Microlight pilot Martin Bromage, 49, died on the first leg of a solo charity flight to Australia, on the afternoon of January 18, 2009.

He took off Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton for the 11,000-mile trip but was reported missing in the afternoon after thick fog descended over the English Channel.

He was survived by his ex-wife Christine and sons Benjamin and George.

Girlfriend of four years Sharelle Wodehouse said: "A lot of people have said to me that when someone close to you dies, you realise what's important in life.

"But Martin was born knowing what was important. In his life he did everything that mattered. He just wanted everyone to be happy.

"He never missed an opportunity to have fun and if he saw something that looked fun he would just have a go at it."

The tree surgeon was hoping to raise £150,000 from the flight for soldiers’ charity Help For Heroes.

Before his latest challenge, he said: "I have done a few adventurous trips in Europe in the microlight and I just thought to myself, why not push it that bit further?

"There is a real sense of freedom – you can feel the wind and smell the atmosphere. You can’t do that in a plane."

He had spent many years racing motorcycles, scuba diving, white-water kayaking, mountaineering and rock climbing.

He had circumnavigated the British Isles four times by microlight.

In 2009 he flew unsupported from Gloucester to Lagos in the Algarve.