But the highlight of this year’s Hunter Valley Air Show was a stunt that involved motorcycle rider Joel Brown performing a jump over a biplane, while it was flying less than a metre from the ground.

Aircraft of all shapes and sizes were scattered across the airfield for enthusiasts to enjoy on the ground, while a parade of pilots manoeuvred in all directions in the sky above.

Paul Bennet, regarded as one of Australia’s best stunt pilots, flew his plane underneath a motorcycle that launched from a jump, hurtled through the air and landed safely on a landing ramp.

Mr Bennet said they had practised the trick as recently as Friday, but it was the first time it had been performed in front of an audience.

“We did it five or six times on Friday and it was all good, there was no problem,” he said.

“The weather wasn’t perfect [on Saturday], it was a bit cold and there was a little bit too much wind, but we still got all the flying displays in.” 

Organisers said the show, which was the first major air show at the ­aerodrome in several years, was a ­great ­success.

About 4000 people passed through the gates on Saturday, but that attendance figure had been eclipsed within the two hours of the show on Sunday.

With the success of the weekend’s event, organisers said they would look at holding air shows at the Rutherford airfield on a more frequent basis.