Colin Bodill
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Colin Bodill (born 1952) is an adventurer and pilot from Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Colin has won the UK microlight championships several times and became the World Champion in 1995. In 1998 he set a new World Speed Record for flying an open-cockpit aircraft from London to Sydney.
In 2000 Colin along with British helicopter pilot Jennifer Murray formed the NOW Challenge - a microlight vs. helicopter race around the globe in support of the charity Operation Smile. The flight was sponsored by NOW (Network of the World) and Tommy Hilfiger. Colin became the first person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a weight-shift microlight (a Mainair Blade 912). It was on this flight that he had his first helicopter lesson and subsequently went on to set another World Record from London to Sydney in a Helicopter (2001).
Colin and Jennifer launched another record attempt (to be the first pilots to fly a helicopter around the world from Pole to Pole) in October 2003 in support of the WWF. On the 20th December (only 58 days into their journey & two days after reaching the south pole) they crashed in whiteout conditions. Both Colin and Jennifer were seriously injured. Jennifer and Colin are determined to complete the journey and aim to do so in 2007.
Colin is a BMMA Test Pilot and Inspector, microlight instructor and a CAA Examiner.
[edit] Awards
2001 Britannia Award – The Royal Aero Clubs highest award
1998 Air League Award
1998 Colibri Diamond Award
2000 Colibri Diamond Award