Myles Murphy, who played a major role in ensuring that the Republic is equipped with state-of-the-art air traffic control equipment and systems, died on August 15th, aged 56.
In 1995, he became the first Irishman to be appointed chairman of the North Atlantic Systems Planning Group. This was just one year after the Irish Aviation Authority was incorporated as a semi-State commercial company.
Two years ago, he played a pivotal role in the Irish Aviation Authority, when it was the first European provider of air traffic navigation services to implement Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM).
This has had a major impact on north Atlantic aviation because it effectively doubled the number of flight levels available to aircraft, and is directly responsible for fuel savings of over £22 million a year to airlines. As a result of improved technology and expertise, vertical separation of aircraft above 29,000 ft over the Atlantic was reduced from 2,000 to 1,000 feet. In May of last year, and despite his serious illness, he ably represented Ireland at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) conference in Rio de Janeiro, which addressed such issues as communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management.
He was born in Inchicore, Dublin, but his family moved business to Cork city when he was three-and-a-half years old, and he grew up in Ballinlough.
He went to the Presentation College, Cork, and in 1961, at the age of 18, he took up his first job as a student air traffic control officer at Shannon.
Twenty-five years later he returned to the Leeside as senior air traffic controller at Cork airport. However, after three years he went back to Shannon to oversee a major re-equipment programme, and in 1994 he was appointed chief air traffic control officer there. Apart from his work, his other great interests were cricket and golf.
He was a very good opening bowler and was the first member of the then new 1968 Limerick Cricket Club - of which he was later captain - to be selected for Munster, with whom he played for two seasons. A past captain of Shannon Golf Club, he was made an honorary life member for his development work. He was, with Christy O'Connor jnr, one of the four founder members of the Wings Society in 1976, which has raised £630,000 for handicapped and underprivileged children's charities.
Myles Murphy is survived by his wife Frances (nee Cawley), sons Andrew and Peter, brother Matthew, and sisters Margaret and Kay. Myles Murphy: born 1943; died August, 1999