Friends mourn the loss of a committed youth counsellor who died in a hang gliding accident.

A personal grievance case brought by eight Air NZ pilots, removed from captaining Boeing 747-400s after their 60th birthdays, is set to be heard.

A rare two seater Spitfire fighter worth several million dollars has been damaged in a landing accident at Ardmore Airport.

"Don't worry about work ... just have a great day," were Denis Adlam's last words to dad Neville before his fatal gyrocopter crash.