Ross Brodie flew 16 different aircraft types on his 16th birthday, Alan Butler wants to crack the big time, and Robin Kidd is an aircraft engineer on a mission.

All three have been awarded scholarships as the Warbirds Over Wānaka scholarship programme returns after a six-year hiatus following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Warbirds Over Wānaka general manager Ed Taylor said the scholarship panel was impressed with the high calibre of all 20 applicants, making it a tough job to select the eventual winners.

“All of those who applied put forward compelling cases to back their applications,” he said.

“While that makes our job harder it also shows the Warbird industry is in good shape when it comes to younger pilots and engineers coming through the ranks.”

Ross is both a pilot and an aircraft engineer and is part of a family that owns and operates the airfield on Rangitata Island in Canterbury.

He will be displaying at next Easter’s Warbirds Over Wānaka, showing off his aerobatic solo skills in the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk for the first time. 

Ross will put his $10,000 scholarship towards stepping up to flying the Harvard.

Alan Butler is from Auckland where he flies as often as he can with the NZ Warbirds team at Ardmore Airport.  

Fellow recipients Robin Kidd and Adam Butler.

He is already type-rated in the Harvard and will be spending his $10,000 scholarship on completing advanced training with the dream of one day joining the Roaring 40s Harvard Aerobatic Display Team.

The third recipient, Robin Kidd, is an Auckland-based engineer who has worked on a number of Warbird aircraft such as the iconic Spitfire. 

Robin will spend his $5,000 scholarship completing his remaining five papers towards becoming a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer in the next 12 months, and the rest of the scholarship will go towards advancing his Warbird flying skills.

PHOTOS: Supplied