Bermuda has lost a “groundbreaker”, “gentleman” and “all-round good character” with the passing of businessman Michael Smatt.

Family members, friends and colleagues have been celebrating the life of the helicopter pilot and owner of Smatt’s Cycle Livery, who passed away last Monday at the age of 67.

His son, Sean, said he and his sister Jenny’s childhood in Jew’s Bay, Southampton, was filled with “curiosity and adventure” thanks to their father’s outgoing spirit. He told The Royal Gazette: “He had a big sense of humour and his character led him to explore many things.

“He shared a lot of that with us as a family — we were always out on boats as children whether it was sailing, lobster diving, spearfishing or waterskiing.

“We would be out flying when he decided to get into helicopters and learn to fly airplanes. He instilled curiosity and was extremely generous. We were very close as a family and spent lots quality time together.”

Mr Smatt took over the cycle business when his father, Adolph, died in 1986. A notable achievements was launching the first commercial helicopter service in Bermuda.

He also had a passion for the ocean and, aside from his sail chartering business, he was involved in launching the Island’s first search and rescue service with Mike Winfield.

Mr Winfield recalled: “We formed the Bermuda Search and Rescue in the late Seventies. Mike was the coxswain [skipper] and I was president. He was immensely helpful and was very knowledgeable about things on the water. He was a gentleman and contributed enormous amounts to the then Bermuda Search and Rescue. We were both pretty young at the time but we had a passion for the sea and for providing the service.”

Speaking of Mr Smatt’s innovative nature, Mr Winfield added: “He was a groundbreaker. He had the idea of using the helicopter not only to offer tours, but also to look at drug surveillance and all sorts of other things. Not all of it worked but it shows he was always thinking differently from the pack.

“Even recently during the America’s Cup, when we were bringing in the first helicopter for the World Series, I was asked who should we go to for advice and there was no hesitation. Some of the guys responsible for filming were very grateful to him.

“He was always willing to give of his time. That was Mike — he always wanted to help and was always engaged on behalf of the community He was thinking ahead of everybody else and doing so with an immense sense of humour. He was great to be around and an all-round good character.”

Mr Smatt also loved to run and took part in several races, including the New York City Marathon in 1988 and 1989 and the Boston Marathon in 1989. His friend Gilbert Lopes, who helped him to bring the helicopter to Bermuda, has many fond memories of running with his friend.

“We started running together in the Eighties. He was serious about it and wanted to get better each time,” he said. “He would pass the parties on the night before the marathon, drink Perrier water and eat pasta.

“I would go to a steak house and get a pitcher of beer but he could still never beat me in the race. Watching the marathon this weekend made me think of him.”

“He was always the type of guy who wanted to do it all — he didn’t want to just know one bit of it but all of it, and right to the end.

“I had a construction company and he wanted to know how to be a labourer, making the mortar and blocks, and also how to be a developer and a manager ... he wanted to fill all the roles. We had a lot of fun doing it and he took a lot of pride in it.”

George Terpilowski, the managing director of The Fairmont Southampton, knew Mr Smatt as a neighbour and through him supplying his hotel guests with rental cycles.

“Michael and his wife were so open and hospitable to us when we moved here,” he said. “He was always gracious and quickly introduced us to his baking skills. He had a professional-grade oven in his house so there would be days when he would drop freshly baked baguettes to our house.

“He was a great example of true Bermudian hospitality — he was always there for the guests. He instilled that in his staff — they are always very gracious to the hotel guests. He will be sorely missed.”

Mr Smatt leaves behind his wife LeeAnn, his children Jenny and Sean, and five grandchildren.