More than 1000 people packed the Alpine Fighter Collection hangar at Wanaka Airport to farewell the popular and respected Heliventures commercial pilot, who died in a helicopter accident on November 1, and support his father Dave Saxton and extended family.
The service was conducted by aviation enthusiast the Rev Denis Bartley, while family friend Rik Tau farewelled Mr Saxton in Maori and outlined Mr Saxton's whakapapa (lineage) to the Takitimu canoe through the Saxton and Cain families.
Mr Saxton's friends, the four Wallis brothers Toby, Jonathan, Matt and Nick, also played a big role during the funeral.
They were also among the pallbearers, who wore white Heliventures caps to acknowledge Mr Saxton, who rarely went out without one on his head.
The occasion could not help but double as a helicopter rally, with 24 rotor-winged aircraft arriving from all over New Zealand and lining up outside the hangar by State Highway 6, attracting the attention of passers-by.
The choppers were joined by seven fixed wing aircraft, while another seven helicopters and seven fixed wing aircraft were parked next to the runway.
Pilots Dave Saxton and Toby Wallis brought Mr Saxton's casket to the funeral in Mr Wallis's Hughes helicopter, HOT.
At the conclusion of the service the pair took Mr Saxton away again, flying low over the hangar and Lake Wanaka as they began their journey to South Westland with an escort of four other helicopters.
Mr Saxton was to be buried privately at Haast.
Media were asked not to attend the service inside the hangar but were allowed to take photographs and listen outside.
Speaking before the service began, Matt Wallis told the media the funeral would be a big send-off for Mr Saxton, who was regarded by the Wallis family as another brother.
"It is obviously a day that is hugely emotional for all concerned but I think over the last 10 days the general sentiment is [although] it is emotional, we are not here to be sad about it. Those of us who know Morgan know it is a celebration," Mr Wallis said.
The number of people at the funeral and involved in the 10-day search to find Mr Saxton after he went missing in his helicopter on November 1 was "quite mindblowing but testament to the person Morgan was", he added.
Sister Lisa Zwarst, girlfriend Millie White and friend Sarah Perriam gave readings, while tributes were given by uncles Peter Saxton and Jerry Hohneck.
Friends Toby and Jonathan Wallis, Paul Horrell, Peter Dormer, Gus Gordon, Dick Deaker and Sir Tim Wallis shared their memories of Mr Saxton.
Dave Saxton also spoke, thanking the many people and organisations who had helped and supported his family.
Royal New Zealand Navy dive squad team leader Lieutenant-commander Andrew McMillan, who helped search for Mr Saxton, also gave a tribute and acknowledged the community's "courage, comradeship and commitment" - core values of the Navy - to the task of finding Mr Saxton in the days after the accident.
Minaret Station farmer Jonathan Wallis recalled how Mr Saxton had greeted him shortly before he went missing on November 1 by sneaking up behind the station barge on Lake Wanaka to give a "stupid wave" and the thumbs up from his Robinson R22 helicopter, all the while "grinning from ear to ear".
Mr Wallis did not see the accident happen a short time later and did not find out until about an hour later that Mr Saxton had gone missing.
The cause of the accident is being investigated by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission and the death has been referred to the coroner for an inquest.
