James Beagley, 34, was one of five people to die in a mid-air crash in the skies above Coventry on 17 August, 2008.

Mr Beagley, a qualified pilot, was a passenger on board a Cessna light aircraft when it was in collision with another plane. The Cessna was being flown by Sophie Hastings while Mr Beagley, Harvey Antrobus and Sybille Gautrey carried out a survey for Reconnaissance Ventures Ltd.

The accident happened when their plane and a Rand KR-2 kit-built plane, piloted by Brian Normington , were both coming into land at Coventry Airport.

Mr Beagley's dream was to become a pilot, his family said. He gained his private pilot's licence at the age of 21, and went on to fulfil his ambition of becoming a commercial pilot.

Mr Beagley, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, grew up in Bourne End and went to school in Maidenhead.

He studied aeronautical engineering at Kingston University in London before securing a job at the West London Aero Club in White Waltham, Maidenhead, where he was employed as ground crew responsible for fire and rescue.

His family said he loved being a pilot and "lived full out and enjoyed every moment of living the dream".

A friend, John Byrne, wrote on a social networking site: "You chased your dreams with vibrant spirit and brought warmth and happiness to us all."

Another friend, Emily Dey said: "For the most genuine, honest and decent guy I know. They are few and far between but you were definitely one of them. You are flying forever in our hearts."