A MILLIONAIRE businessman who died in a helicopter crash had planned to retire this year to spend more time indulging his passion for flying.

Rodney Moody, 60, of Wethered Park, Pound Lane, Marlow, and his daughter Erica, 25, died when the helicopter Mr Moody was piloting crashed during poor weather in France on Saturday night.

Mr Moody had built up a successful air-conditioning firm, Envirotec Ltd, based in Desborough Park Road, High Wycombe, and was the managing director.

But he had gradually reduced his role with the company over the last two years and was going to retire while still maintaining an interest in the business he formed in 1969.

A spokesman for Envirotec said the firm was just coming to terms with the dreadful news.

He said: "Rodney was a terrific man with great enthusiasm for the business he developed into a successful leader.

"It is a matter of great sadness that he did not have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of his work over many years."

The spokesman added: "Rodney and Erica were lovely people and will be greatly missed by everyone at Envirotec.

"Our thoughts and condolences are very much with Rodney's wife Susan and his other daughter Tace."

A neighbour spoke of the family's devastation but said Mrs Moody had requested privacy at this tragic time.

Mr Moody had set off with two other helicopters from Heli Air Helicopter Training, Denham, on Saturday morning and was bound for Corsica.

But in wet and misty weather, Mr Moody's helicopter crashed into a tree, outside the village of Ivren-Montagne, in the east of France.

According to reports, Mrs Moody was going to accompany her husband on the journey but changed her mind and their daughter went instead.

A spokeswoman for Heli Air said it was the first time Mr Moody had flown from the airfield and the helicopters flown on the trip were all privately owned.

She hit back at allegations that there had been delays in alerting the emergency authorities after the fatal crash.

A national newspaper had reported that there was an alleged three-hour delay in alerting the emergency services.

But the spokeswoman for Heli Air said: "That was untrue.

"What they did was they went to look and then contacted the emergency services by telephone with a fluent French speaker.

"There was a very short delay."

She criticised suggestions they could have used radios on board, saying that the poor weather conditions and mountainous region made the radios unusable for emergency calls.

The accident is now being looked at by the Air Accident Investigations Board.