A passion for planes is what fuels the volunteers at Classic Flyers to lend a helping hand at the museum.

Tauranga resident Garret Horwitz has been volunteering at Classic Flyers museum in Mount Maunganui for the last two and half years.

Volunteer Garret Horwitz with the Harvard plane he flew in with the owner of the aircraft.

'I was driving past Classic Flyers one day and thought ‘wow, what an amazing place'.

'I pulled up and saw a sign asking for volunteers.”

Originally from South Africa, Garret has lived in Tauranga for the last 14 years and says he loves working with such a 'great group of people” at Classic Flyers.

'We have all sorts of people here. Ex-pilots, ex-engineers, ex-stewardesses, just all sorts of people with a love for planes.”

He now works one day a week at the museum where he gets to do a 'bit of everything”.

Being a fan of airplanes since he was 10-years-old, Garret says he will be volunteering at the museum until he can no longer crawl into the bunkers that house the planes.

'I went to an airshow and have had a passion for planes ever since. My family know not to get me a present, just get me a flight on a plane.”

He says his only regret is not learning to fly, something he feels there is no point in doing now at the age of 63.

Classic Flyers board chairman David Love says the work of the volunteers is what keeps the aviation history museum going.

'It (Classic Flyers) performs a great social need, as well as acting as a great facility for the community.

'We've got lots of people who are retired, some are widowed and others don't know what to do with their time.”
David says the volunteers are skilled in many areas of aviation and bring those skills to the complex.

'They come in freely and give their time. It's a great club for them.”

Garret is now looking forward to one of the biggest events in the calendar - the Classics of the Sky Tauranga City Airshow.

'It's going to be a big day, but it's going to be an awesome day.

'The smells, sights and sounds. It's going to be amazing.

'We will be here before seven and leave at six, but it will be worth it.”

The Classics of the Sky Tauranga City Airshow is on January 28 and 29.