Flight has universal appeal

Radio-controlled flyer Frazer Briggs of Hamilton (right) manoeuvres his Raven aircraft as Stephen Greig watches on. Photo / Paul Taylor

For the country's leading aerobatic radio-controlled aircraft pilot Frazer Briggs, the two-day annual Warbirds over Awatoto fly-in was a fine way to relax, put on another stunning show - and help pick up some wreckage.

It was a bit of everything for the Briggs family as fair skies and top-class flying conditions saw nearly 100 different aircraft of all types and eras take to the skies over the Awatoto Field off Waitangi Rd.

For Mr Briggs it was a chance to give more than a thousand spectators a remarkable show and for his 15-year-old son Jarrod it was a great time to fly his more modest aerobatic aircraft.

But for Mr Briggs' father Mike, Saturday was not a memorable occasion after one of the wings of his LA7 aircraft detached and it crashed heavily.

"We can fix it though," Mr Briggs said.

"It was a kitset - we may be able to get a new fuselage but we might make our own."

It was the second crash of the day - with a WWII Mosquito fighter-bomber also losing a wing and hurtling into the ground.

"It was a write-off," event co-ordinator Kevin Botherway said.

Under sunny, clear skies big numbers of spectators turned up, particularly on Sunday, to watch everything from WWI and WWII fighters and bombers to jets, aerobatic aircraft, helicopters and even amphibian aircraft.

"This is one of the best flying fields in New Zealand," Mr Briggs, who has flown at events all over the world and has picked up world championships, said.

"This is a good fun rally and everyone enjoys coming here."

More than half the pilots and aircraft were from outside the region.

Mr Briggs said getting to the top in the international aerobatics game was all about "flying, flying, flying - you want to get good then you have to burn lots of fuel".

He was using the Awatoto fly-in as good practice for a big Australian radio-controlled aircraft event in late March.

He had just returned from flying in India, which he last visited seven years ago.

An Indian enthusiast wanted to learn to fly after seeing a display, so called in Mr Briggs to help him.

He is also scheduled to take part in a big competition event in Arizona later this year.

With a smile he conceded that yes, he was getting good at his flying craft.

"I started when I was 5 and I'll be 40 in two weeks."

One youngster watching a display by a De Havilland Vampire jet summed the big weekend fly-in up for most when he simply turned to his father and asked, "can I have one?"