Real World South Island Trip

[PILOT WARRIOR]

Myself along with a few other club members are doing a South island trip next year. The plan is as follows: *stopping, **not sure if stopping

Day 1: Wanganui to Timaru via *Omaka, *Kaikoura, **Rangiora.

Day 2: Timaru to Dunedin (landing at Taieri) for New Zealand Masters Games

Day 3: Dunedin to Invercargill via **NZVL, land at Invercargill before we head over to Stewart Island for the day then back to Invercargill for the night.

Day 4: Invercargill to Queenstown via *Te Anau, *Milford Sound

Day 5: Queenstown to Westport via **NZMW, **NZHT, *Hokitika

Day 6: Westport to Wanganui with a stop at Nelson or Murchison

NZVL, NZMW and NZHT. I do not know the names of those aerodromes but if you do feel free to put them up.

I think 5 planes are going to be used for this trip ( 1 Piper Tomahawk and 4 Cessna 172s).

[deaneb]

NZVL = Manderville
NZMW =Makarora
NZHT =Haast ??

Deane

[Zöltuger]

here's a list for you, Deane:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ai ... ew_Zealand

spot on about Haast too

[pois0n]

I think 5 planes are going to be used for this trip ( 1 Piper Tomahawk and 4 Cessna 172s).

Hahaha the person in the Tomahawk is gonna be the most uncomfortable

[kiwiflyboy]

Ive done this before

Day 1 - AR-NP-PP-OM-HR
Day 2 - HR-CH-QN
few days in queenstown flying in mountains and getting tanked
Day 6 - QN- haast pass - HK-NS
Day 7 - NS-PM-AP-AR

I'll be going back down later this year probably.... atleast once, so will let you know what we take then

[nzav8tor]

Make sure you check out all the info for flying in the Fiordland National Park.
Im pretty sure it is a requirement to have some local training there before you enter it.

There is alot of traffic coming and going on a good day they are all flying on fixed routes to keep out of each others way so you have to know what you are doing.
Also, the terrain is the most inhospitable in NZ and you can get lost real quick.
And of course the weather is notoriously changeable in the mountains.

If you want to head into Milford you need to have a local pilot or instructor on board to act as safety pilot, this is an absolute must.

Don't let me put you off, flying into Milford is something you will never forget and a flyby of Sutherland Falls is truly breathtaking but be sure to take the appropriate planning and precautions and tick the boxes before you fly.

Contact the Wakatipu Aeroclub for more info, they happy to supply instructors as safety pilots if available. Simon Davenport is the CFI there, he is a good chap and Julian is responsible for the mountain flying ops, an absolute legend down there so get in touch with her.
They will also advise the best time to fly into Milford to avoid the commercial traffic rushes.

Check out the GAP booklets on flying into Queenstown and mountain flying too.
And don't be afraid to call the local tower in advance and let them know your plan and ask about any special things you should know.
They will appreciate it and it will make things less stressful when you are flying.
The intinerant PPL pilot in the mountains is the locals worst nightmare down there so prepare, prepare, prepare.


Enjoy...

[ZK-KAG]

Awesome PW!!

Six Massey Pipers are in NZQN now for a classes South Island trip. Ill be going in September this year. Cant wait...

~ZK-KAG~

[A185F]

Awesome PW!!

Six Massey Pipers are in NZQN now for a classes South Island trip. Ill be going in September this year. Cant wait...

~ZK-KAG~

yea like a rash down the west coast yesterday, straight through me dropzone an all, buggers good to hear they down safe and well though, big trip

[ZK-KAG]

yea like a rash down the west coast yesterday, straight through me dropzone an all, buggers good to hear they down safe and well though, big trip

Haha, Where abouts are you located?

Id be interested in details (via PM or email) so that they can know about it.

Cheers,
~ZK-KAG~

[A185F]

Sounds like an awesome trip, stop it franz on way up coast, lovely airstrip. Ya wanna be real careful in murchison especially in the tommy ! only one person onboard otherwise you'll take the fence with ya on the way out !! I went to take yr own EWA in there once but after inspection runs decided grass was too long for compfort for the take off Awesome though when the grass is short, usually a good anual fly-in there too, best of fun

Im pretty sure it is a requirement to have some local training there before you enter it.

Na there's not. Should be though.

If you want to head into Milford you need to have a local pilot or instructor on board to act as safety pilot, this is an absolute must.

Not a requirement but highly recomended. You wanna be extremly carefull with the equipmint you take in there also. Unless it was a crisp clear windless day you wouldn't find me anywhere near a tommy in there and i've been in heaps of times in alsorts of weather and aircraft.

As nzaviator said, prepare prepare prepare !! You can't do enough preperation for goin down there, its an operational area, not a training area , things are done very differently and when in rome....

[mailman]

Its a pity nzav8tor doesnt fly aerobatics in Queenstown any more...otherwise I would have said to drop by and say hello as he has a habit of taking people up for a fly in the pits for free

I did a South Island tour in 2003 with my flying school (Associated at NZPP). Bloody awesome place to fly around and Ill never forget flying in to Milford! I imagine its a fairly similar experience flying in to Kai Tak in Hong Kong?

I did end up wondering though who the runway was for in Milford, planes of mossies!

Mailman

[PILOT WARRIOR]

Thanks for all the advice people and thanks Dean for the list of airports I could not remember. All the PPL pilots that are going have flown the Milford Sound area at least once before plus there will be an Instructor on board as well.