Sproull, who launched into aviation in 1972 as an apprentice engineer with Mount Cook Airline working at Queenstown Airport, was presented with the 2025 Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand (AIANZ) Individual Award at the Aviation Industry Awards Gala in Wellington last week.
AIANZ chief executive Simon Wallace says Sproull, the CEO and owner of Air Milford, has had an exemplary career of leadership and innovation which has left a permanent mark on tourism and general aviation in NZ.
"From childhood dreams of flying to a lifetime of achievement, Hank’s contributions span policy, operations, engineering and training, all grounded in values shaped by the World War 2-era aviators who trained him — discipline, humility, technical excellence and accountability.
"These traits have translated into an unparalleled 100% safety record at Air Milford, showcasing some of the most exquisite locations in the world and a personal flying record nearing 10,000 hours."
Sproull, whose passion for aviation started as a boy watching planes take off and land at the tiny Queenstown airstrip in the ’60s, says he’s "shocked and humbled" by the award, noting it came as a "complete surprise".
Remarkably, it’s the first industry award he’s received.
Reflecting on his career, Sproull says his first job, with Mount Cook, where he earned his Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME) licence, was a "dream come true", with on-the-job training from an ex-RNZAF engineer and an ex-RNZAF flight instructor.
He was soon learning to fly the machines he maintained and certified, gaining his private and commercial pilot’s licence — that included fixing and learning to fly an old tiger moth.
"The RNZAF flight instructor had it sitting in the hangar.
"He said if I’d help him fix it, he’d teach me to fly it.
"Which I did."
Sproull spent 27 years with Mount Cook Airline, rising to base manager, before he and his wife Kerrie took full ownership of Air Milford in 2000, transforming it into a benchmark operator for safety, innovation and service.
In ’05 he was the first Queenstown operator to introduce the Cessna 208 Caravan, a brave $1.25million investment that transformed general aviation, improving safety, reliability and environmental outcomes.
It was a "huge amount of money", he says, and required a lot of planning, but it’s paid off for the business and the industry.
The company now has four Cessna Caravans enabling them to fly 230 out of 365 days a year.
Sproull is also the former president of the Queenstown Milford Users Group and the NZ chapter of the international Cessna 180/185 Club.
He also established Queenstown Airport’s only fixed-wing NZ Civil Aviation Authority Part 145 Organisation, a critical regional achievement supporting safety, technical excellence and workforce development, and remains a powerful voice for the country’s aviation industry, advocating during policy changes and defending GA access during the Milford Opportunities Project.
He’s also a flight examiner who’s trained over 20 commercial pilots, many of whom now work with major airlines. While aviation’s getting stronger, he believes there’s a "big hole in the training of young people for both pilots and engineers".
"We’re at a very low ebb now due to the way NZ’s training system is set up.
"I’m pleased that the government has now realised that there’s a problem and it needs to be sorted out."
Now in his 70s, Sproull is as passionate as ever about passing on his knowledge. Air Milford’s become a family legacy, with three generations of pilots and engineers connected to the company, including their son Antony, its chief pilot, and their eldest son, who works as a LAME at Christchurch Engine Centre.
