78-year-old's first time in the air

The 78-year-old was rescued by the Taupo-based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter. File photo

Taupo-based rescue helicopter staff were left humbled yesterday after giving a 78-year-old Taumarunui man his first flight in an aircraft.

Unfortunately it was to transport him to Waikato Hospital after he severed a finger chopping wood, but it left pilot Nat Every feeling pretty humbled by the experience.

"It was his first ever flight in any aircraft and he's 78... It would have been a 40 minute flight and covering most of the country that he has only ever seen from the ground between Hamilton and Taumarunui."

Mr Every said despite having his whole hand bandaged up and on some heavy pain killers, he believed it would have been "an eye opener for him".

"You pick a lot of people up and you may not think about things like that but someone like that, that is what we're here for. Although we would rather not have met the guy and you wish he was just going about his business wherever he was and life continued."

When asked what the man thought of his experience, Mr Every said he was pretty quiet but appeared to enjoy it.

"He's from that old school generation, he was very polite and friendly despite the circumstances. He was quiet on the way up but he was definitely keeping an eye out. It would have been quite an experience for him."