UPDATED 9.21pm The family of hero helicopter pilot Steve Askin say it will take a long time for his kids to understand their father is not coming back.

The SAS soldier was farewelled at Christchurch's Air Force Museum of New Zealand this afternoon.

His Squirrel helicopter crashed fighting the Port Hills' fires six day ago.

Family and friends spent all weekend decorating Mr Askin's rimu coffin that was made by his brother Pete.

Paul Askin said the hardest part of his son's death is that he was a father of two.

"His children are very young and it's going to take a long time for it to sink in."

Husband of Elizabeth, and father of Isabelle, 7, and Bowie, 4, Askin enlisted in the army in 1998 and left in 2013.

He was a member of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS), the elite army special forces unit. He remained an active member of the SAS reserves.

He was wounded in a five-hour shootout on June 29, 2011 after the Taliban stormed the InterContinental Hotel in Kabul.

In 2014, he received the NZ Gallantry Star for his fighting efforts in Afghanistan.

Today, as fire crews continued to dampen down the massive fire, there was a reduced aerial operation to let pilot and air support crew attend the funeral, including ex-All Black Richie McCaw.

The homemade wooden casket was driven to the funeral by brother Pete in a purposely unwashed 4WD.

It was carried inside by six SAS soldiers and former comrades.

Pete stood on stage in short, a short-sleeved shirt and barefoot.

"He wouldn't dare have me in a pair of shoes today."

He spoke to the wild adventures they undertook together, including a 171km walk from Askin's beloved Waikuku Beach to Kaikoura, over a 61 hour period.

Pete said they talked about family and future aspirations.

"For a time, there's only going to be one set of footprints in the sand."

Widow Lizzie paid an emotional tribute to her late husband.

"I loved Steve so much, he was everything to me. He made me a better person," she said.

"I really can't see what I'm going to do without him.

"I'm going to miss you so much, my darling."

At the end of the two-and-half hour service, soldiers from 2nd/1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment sent him off with an emotion-charged haka.

Almost $400,000 has been donated across two Givealittle pages set up to help support Askin's family.

You can donate to the Askin family here.