Anzac Day Flyover: A Homecoming in the Skies at Mount Maunganui
Before the sun fully lifted over Mount Maunganui, the Anzac day flyover came into view above the dawn service, with two Yak-52 Russian trainers taking part in the annual Classic Flyers Anzac parade flyover. On the ground, the gathering was still, watchful, and already focused on the familiar sound overhead.
What made this year’s Anzac Day flyover stand out?
This year’s Anzac day flyover carried a sense of continuity and return. Pilot Andrew Gormlie has flown the Mount Maunganui Anzac dawn service for about 20 years, while Derrick Williams, 88, was back in the aircraft in the back seat after losing medical clearance brought a reluctant end to his 53-year flying career last May.
Gormlie described himself as the “lucky young 60-year-old, ” still playing “apprentice” to Williams. He said flying next to Williams was, at times, “remarkable, ” and added that he would have to “behave” with the “master watching. ” Williams said it was a “privilege” flying out to the rising sun on Anzac morning.
How does the flyover connect to the wider Anzac service?
The flyover is part of a broader moment of remembrance at Mount Maunganui, where the annual Classic Flyers Anzac parade flyover sits alongside the dawn service itself. The aircraft typically flew Harvards, but two Yak-52 Russian trainers were used this year.
From the ground, the sight and sound are part of what gives the occasion its emotional force. Gormlie said the sound of the aircraft was “very emotional, ” even for people watching below. He also said crowds at Anzac Day services were “growing in size” as “people are understanding the gravity” of the day.
Why does the tradition still matter to pilots and spectators?
For those in the air, the preparation is exacting. Gormlie said work begins the day before, when the aircraft are checked, engines are run, and everything is readied for the early start. He said formation flying demands “more planning, preparation and practice than most people realise, ” and noted that it is a skill that can fade without regular use.
That discipline helps explain why the Anzac day flyover remains more than a visual display. It is a shared ritual that links precision flying with remembrance, and it gives spectators a rare chance to connect with the day in a way that feels immediate and personal. As Gormlie put it, “There aren’t too many opportunities to show up to something like this, so when you get the chance, you do. ”
What did the pilots say about flying over Mount Maunganui?
For Gormlie, the moment on the waterline, heading out to sea with the rising sun, still carries a strong image: light shining behind Williams’ aircraft as thick white smoke released from the exhaust. “First thing you say to yourself is, ‘man, I wish I could just snapshot this’, ” he said.
That brief scene captures why the Anzac day flyover endures. It is a homecoming for one pilot, a tribute for the crowd, and a reminder that remembrance here is not abstract. It is heard in the engines, seen in formation, and felt in the silence that follows as the aircraft move away toward the horizon.
Image caption: Anzac Day flyover at Mount Maunganui as two Yak-52 Russian trainers take part in the annual Classic Flyers Anzac parade flyover.
