The son of a West Coast skydiving instructor killed in a plane crash at Fox Glacier says he still plans to become a pilot.
Skydive New Zealand director Rod Miller, 55, was yesterday farewelled by more than 300 mourners in Greymouth, The Press reported.
He died, along with four colleagues and four tourists, when their Fletcher FU24 aircraft crashed at the end of the runway at Fox Glacier Airport on September 4.
The crash was New Zealand's worst aviation disaster in 17 years.
At the funeral, Mr Miller's sons Jake, 15, and Flynn, 17, paid tribute to their father.
"He loved adrenalin, holidays and everything and everyone. One thing that was always apparent was that he was here for a good time, not a long time," Jake Miller said.
Flynn Miller said he had questioned his plans to become a pilot following the crash, but realised his father would want him to continue.
Funerals for other crash victims will be held this week.
Also killed in the crash were pilot Chaminda Senadhira, 33, from Queenstown; and dive masters Adam Bennett, 47, from Australia but living in Motueka; Michael Suter, 32, from New Plymouth; and Christopher McDonald, 62, from Mapua.
The four tourists who died were Patrick Byrne, 26, from County Wexford, Ireland; Glen Bourke, 18, from Coburg, Victoria, Australia; Annita Kirsten, 23, from Germany; and Brad Coker, 24, from Farnborough, England.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) yesterday told skydive operators using Fletcher FU24 aircraft to limit the number of people in the main cabin to six as it investigates the crash.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) said the directive "should not be interpreted as confirming the cause of the accident".
TAIC chief investigator of accidents, Captain Tim Burfoot, said the was significant international and domestic interest in the accident and an interim report was likely to be released by the end of October.
