It’s the day Classic flyers struts its stuff, gets the gear out, runs the engines, shows off to the public.

It’s “Aero Day” at the working aviation museum tomorrow, Saturday, January 20.

“A day for the plane spotters,” says Classic Flyers CEO, Andrew Gormlie. Apparently New Zealand is a country of plane spotters.

“We love our aeroplanes so Aero Day is a chance for plane spotters to check things of specific interest. And it’s also a chance for ordinary people to connect with aviation - to get up close and personal with the planes and the people who fly them.”

People like Peter McCoombe. This week he was charging between Tauranga and Auckland in the cockpit of an Air New Zealand ATR. This weekend at Aero Day the pilot will be flying a WW2 vintage Stearman biplane or a Harvard, the long serving RNZAF trainer.

“I have no preference,” says Peter.

“Whatever plane my bum is sitting in at the time. Believe me.”

And the man who’ll be performing displays or taking up joyriders says it’s “absolute magic” sharing aviation. He likens it to the theatre.

“You take on a persona and you make sure you are flying for the crowd. It’s all about what people can see. The right angles, the right distances to be legal, and to be impressive for the average person downstairs.”

And of course there’s a connection with those craning their necks on the ground.

“That’s why we do it, we want to bring the average person in touch with aviation.

“No point doing it from a selfish perspective. We want to share it.”

This from a man who lives in a hangar, is a commercial airline plot, and flies casually other days.

“I spend all day every day doing what I love.”

Pilot Peter Ham might also be flying the distinctively noisy Harvard.

Pilot Pete Ham at the controls of the Harvard. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.      

“But it’s a nice noise, a beautiful noise,” says the man who’s been around planes since he started in gliders in the 1960s, and more recently doing scenic flights in the Stearman.

There’ll be air displays from 10am tomorrow. And quite a few special and interesting planes visiting for Aero Day. “Like the Goodyear Corsair,” says Andrew Gormlie.

The Corsair – an aircraft renowned for its speed, ruggedness and firepower during WW2 and the Korean War. “Now that hasn’t been seen for quite a few years.”

Aero Day is a relaxed air show according to the Classic Flyers CEO.

“There’ll be big gaps between the flying but if you aren’t watching planes flying you will see the gear on the ground and talking to those who know planes.”

An important day for Classic Flyers, and if the weather’s good, a few thousand spectators. It officially starts at 10am but Andrew says because there’s always a queue the gates will probably open by 9am.