Photo above: Geoff Weighell with Rachel Gardner-Poole, Head of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit in 2019, when the BMAA won the ability to issue pilot licences. Photo: BMAA
28 July 2026
British microlighting has lost one of its true pioneers with the death of Geoff Weighell, former Chairman and Chief Executive of the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA), who passed away on 27 July aged 72.
For thousands of pilots, Geoff was the reassuring figure quietly working behind the scenes to make flying simpler, safer and more enjoyable. He wasn’t just an administrator – he was a pilot, instructor, examiner, inspector, flying school owner, engineer, negotiator and one of the sport’s most influential advocates.
Announcing his death, the BMAA said Geoff had devoted his life to microlighting and that “many of the freedoms and privileges we enjoy today can be attributed to the work and dedication he gave on our behalf.”
It added: “Every person who takes to the skies in a microlight has benefited from his extensive knowledge, passion and sheer determination to expand our horizons.”
Below: Video from 2020 when FLYER’s Ian Seager talked to Geoff Weighell of the BMAA and Steve Slater of the LAA
Over more than four decades in the sport including 15 years as the BMAA’s Chief Executive, Geoff was instrumental in many of the regulatory changes that transformed British microlight flying. He helped secure the extension of the deregulated SSDR category, campaigned successfully for the removal of restrictions on flying over built-up areas, pushed through the self-declaration medical, supported the use of amateur-built aircraft for training, championed the introduction of 600kg microlights and modernised the BMAA by taking its airworthiness systems into the digital age.
Geoff retired from the BMAA in 2021 because of ill health, ending a career that had seen him serve as a hang glider and microlight pilot, instructor, school owner, examiner, Council member, Chairman and Chief Executive.
Former BMAA Chief Executive Christopher Finnigan remembered Geoff as a man of principle who “knew his own mind” and was respected throughout the sport. “He taught me a lot about microlighting and its characters,” he said.
Former CAA policy adviser Edward Bellamy described him as “a tireless advocate for microlighting” whose work leaves “a great legacy to the sport.”
James Cairns-Terry recalled Geoff’s meticulous instruction, describing him, alongside Brian Cosgrove, as “a true ambassador for microlighting.”
Andy Richards smiled at Geoff’s fearsome reputation as an examiner. “Fail with Weighell” was a phrase many students knew, he said, but only because Geoff demanded high standards while encouraging people to become better pilots. “He had a great sense of humour and was always helpful and supportive.”
David Bremner remembered a man who “radiated calm and inspired very great respect”, while Darrell Parsons looked back to the early days of British microlighting when Geoff inspired a new generation of enthusiasts.
Perhaps Geoff’s greatest achievement is that many newer pilots won’t realise just how much they owe him. Faster licensing, sensible medical requirements, practical regulation, easier administration and the arrival of today’s more capable microlights all bear his fingerprints.
Fair winds and calm skies, Geoff.
