12.45pm
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A BENDIGO pilot has been remembered as a respected aviator, after he died in a two aircraft crash at Mangalore on Wednesday.
Bendigo pilot Linda Beilharz paid tribute to Mr Gobel on Thursday.
Many in Bendigo's flying community knew him, or trained under him, she said.
Ms Beilharz said the aviators appreciated Mr Gobel's crusty but humorous relationship with students.
She said the community respected Mr Gobel's experience and confidence.
The community was shocked about what had happened, she said.
"We knew him well, most of us have flown with him," Ms Beilharz said.
"He taught me to fly, and he taught many of us to fly."
Ms Beilharz said Mr Gobel was about to retire all together from flying.
12.15pm
MAIDEN Gully pilot Chris Gobel has been named among the dead after a two aircraft crash killed four people in Mangalore on Wednesday.
Bendigo Flying Club described Mr Gobel as a "key aviation figure" in the city, in a statement on Facebook.
"Our thoughts are with Chris's family and with the families and aviation communities around the other people in those aircraft," the statement said.
Four people were killed on Wednesday after two aircraft collided mid-air near Mangalore airport, before crashing separately.
Mr Gobel was in one of the aircraft in his role as pilot examiner for Moorabin Aviation Services, the statement said.
The club said their thoughts were with Mr Gobel's family and the aviation communities around the other people in the aircraft.
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"Chris was well known to many club members. Many local GA licensed pilots trained with Bendigo Aviation Services, a company run by Chris for a several decades," the statement read.
"Chris was about to retire after a long aviation career with airline captain, flying school, charter and pilot examiner roles."
Mr Gobel's son Anthony died in 2005 in a plane crash, after the plane he was flying crashed in bad weather.
Earlier
A MAIDEN Gully man is believed to be among those who died in an aircraft crash at Mangalore on Wednesday.
Four people died in two separate crashes after two aircraft collided in mid-air near Mangalore Airport about 11.30am on Wednesday.
One aircraft had departed from Mangalore Airport, the other from Tyabb. It is believed the two flights were training flights.
The people who died have yet to be formally identified.
But police believe a 79-year-old man from Maiden Gully was onboard the aircraft which departed from Mangalore Airport.
A 27-year-old woman from Melbourne West is also believed to have been on board.
A Cheltenham man, 30, and a Seaford man, 47, are believed to have been onboard the aircraft that left from Tyabb.
Emergency services were called to two separate crash scenes east of the Mangalore airfield about 11.25am on Wednesday.
Two occupants in each aircraft died at the scene.
A police investigation into the crash is ongoing. Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
AAP reports that one of the dead was an Israeli national named by the Jerusalem Post as Ido Segev, in his 30s.
It's understood that he and the man in his 40s were on a privately-owned Beechcraft Travel Air D95A, operated by the Peninsula Aero Club at Tyabb.
Club president Jack Vevers said the two men were qualified as instructors, and were conducting a training flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the other plane was a Piper Seminole twin-engine, registered to Moorabbin Aviation Services, also on a training flight.
Mitchell Local Area Commander Inspector Peter Koger said there were witnesses to the planes colliding, and one aircraft coming down.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters it was a "very, very, sad" incident, and he was confident authorities would find the cause of the crash.
With AAP
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