Sir Tim later gave the teenage Dan Pezaro his first job - sweeping hangar floors and wiping dust from the restored and replica aircraft in the pilot and business entrepreneur's private Alpine Fighter Collection.
During the week, Flying Officer Pezaro returned to his home town as flight crew captain in an Iroquois helicopter and landed at Wanaka Airport in front of his first boss and former workplace as a pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Today, as Sir Tim watches from the stand along with a crowd of thousands on the 20th anniversary of Warbirds over Wanaka, FO Pezaro will be copilot in one of the RNZAF's No 3 Squadron Iroquois in an aerial display re-enacting Vietnam War procedures.
‘‘Flying in Warbirds is like having a dream come true, to be perfectly honest. It's awesome.'' FO Pezaro said.
The 25-year-old RNZAF pilot was quick to recognise the man who first inspired his flying aspirations and paid his respects to Sir Tim immediately after his arrival.
‘‘Excuse me, I've got to go say gidday to the boss,'' he said as the airshow founder wheeled himself across the tarmac to meet the RNZAF crew.
Sir Tim said he felt very pleased to see FO Pezaro flying into Wanaka for the airshow.
During his work after school among the Alpine Fighter Collection, FO Pezaro had also been able to visit the Alpine Deer Group hangar next door and had taken his chance to learn a lot about helicopters while there, Sir Tim said.
FO Pezaro said watching Sir Tim's flying and reading about his exploits as a deer recovery pilot fired his imagination as a boy.
‘‘Those first Warbirds shows pretty much changed my outlook. When I was about 10, I stopped wanting to be my dad and decided I'd become a pilot,'' he said.
Like many small-town achievers, FO Pezaro is quick to acknowledge his roots and he took the chance on Thursday to pay a visit to the pupils of his old school, Wanaka Primary.
FO Pezaro and a three-man flight crew landed their RNZAF Iroquois on the school's sports ground to give pupils a tour of the aircraft, after a brief speech to the children and teachers.
Flying helicopters was no different from riding a bike, he said.
Staying keen about his aspirations had helped him to achieve his career goals, he told pupils.
The visit came about after FO Pezaro's nephew, Avi Speigel (6) wrote to his uncle's commanding officer at RNZAF No 3 squadron to ask if the helicopter crew could come to Wanaka Primary School.
FO Pezaro finished school at Wanaka's Mt Aspiring College and joined the RNZAF with one of his close friends, Dave Gardner, who, two years ago, also took part in Warbirds over Wanaka as an Iroquois co-pilot.
‘‘Four of us from high school all went on to the air force, and, although we're in different squadrons and groups nowadays we all still keep in close contact,'' he said.
FO Pezaro is co-pilot to Flying Officer Mike Garrett (26), of Dunedin. The 2008 Warbirds airshow is their first together, as with the rest of the Iroquois flight crew.
As a co-pilot, FO Pezaro said he would not have ‘‘too much hands-on stuff'' to do, with his main responsibilities being to signal the aircraft's aerial display manoeuvres to the pilot and maintain radio contact with the airshow controller.
‘‘I'll be pretty busy, but I'm sure there will be a moment when I can stop and think I'm here flying in Warbirds.
‘‘It's going to be pretty awesome to be involved like this Watching Sir Tim out doing aerobatics from the veranda as a kid was wicked enough, and now I'm flying here, with Mum and Dad in the crowd as well,'' he said.
The admiration the RNZAF pilot has for his former employer is typical of the loyalty and energy Sir Tim Wallis has inspired in the many people who have come into contact with him
FO Pezaro modestly brushed aside suggestions that perhaps the pupils would be inspired, as he was by Sir Tim, by his flying visit to the small primary school
However, the enthusiasm and excitement of the schoolchildren around the Iroquois helicopter was plain to see and hear.
Sir Tim said he admired FO Pezaro's persistence and willingness to follow his aspirations.
‘‘He didn't get into the air force training programme first time around, but he stuck to his guns, and made his dream a reality.
‘‘I'm always delighted whenever I see someone who has a dream and achieves it. Persistence has always been my motto,' Sir Tim said.
