• Slideshow: Warbirds Over Wanaka 2010
• German aerial acrobat wings it
Airshow media liaison officer Lisa Bankshaw said the practice day attendance was pretty good" and rated alongside 2002 as one of the best attendances on practice day.
The show continues today and tomorrow, starting with a low-level, high-speed flyover by fighter planes at 10am.
Up to 300 volunteers are helping at the event, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors today and tomorrow.
The airshow attendance record was set in 2006, with 111,000 visitors, and it is the largest airshow in the southern hemisphere.
The action continues all day until 4pm, and features include a rare Japanese Zero fighter, an aerobatics display by Lithuanian pilot Jurgis Kairys, and wing walking display by Peggy Krainz, of Germany.
The weather forecast for the weekend's activities appears to be favourable, with similar overcast weather expected today, before rain arrives in the evening.
It should clear overnight, bringing cooler temperatures but clear blue skies tomorrow.
The airshow was founded in 1988 by Sir Tim Wallis's Alpine Deer Group and this year's show is the second organised by the Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust.
New attractions to this year's event include a wine and food exposition. The many food and drink outlets and portable public bars were being well patronised yesterday. A commemorative wine is being sold.
New to the programme is an aircraft sale and part of the Wanaka airfield has been set aside as a sales lot.
A schools initiative was also launched this year, with school pupils getting free entry yesterday and receiving a tour of the airfield and displays.
Children's entertainment has been expanded and this year includes a creche.
Recycling is being encouraged because the airshow could result in an estimated 20 tonnes of rubbish. This creates the biggest-ever recycling challenge for Wanaka Wastebusters event recycling manager Jeremy Bisson and at least 12 recycling staff.
"It will be twice as big as anything we've done so far, on any given day," Mr Bisson said.
Recyclable corn-starch cups will be offered to people for wine-tasting and for buying wine by the glass.
Spectators can bring picnics but may not bring alcohol on to the airfield.
An unrestricted number of general admission tickets worth $70 per adult and $10 per child are available at the gate today and tomorrow.
All gold pass tickets, entitling holders to special privileges and stand seats, have sold out.
