Retired Tauranga doctor and pilot Dr Allan White dies aged 99

Dr Allan White is presented with the prestigious FAI award by Liz King from Flying NZ at a recent event in Tauranga. Photo / Supplied

Retired Tauranga doctor, pilot and serviceman Dr Allan White has died.

White died peacefully in Tauranga on August 8 aged 99.

He was recently presented with a prestigious FAI award for services to aviation at a function at the Tauranga Aero Club, of which he was previously patron.

Tauranga Aero Club president Mark Williams said White's death was totally unexpected.

"He had no illnesses that we knew of. He would still come to the aero club and have a beer. He was still active ... he was still driving.

"He would turn up randomly to go for a fly as well. He was super genuine. A good old dude," Williams said.

"Hopefully I get to be as healthy and have done as much as he's done at that age."

After service as a doctor in the Air Force in World War II, White moved to Taihape where he founded their flying club and received special permission from the CAA for him to fly patients from remote areas to Taihape Hospital, where he was a surgeon, or Whanganui for more serious cases.

White was most likely New Zealand's first flying doctor.

Continuing part-time in the Air Force resulted in a posting to Vietnam in 1969. He would take the position of Wing Commander and surgeon at a 100-bed hospital in Bong Son just a few kilometres from the base of the American 173rd Airborne.

So impressed were the Americans with White's service to their wounded, they allowed him to go solo in a military helicopter and presented him a set of their wings

In 1972 he and his family moved to Tauranga and operated at Mount Medical Centre.

He joined the Tauranga Aero Club and continued his passion for flying, gaining a commercial pilots licence in 1977.

He was president from 1981 to 1988 and patron from 1993 to 2005

White was doing aviation medicals until his retirement in 2003 at 83.

He helped many people to get licensed, including a double amputee, and was recognised at the 50th Air Women's rally in Tauranga in 2010 for his contribution to women's aviation medicine, in particular for winning approval from the regulator for women to continue flying while pregnant.

White's log details more than 60 types of aircraft that he has flown solo or dual including Hercules, Strikemaster, Dakota, Canberra, Skyhawk, Vampire, Catalina, Iroquois and Orion.

White was farewelled yesterday at a service in Tauranga.