ACTOR JOHN TUI VISITS AMA
WHEN THE WORLDS OF MODEL AVIATION AND POP CULTURE COLLIDE
By Brandon J. Benfield | brandonj b@modelaircraft.org | Photos provided by the author
Greetings from AMA Headquarters, or, as they greet each other in New Zealand, “Kira Ora!” My name is Brandon J. Benfield, and I am one of the magazine designers here at AMA. While I am still new to the hobby and am just learning how to fly model aircraft, another hobby of mine is autograph collecting and working with celebrities for pop-culture conventions and store signings.
Early in my convention days, I offered my design services to actors, agents, convention promoters, and vendors. What started as simple freelance design projects slowly grew into something much larger. I found myself volunteering at conventions, first lending my design eye for flyers, posters, and promotional pieces, and eventually helping behind the scenes. Those experiences opened doors that I never imagined possible, blending my love of design, pop culture, and community.
One convention that I worked heavily with was a Power Rangers-specific convention called Rangerstop, which is held annually in Orlando, Florida. In its seventh year, the owner came to me and asked how we could grow this convention to bring in more attendees. With the series moving production from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand, in its 11th season (it continued to film there until the series ended at Season 30), this meant more actors from New Zealand and Australia would be chosen to work on the series, along with actors from the US, Canada, and a few from Europe.
With that being the case, I pitched something that felt ambitious but possible: If a handful of passionate fans each donated $200 to $300, we could pool enough money to cover travel for four international Power Rangers actors. What happened next exceeded anything that we had imagined. The donations didn’t just trickle in—they poured in. Fans gave generously, and suddenly, we had enough funding to bring eight international guests from New Zealand and Australia to the US.
One of those eight guests was John Tui, an actor from New Zealand, whose presence would spark a lasting friendship and alter the course of my own journey.
John Tui’s Career
For fans of the Power Rangers franchise, John is nothing short of iconic. In Power Rangers SPD (2005), he brought life to Commander Anubis “Doggie” Cruger, the wise and battle-hardened mentor who guided a new generation of Rangers. Just a year later, he returned as Daggeron, the Solaris Knight, in Power Rangers Mystic Force. Both roles cemented him as a fan favorite, with audiences drawn to his mix of stern leadership and heart. His career, however, hardly stopped there.
John appeared in the sci-fi action epic Battleship (2012), worked alongside Peter Jackson in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), joined the Star Wars franchise in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and was one of Dwayne Johnson’s brothers in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019). He brought charisma and humor to Young Rock on NBC as Afa Anoa’i, one half of the pro wrestling duo The Wild Samoans. He’s also done voice acting, providing voices to characters such as Kabal in a recent Mortal Kombat game and Mauga in Overwatch 2. Most recently, he wrapped up filming Disney’s highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Moana as Chief Tui (Moana’s father), set for release in 2026.
It was after completing Moana that John decided to reconnect with friends and explore more of the US. His path took him first to New York City then to the Midwest, where I had the privilege of welcoming him to AMA.
First Impressions of AMA
For John, stepping onto AMA’s grounds was like discovering a hidden gem. His day began with a warm welcome from AMA staff, including Education Director Kyle Jaracz, who guided John through his very first flying lesson. While John has worked on blockbuster sets surrounded by CGI aircraft
and massive stunt rigs, this was something different—personal, tactile, and deeply engaging.
With Kyle’s coaching, John not only flew the airplane right away, but he also completed a successful takeoff. “The way we pursue [flight training] in general is, we get people excited about the opportunity to learn, show them how easy it is to become a part of this whole thing, and then really guide them into enjoying the experience to make it so that they want to keep coming back,” Kyle explained. “What we wanted to do with John and Kian initially was to show them that this is a fun and enjoyable hobby in which you can get practical experience working with your hands and how that translates to model aviation flying. Fortunately, John didn’t experience too many challenges in his first flight.”
When Kyle was asked how it was to teach a celebrity their first flying lesson, he responded with, “Whether someone is a celebrity or just a ‘regular’ person, I try to treat everyone with the same respect in learning the hobby.”
Conversations That Matter
John also spent time around the AMA HQ, meeting with different departments and employees, one of whom was the AMA Foundation. The Foundation’s executive director,
Stephen Hasten, Deputy Director Rachelle Haughn, and Chief Communications Director Clarissa Poston introduced him to the mission of the AMA Foundation and discussed its commitment to preserving the history of model aviation, funding scholarships, and fostering the next generation of pilots and engineers. John was struck by how deeply AMA invests in education and mentorship. Coming from a career where storytelling is the craft, he saw parallels between what AMA does—passing down skills and knowledge—and the way actors and filmmakers pass down traditions in their own industry.
“Every so often, the world of model aviation collides with new and unexpected friends who discover the joy of flight for the very first time,” Steve said. “This week, we had such a moment at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC), when Brandon Benfield, who works at AMA, brought John and his son to the IAC. Neither had ever flown before, but both arrived with open minds, wide smiles, and genuine curiosity about our hobby and the people behind it.
“What struck me most was not their celebrity status but their warmth and humility. John and his son were more interested in hearing about our lives, our passion for aviation, and the history of our hobby than in talking about Hollywood.”
Their approachability made the day feel less like a visit from a movie star and more like welcoming old friends into our flying family. Their questions showed true curiosity, and their excitement was contagious.
“Watching them fly for the first time reminded me of what makes this hobby so special—the thrill of lifting off, the challenge of learning something new, and the joy of sharing it with others. Their enthusiasm was clear, and it was inspiring to see how naturally they took to model aviation.”
John and Kian also joined several staff members for lunch that day to get to know them on a more personal level, including Executive Director Tyler Dobbs and Model Aviation Executive Editor Jay Smith. “It’s amazing that John took time out of his vacation to come visit us and try model flying,” Jay said. “I think he was very successful in his first flight. He seemed very interested in model aviation, and it was nice of
him to talk to staff and answer questions that they had.”
Jay also interviewed John for AMA’s YouTube channel. “He related some of his acting experiences to aeromodeling, comparing some of the technology to what’s been used on sets like his film Battleship.”
“I was scared at first and didn’t know what to expect going into it,” John stated in his interview with Jay. “I’ve never been a part of this community and didn’t know anyone in [it], so, for me to come try it out brought the young adventurer out of me. [I] didn’t know I could be an aviator.”
“Kyle was an amazing teacher,” John continued. “He was very clear and concise with his directions and how to hold the plane in the air and navigate through the wind. I felt more confident the longer I flew. I think it’s a great way of introducing people to how important and how difficult—but also how fun—aerodynamics can be. I’ll never be a pilot, but after
this experience, I wouldn’t mind owning my own little model plane that I can [fly] with my kids.” (To watch the full interview, visit AMA’s YouTube page; the link is in “Sources.”)
In Closing
Having John at AMA was truly a joy, both as a friend and as someone whose career I deeply admire. Watching him and his son take to the sky reminded me why I love this community so much, and seeing him connect with the AMA team felt like my two worlds—pop culture and model aviation—collided in the best possible way.
Seeing a friend whom I met through conventions embrace model aviation with such enthusiasm was a reminder of how unexpected connections can make both worlds stronger.
SOURCES:
“Actor John Tui Visits AMA to Experience Flight for the First Time”
YouTube
youtu.be/LjNV6eHz1E
