We are sad to report that aviation writer Rod Simpson died on 1 May 2026, aged 85.
Many people in General Aviation will have met Rod at some time, especially at Redhill, and will be saddened to hear he passed away, after a period of poor health.
Rod was a true gentleman, a good friend to all who knew him, a generous colleague and dedicated to his chosen subject.
Rod was brought up in Scotland but caught the aviation bug at 14 and then spent several years as a plane spotter around the UK with cycling forays into countries across Europe.
He qualified as a chartered accountant in a leading Edinburgh practice. Later, his successful career as a corporate re-organiser took him to the USA where he learned to fly a Taylorcraft 65 in 1970. After that he lived and worked in Australia, South Africa and the Far East. All the time following his aviation passion alongside a growing family.
In 1992 he got back into active flying with a UK PPL, owning a series of Cessnas – 152, 172 and 182 – which he generously shared with a group of pilot friends.
At every possible occasion he visited airfields and flying events worldwide, taking over 300 photos most days and built a vast collection covering almost every aircraft model and variation.
Rod joined Air-Britain in 1958 and served as a Director and Trustee between 1968 and 2021, including a period as chairman of the Board. He was the recipient of many awards.
Rod was editor of the house magazine Air-Britain Digest, latterly Aviation World, from 1997 to 2019 and a regular contributor of articles to the magazine until recent times.
Rod was the recipient of a number of Air-Britain awards, including the Charles W Cain Air Writers’ Trophy in 2020 (for articles on the Cessna 140 and the Fouga Magister, plus contributions generally from 1997 to 2019, the Don Hannah Award 2012, the AAHS Trophy in 1992, 1994, 2017, the Founder’s Award in 2019 and the Chairman’s Award in 2010 jointly with Mike Rice.
Rod’s aviation knowledge was encyclopaedic and he relished sharing this, contributing to GA magazines including FLYER. He also commentated at airshows and published over 15 specialist aviation books with Airlife including several editions of his widely recognised General Aviation Handbook. – Ian Nayler