Dad worked hard all of his life. He travelled the world with his job, and always remembered to bring back presents for the three of us, even though he didn't have much money.

He loved motorbikes. Family legend has it that, in his younger days, he was known as ‘Throttle Happy Jack’ – a revelation which came as both a huge surprise and a delight to us who saw him as an unimpeachably proper, and sometimes stern, authority figure…

He loved music, especially jazz, from Bix Beiderbecke, Dave Brubeck, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, to Ry Cooder, Buena Vista Social Club, Blazing Fiddles: and classical guitar, most particularly John Williams and Julian Bream. (The choices of music before and after this service are a nod to that passion.)

He supported charities whenever he could, especially Practical Action. It was also clear that he had become more and more concerned for his fellow man and got particularly upset when social injustices raised their ugly head - something that seems to be more prevalent in the world today. A trait which manifests itself in the wider family! I found this passage from the book of Ecclesiasticus in his bedside table:

‘My child, do not cheat the poor of their living, and do not keep needy eyes waiting. Do not grieve the hungry, or anger one in need. Do not add to the troubles of the desperate, or delay giving to the needy. Do not reject a suppliant in distress, or turn your face away from the poor.’

He became very political in his old age, I think in direct proportion to the time he was able to spend reading the news.

He had the driest sense of humour. He loved the classic cartoons such as Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry.

He used to read books from the back page first.

.He was a wiz with computers.

He adored Mum.

He was unassuming, always believing that it was for people (including his kids!) to make their own choices in life. He could get a bit rattled living in a small house with 3 children though!

He loved flying, both at work and play: his hobby – well, hobby barely seems an adequate word - was gliding, and it’s certain that the skills he showed as a pilot and instructor informed his work, and vice versa. He was lucky to have loved his work especially – and, through sticking to it rather than pursuing the immediate attractions of promotion and higher income, to become one of the most accomplished and highly regarded engineers in his field. That regard has been expressed by so many of the tributes from his former colleagues in recent weeks.

To this day his writings are considered authoritative texts on his area, and his contribution to the technical journals would form a small library in their own right. He was, in his own quiet way, something of an iconoclast in his world, and wasn't necessarily always gentle with those he felt were lazily accepting received wisdoms – the ‘myths’ of aeronautics that were one of his sure bugbears. But to an enquiring mind, he was unstintingly generous with his knowledge and time. It was something he thoroughly enjoyed and he was still involved in various advanced projects up to the end.

He was proud of his Scottish heritage and proud of his family, and a prolific photographer of us all in his early years. He had been getting physically frail in the last few years but we take a lot of comfort from the fact that he was mentally active, working on projects that interested him, and maintained his independence until his final brief illness. He spent his time pursuing his passion to the very highest levels (pardon the pun!), and we don't think you can ask for a lot more in life than that.

The nurse who found him on the morning that he died reported that he had a smile on his face. His twin brother, Douglas, has a theory about this: in their young days, John had to be first in everything, be it going through a door or attaining some mark of achievement. It seems old habits die hard, and this final success might have given him a small bit of satisfaction…