A sixth-generation showman allowed passengers shorter than the minimum height recommended to him by the ride manufacturer to board a fatal Royal Adelaide Show attraction.
C J And Sons Amusement showman Clinton Watkins testified via video link on Friday as part of the inquest into the death of eight-year-old Adelene Leong, who was flung out of the AirMaxx 360 ride at the 2014 Royal Adelaide Show at 100km/h after slipping from her safety harness.
The Adelaide Coroners Court heard that the Spain-based manufacturer emailed an account used by Mr Watkins and his spouse and business partner Jenny-Lee Sullivan on October 9, 2012, before the ride had arrived in Australia.
The email advised that the minimum height for a passenger accompanied by an adult is 120cm, but that the minimum height for an unaccompanied passenger is 140cm.
Questioned by counsel assisting the coroner Sally Giles, Mr Watkins conceded he had seen an email specifying this but had subsequently forgotten.
He also admitted he'd seen the same instructions in a manual provided to C J And Sons Amusement by the manufacturer.
C J And Sons Amusement instead placed a measuring post out the front of the Airmaxx 360 stipulating a 120cm minimum to ride.
Mr Watkins claimed he was advised of a 120cm limit while visiting the manufacturer in Spain.
"I always believed it was 120(cm), that's what they told us in the factory ... we wanted it to be a family ride, we wanted to cater for all ages," he said.
The company increased the minimum to 130cm on the recommendation of Safework Victoria after a series of accidents involving minors at the Royal Melbourne Show, but returned it to 120cm for subsequent shows.
Adelene did not meet the manufacturer's 140cm height minimum when she boarded the ride in Adelaide alone.
The court also heard that Mr Watkins had emailed the manufacturer regarding missing parts of the ride, problems with air pressure in the machine, and several of the machine's 12 carousel arms not working properly.
Mr Watkins, who was home-schooled until Year 5 before entering the workforce, told the court he was responsible for the maintenance of the ride, while Ms Sullivan oversaw the administrative side of the business.
He told the court he was not involved in the attempt to obtain Australian certification of air pressure vessels essential to the safe operation of the ride.
He said that was the responsibility of Ms Sullivan, but was aware she had not yet obtained the required certification when the pair began touring the ride around Australia, believing it was "pending".
"I don't have much schooling and I didn't have much to do with paperwork or any of that stuff," he said.
Ms Giles asked Mr Watkins if he recalled that he had difficulty with air hoses on the ride periodically bursting and needing to be replaced.
"Yes, it was very frustrating, it cost a lot of money," he said.
The inquest continues.
