Adam Heath, 46, had departed on a flight with experienced pilot Rory Blanning, 30, on Wednesday.

They departed in a two-seater light plane around 11am, but about 20 minutes later it is believed the aircraft crashed into dense bushland.

The alarm was raised when the men did not arrive back within the three-hour limit.

Emergency services began a search, locating the wrecked aircraft and the bodies of the two men around 9pm.

The cause of the crash is still unknown, with an investigation underway.

News of his death was a "huge shock", close friend Sean Duffy said.

The two formed a friendship based on a shared passion for flying, first meeting through the Ballarat Aero Club.

Mr Heath was the owner of Wendouree business Signarama, but had been creating signs in Ballarat for decades.

Though he, his wife Lucinda and their three young daughters - Kelerah, Jasmine and Maddie - moved from Ballarat to the Sunshine Coast to start a new chapter in their lives several months ago.

It is understood Mr Heath had continued to run the business from up north.

Mr Duffy described his friend as an adventurous, warm and kind man who adored his family.

"He was a fantastic guy. I don't know anyone who would say otherwise," he told The Courier.

"He was very friendly to a range of people in the community and loved having a joke.

"He is much-loved by everyone around here. He was just generally a nice guy."

When not working and spending time with his family, Mr Heath was enthusiastic about sports - especially flying planes.

"He loved flying, learning about flying and continually improving his skills," Mr Duffy said.

He had been a member of the Ballarat Aero Club since 2004, when he commenced flying training.

In a newsletter distributed to members on Friday, he was described as being a "strong supporter of the club, participating in any competitions and bringing the family to Sunday roasts and barbecues".

"He could always be relied on to ensure that the clubrooms were spotless as well as attending to all instructors, students, members and visitors alike when rostered on as Duty Pilot," it continued, adding that he could always be relied on to fill a vacancy.

"His infectious smile, his charm and his boyish enthusiasm were a delight to behold."

The two friends had embarked on trips and flown together quite a bit, Mr Duffy said, with their last trip together in 2019 just before the COVID pandemic hit.

Mr Heath also loved mountain biking, motocross, fishing and snowboarding.

He will be very missed by his family and friends, including by people in Ballarat.

This includes his employees at Signarama.

Production manager, Kyle Ford, told The Courier:

"We all thought the world of him and we are very sorry to lose him," he said.

The circumstances that led to the tragic crash are still being investigated.

"At this point in time we don't know what's happened," Mr Duffy said.

"The investigation will give us an insight into what happened and some sort of closure."

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