Hailing from Greymouth, New Zealand, Wallis made significant contributions to the country’s deer farming industry by recognising the utility of helicopters in live captures.
In addition to his innovative ventures in deer farming, Sir Tim Wallis established the celebrated Warbirds over Wānaka event, a biennial airshow drawing crowds of up to 50,000 aviation enthusiasts. His remarkable achievements led to his knighthood in 1994, a recognition of his outstanding contributions to deer farming exports and community development.
Warbirds Over Wanaka General Manager Ed Taylor has some very fond memories of catching up with Sir Tim over the past 12 years. “Sir Tim was a regular out at his airport office and I loved nothing more than having chats with him which almost always were about the airshow. He loved nothing more than talking about aircraft and the airshow.”
Ed says Sir Tim is held in the highest regard in the world of Warbird airshows. “I might be talking to a relatively young Warbird display pilot in the US or Europe and they would ask after Sir Tim – they all knew him by name.”
In an evening statement, his wife and children shared the heartbreaking news of his passing, saying, “It is with great sadness that we advise the death of our beloved Tim.” Sir Tim Wallis spent his final moments at home, surrounded by family, with a helicopter parked just outside his window, symbolising his lifelong passion and dedication to aviation.
The world bids farewell to an exceptional man who lived a truly remarkable life. A funeral to commemorate his legacy is scheduled to take place at Wānaka Airport in the coming week.
Sir Tim Wallis leaves behind his wife Prue and their two sons, Toby and Jonathan, as he takes his final flight into the records of history.
