Interested? Let’s find out a little bit more about the world’s most unique air-show and what you’ll see on the 7 Day Warbirds Over Wanaka South Island coach tour. Known widely as Warbirds, you’ll be treated to a show of aerial feats of jaw-dropping proportions, including amazing aerobatics and thrilling pyrotechnics. But not just any planes, wartime aircraft. In case you’re looking for that excuse, or you’re sure you’ve done everything there is to do in the Land of the Long White Cloud, we have a fresh entry for your New Zealand tour plans. With the display of vehicles from the 30s to 50s getting a lot of attention, especially the Indian motorcycles and the Lincoln Continental.Wanaka is known for its snowfields, stunning scenery and water sports – a veritable wonderland of activities and holiday adventures, travellers hardly need another excuse to visit the lush core of the South Island. The Classic Cars hanger has become a tradition at Warbirds over Wanaka, You could even buy anĮntire aircraft or helicopter! This year saw the incorporation of a Regional Wine and Food Festival into the airshow for the first time, with many vineyards, butchersĪnd cheese makers showing off their products, and alfresco dining extending out onto the lawns. A wideĪrray of services and technologies were on offer, everything from commercial jet engine maintenance to aviator’s sunglasses and toy aircraft. Luckily common sense still reigns in New Zealand.ĭespite the current economic recession the Aviation Trade Fair was a success with many companies setting up stalls in a large dedicated hanger at the airshow. (the surrounding structure would not support it and the extra weight to do so would remove the ability to actually carry passengers) have grounded many classicĪircraft around the world. The wings are only a few feet off the ground), cockpit voice recorders (the noise is so great that any conversation is inaudible) and armoured cockpit entry doors The requirements for over wing emergency slides (the trailing edges of Questionable security rules being applied to passenger capable aircraft such as DC-3s. New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where pleasure flights in classic aircraft are still available, following some extremely The ‘Fly Dakota’ĭC-3 has display pilots and crew who are parachute jump rated and a removable passenger door, which allowed the Kiwi Blue team to jump from the aircraft during Warbirds over Wanaka 2010, especially during the ‘European Theatre’ re-enactment when they flew in formation as part of the ‘Airborne Assault’. Both of these aircraft made a grand contribution to the action at ‘Fly Dakota’ out of Auckland, and the other by ‘Southern DC-3 Ltd’ out of Christchurch. Pre-war bi-planes to thundering modern fast jets, Warbirds over Wanaka will always have something to excite the nerves and bring back memories ofĪfter a proud history and with over 16000 examples built worldwide there are only two Douglas DC-3 Dakotas still flying in New Zealand. Region has to offer, it will always be the fantastic array of rare warbirds and classic aircraft that remain the centre of attention. Of dollars worth of business into the Wanaka region, and has become famous the world over as a “must-see” event. In 2006 the Warbirds over Wanaka Community Trust wasĮstablished, and this helped to ensure the legacy and vision of legendary aviation and business entrepreneur Sir Tim Wallis. Held at Easter every two years, the airshow has gone though some major changes in its history. Now more than 65000 visitors flock to Wanaka Airport from all over the world to witness what must be one of the world’s most unique boutique airshows. Since its humble inception as a country fair by Tim Wallis in 1988, The Warbirds over Wanaka airshow has grown into the nation’s major aviation event.