High-flying stunts thrill huge crowd

The Hamilton Aero Club's 50th anniversary drew a crowd of about 2000 people.

The visitors, some from Bendigo, Ballarat and Horsham, were given the chance to peer inside light aircraft including a fire bomber.

Club president David Gough said about 100 planes had taken part in the fly-in. "We've had a lot of support and interest, people asking how they can get to go flying," he said.

"The turnout's been fantastic.

"The weather's been good and the aviation side of it's been really good."

Model aircraft presented by the Hamilton Model Aero Club were popular, as were displays of motorcycles and street rodders.

Gusty conditions did not deter Adelaide pilot Rainer Huefner from taking to the skies in his electric blue DR107, a specialist plane capable of flipping to perform corkscrew turns.

The computer expert visits regional air shows on weekends and said he enjoyed the challenge of stunt manoeuvres.

"I've only really just learnt to fly the thing, really," he said.

"It's two years old - the plane hasn't been ready and I haven't been ready until now."

Hamilton pilot Tony Camp?bell performed fire bombing training exercises, dropping foam, during the celebration.