Warbirds over Wānaka has a very special guest this year – a 90-year-old aerobatics winner from the 1960s who has never been to the air show before.
Former pilot Betty Jackson started flying when she was 29 and clocked up over 200 hours in the pilot’s seat over 20 years.
Her boss was a pilot during WW2 and was an instructor.
“He said, ‘I’m going to teach you aerobatics’. I said, ‘you’re joking’. He said ‘no I’m not’.”
She turned out to be a winner, taking out the Women’s National Aerobatic Championship in the 1960s.
“My instructor couldn’t believe his eyes. I said, ‘I think it might have been good luck’, he said, ‘oh no, you did a lovely job’.”
Aviation fuel courses through Jackson’s veins.
There was even a propeller in the wings at her wedding and her honeymoon was a flight around the country, courtesy of a competition prize.
Yakevlov pilot Fay Emeny flew her first Warbirds event today and said Jackson was the “real judge”.
“When I get down on the ground, I expect her to give me all her critiques.
“She’s the competition aerobatic winner, not me.”
Jackson encouraged other women to take to the skies too.
“Go for it. If you want to do it, you can do it,” she said.