Mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimshot Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 How very sad. RIP Neil, thanks for all the work. My condolences to his family, friends and Orbx colleagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vora Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 RIP Neil, thanks a thousand for your tremendous work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taph Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Very sad news, my condolences to his family. RIP Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveller Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 RIP Neil, your work will remain with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripcord Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Oh no. This is horrible news. I was fortunate enough to work with Neil on a few of the FTX freeware airports, and I can tell you, he was a real stickler. But always offered encouragement and ways to improve. Truly a class guy. I hate hearing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPL Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Very sad news. I corresponded with Neil on a number of occasions via the forums and email regarding FTX Global freeware airports and his "misfit" airports project. As others have said, he was a true gentleman who was passionate and prolific in his work. Among his many superb FTX Global freeware creations was a detailed, outstanding rendition of my local airport KBUY (a project he very kindly took on at my request), as well as other airports in my area. He also fixed a large number of "misfit" airports that I pointed out in his misfit airports thread. The work he did on these airports was excellent; he was meticulous (and fast!) in recreating the airports in accordance with their real-world counterparts and in ensuring the accuracy of his work. Neil told me this once in an email: "I use the doing of these airports as something to keep me busy, and add (hopefully) to the enjoyment of others. I'm 77 yrs old and NEED something to keep me busy and mind occupied." Neil certainly has added to my enjoyment and the enjoyment of countless others and left a great legacy in the massive body of airports he created for Orbx, and most of us here know little of his life beyond just this one small corner. I am glad to have had the opportunity to correspond with him and am very grateful for the work he did. Neil will be missed by many. My condolences to his family, friends, and the Orbx team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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