The funeral service for veteran Hobart pilot Roger Corbin, who died last week in a helicopter crash

UPDATED: “ROG, my darling, it’s been a really wild ride but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Allana Corbin has told a packed funeral service in Hobart for her late husband Roger. NEW VIDEO

UPDATED: “ROG, my darling, it’s been a really wild ride but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Allana Corbin has told a packed funeral service in Hobart for her late husband Roger.

Hundreds of mourners gathered in today to farewell the helicopter pilot, who was described as “true visionary” by former Tasmanian Police search and rescue chief Lee Renshaw.

The 57-year-old died in a tragic crash a week ago today at Hobart Airport.

The funeral service was held on the Hobart Regatta Grounds.

His daughter Isabella said “dad had a talent of making the ordinary moments special”.

“When I think of my dad I will always remember ... we were always loved,” she said.

A saying which spoke to her father, she said, was that happiness could always be found in the darkness if you remembered to turn on the light.

“The light for me will always be memories of dad,” she said.

Darryl Corbin described his brother as “very family orientated and the first to help others”.

“You will be sadly missed and it’s going to be a tough time, God be with you brother,” he said.

As owner of Tasmania’s emergency response helicopter service Mr Corbin formed a close relationship with police and other first responders.

Lee Renshaw, who recently retired as the head of police search and rescue, said Mr Corbin’s “passion to succeed was all encompassing”.

“He was a true visionary ... he will be missed like no other. Soar high and long my friend,” he said.

Emergency service personnel formed a guard of honour as Mr Corbin’s coffin was placed in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

A formation of helicopters then lifted off, taking Mr Corbin on his final flight.

EARLIER: VETERAN pilot Roger Corbin is being remembered as a passionate rescue helicopter operator and a loving family man.

The 57-year-old’s funeral service is now being held at the Hobart Regatta Ground.

Wife Allana Corbin thanked those who had “put their arms around us” since the tragic helicopter crash at Hobart Airport last week.

Roger Corbin funeral at the Regatta grounds in Hobart. A guard of honour was formed for Roger's coffin which was loaded into the Westpac Rescue helicopter. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Emergency services form a guard of honour for Roger Corbin @themercurycomau pic.twitter.com/LEww2aN31z

— patrick billings (@patrickbillings) November 14, 2017

“We’ve had such an amazing outpouring of love from people fom all over the world,” she said.

“Roger was larger than life but ... he loved his family more than anything else.

Happiness can always be found in darkest of places if you just remember to turn on the light, the light for me will be memories of dad, Roger Corbin’s daughter tells funeral service.@themercurycomau

— patrick billings (@patrickbillings) November 14, 2017

“So Rog, my darling, it’s been a really wild ride but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Mr Corbin’s casket will be flown from the grounds in a formation of helicopters.

Roger Corbin.

EARLIER: A formation of helicopters will pay honour to veteran pilot Roger Corbin at his funeral service today in Hobart.

The 57-year-old was tragically killed last Tuesday when his helicopter crashed at Hobart Airport.

The only other occupant, 33-year old pilot John Osborne, miraculously survived the tragedy and is recovering well.

Mr Corbin’s service will be held at the Hobart Regatta Grounds at noon. Organisers said there would be a formation flight conducted in his honour.

Mr Corbin, who operated the company which provides aerial support to Tasmania’s emergency services, has been remembered as a legend of the skies.

MORE: HOBART PILOT REMEMBERED

A highly valued member of Tasmania’s emergency service apparatus, his loss has been described as a blow for the state.

Sergeant Damian Bidgood, the Tasmania Police crew chief with Mr Corbin’s company Rotor-Lift, had known the pilot for 18 years.

“Roger was just, there isn’t any other way to put it, an absolutely exceptional pilot,” he said.

“The only thing he cared about more than delivering helicopter services was his family.”

Mr Corbin is survived by wife Allana and their three daughters.

Kelvin Howe, of Caveside, was rescued by Mr Corbin after a harrowing helicopter crash in Tasmania’s remote Great Western Tiers in 2002.

“To Roger, I owe my life,” he told the Mercury last week.

“My thoughts are now with Allana and their daughters. Just an amazing man, what they must be going through now is terrible, devastating”.

Little is known about Tuesday’s crash including who was piloting the helicopter at the time.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators said Mr Osborne was receiving flight training from Mr Corbin on the Squirrel AS350 helicopter at the time.

The two ATSB investigators travelled to Hobart last week to gather evidence and expect to provide a preliminary crash report within a month. The full investigation could take a year.

The Corbins moved to Tasmania from Sydney in 2000, setting up Rotor-Lift as the state’s emergency helicopter service and building the first 24-hour helicopter base.

Mrs Corbin was severely injured in a plane crash in 1990 but learned to walk again and went on to become a motivational speaker.

She later became the first woman to circumnavigate mainland Australia solo in a helicopter.