The Royal New Zealand Air Force Base at Ohakea will be hosting an estimated 100,000 visitors for the 2017 Air Tattoo this weekend.
I feel extremely lucky to have experienced a ride in one of the airforce's NH90 helicopters ahead of the weekend's 80th anniversary celebrations.
The RNZAF extended the invitation to give some of us media folks the opportunity to "experience what it might be like to be behind the controls of a helicopter and get in the air."
Two loadmasters greeted us at the air base on Wednesday evening and took us to be fitted with gloves and helmets before introducing us to the helicopter.
I was to grow very fond of these blokes during the next few hours as they guided us through the preliminaries and then the flight.
After we were shown how to buckle ourselves in to our seats, the loadmasters went through the safety briefing which they said would be nothing like the ones you get on a commercial airline.
These guys pulled no punches, especially when talking about air sickness.
"It you need to vomit during the flight, please do it on the inside of your clothing," they said.
"If anyone vomits on the seats, we have to replace them because stomach acid breaks down the material."
After the safety briefing, there was a quick interview with pilot James Mackenzie who will be flying an NH90 and joining a mass flight with all aircraft in the weekend displays.
"It's a rare opportunity to be able to do those things on the same day."
He said it would be his first time flying in air display although he has helped out on the ground at Wings over Wanaka before.
After the interview, we joined our own pilot, co-pilot and loadmasters for the flight briefing.
The pilot explained that it was a regular briefing like the crew take before every flight and we learned that we could expect good weather conditions and that we would take a route along the Rangitikei River, over the beach and stop at a couple of training spots for winching.
I admit, I was apprehensive about the winching part as I still had not entirely made up my mind whether to do it or not.
The flight was spectacular on such a warm evening and our pilot opened the back hatch as well as the side doors so the scenery could be enjoyed from all angles with no glass barriers in the way.
When the time came, I opted to be winched to the ground while the helicopter hovered at 50ft and the loadmasters took great care of me despite my failure to remember the appropriate hand signals.
It was not my favourite part but I now know first hand, how quickly these guys could whisk me from danger if I should ever be stranded in a tight spot.
The flight itself was a truly wondrous experience and I think our pilot hit the nail on the head when he said that the NH90 is an "awesome piece of kit."
See NH90s and many more awesome pieces of kit at the Air Tattoo, RNZAF Base Ohakea, Pukenui Rd, Ohakea. Saturday and Sunday 10am - 4pm. Booking is at Ticketek and only those with pre-sold tickets will be able to park at the base.
There is alternative parking Bulls Polo Club and Manfeild where there will be park and ride bus services to the air base.