Following is the obituary written by Rainers’ long-time friend and companion, Markus Weishaupt.

Dear Rainer:
You were an avid aviation enthusiast, and have been a association member since 2004 and volunteering as a SCFA event coordinator. Additionally, you served as the SCFA’s director of marketing and sales; your efforts as a board member had a significant influence on the shop and the flying schedule over the past five years. You organized a variety of great and successful flights and flying events, including Red Bull in Zürich and Salzburg, Meiringen, Emmen and Vienna.

Thanks to your many business connections you managed to generate hundreds of thousands of francs in revenue for our association which contributed significantly to the maintenance of our Connie.

Your tireless efforts over the years have helped make the Super Constellation well known in Switzerland as well as abroad. You have contributed so much to our association, and have enriched our lives in so many ways. We are grateful for all your hard work and help over the years, and for the amazing friend you were to so many of us.

You were very much looking forward to see the “Star of Switzerland” fly again. You have left us much too soon, and very unexpectedly. We are all in shock, and very sad.

Dear Rainer, we will always respectfully remember our conversations and friendships with you, and will continue our efforts to get the Connie flying again, in your honor. Farewell, and blue skies.