Advice has been received of the death of Commander Gary Criddle, a retired FAA pilot, following a two-aircraft mid-air collision near Camden NSW on the morning of Saturday 26th October 2024. He was 72.
Gary joined RANC HMAS Creswell in January 1969 as a 16-year-old – 1969 Junior Entry. He went to sea as a Cadet and Midshipman including Vietnam time in HMAS Sydney and graduated in December 1973. Operations and Warfare Courses in the UK followed, and he had gained his Bridge Watchkeeping and was qualified as a Seaman Officer by 1976 and had been promoted to LEUT. Prior to joining 103 RAAF Pilots Course Gary served in HMAS Parramatta as Communications Officer and on course he flew both the CT4 and Macchi, graduating with his Navy Wings and as dux of the course on 8th September 1978. Gary joined VC724 and continued to fly the Macchi until he joined VC851 for Grumman Tracker OFS. Carrier qualification in VS816 and embarkation in HMAS Melbourne followed.
In 1983, he completed QFI course and was posted to the RAAF as Senior Naval Officer at RAAF Base Point Cook flying CT4 Air Trainers. After time with the RAAF he served as Training Officer HMAS Creswell and then XO HMAS Jervis Bay before joining CFS on Staff and, as he wanted to keep flying, he transferred to the RAAF and remained at CFS and was Roulette 6 in the 1987/88 RAAF Roulettes aerobatic display team.
After leaving the RAAF Gary spent a short period flying for the National Safety Council of Australia (Victorian Division) before its collapse in 1989. He then joined Qantas, initially to fly the B747 200/300 and later the B747-400 as a First Officer before completing Command Training on the B767 in 1996. It is understood that he also flew A380s in Qantas and had a Command on the B737 reverting to First Officer on reaching mandatory age.
Gary owned and operated a small aviation charter company out of Albion Park and flew the RAN Grumman Tracker as an Approved Instructor and HARS Display Pilot. He has always had an interest in aerobatics and bought his first aerobatic aircraft in 1992 – a Pitts Special S2A.
Our sincere condolences to Gary’s Extended Family, Friends and Colleagues.
Vale Gary (Gaz) Criddle
We would like to thank Brett Dowsing, Steve Pearson, Phil Thompson and Qantas chief pilot Richard Tobiano who all contributed information about Gaz.
Regards, Murray Smythe and Jeff Dalgliesh
