The roar of two Air Force helicopters was almost drowned out by the excited screaming of St Joseph's's students when the choppers landed on their school playground last Thursday.
"It's like being in a war zone," the Tararua District Council's resilience manager, Paddy Driver, said as the machines landed.
The Air Force could likely provide a vital resource for Tararua in the event of a civil defence emergency and the flight to Dannevirke allowed Royal New Zealand Air Force staff to brief Tararua District Council's civil defence staff on the capabilities of the machines and what they could provide by way of emergency response.
They also carried out a simulated exercise over the council's sewage ponds.
The two helicopters, the $80 million NH90 and the smaller A109, are part of the Air Force contribution to a 24/7 emergency response team.
But, there was also a more personal and poignant moment on Thursday. Piloting the A109 was squadron leader Ron Thacker who was on his last flight, before stepping down last Friday to take a promotion to wing commander, in charge of flying a desk.
To meet him on the ground was his wife, Barbara, a business analyst in the Tararua District Council's IT team contracted to Master Business Systems.
Mr Thacker has been in the Air Force since 1979.
When asked by the Dannevirke News if he would miss flying, his reply was quick.
"Hell yes, this A109 is my baby," he said.
There are five A109 helicopters based at Ohakea air base, and eight AH90s.
Flying the massive NH90 were pilot Frenchy Ifrah and co-pilot Nichole Brooke.
Ms Brooke grew up around Iroquois helicopters and she's been in the Air Force for six and a half years.
"I've been flying for four years and in the NH90 for six months," she said. "It's pretty cool and this is an awesome job."
was born in France, where the NH90s were built, and has been flying the NH90 for three years.
"I've been in the Air Force and I love the variety of work," he said.
"Engaging with the community is always fun. The NH90 is a classic, a fantastic machine, and our work in Kaikoura was the classic deployment, but a lot of what we did was unseen by the public."
While the council's civil defence team was reassured by the capacity the Air Force has to come to our aid in an emergency, for the students at St Joseph's School the afternoon was the perfect way to end the school year.
"How blessed we are, this could only happen here," teacher Helen Collier said.