Any bush plane clubs around?

[gojozoom]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if any of you know if there is a bush plane club or float plane club in New Zealand? My goal is to get my water rating and also to become a "bushpilot" eventually. I see that there are lots of nice and challenging grass runways around the country, but they are mainly used for agricultural purposes. Also there are lots of nice lakes/sounds/rivers for a float plane but I haven't seen much of those around (other than the Taupo and Picton ones).

Thanks
Daniel

[ardypilot]

Not sure of any clubs in particular, but I recall that Ben Carmine (A185F) has been flying with a 185s in and out of bush strips around the South Island which look pretty rugged.

You could try asking at the Wings over Cambridge forums- good luck!

[Naki]

No floatplanes but what about Ace Aviation in Masterton..

http://www.ace-aviation.co.nz/

[gojozoom]

Thanks guys,

I will try those resources

Cheers
daniel

[Ian Warren]

Gavin covered this bush flying in photos recently , landing a Piper Cub in a river in the top South Island

[dbcunnz]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Sep 23 2010, 05:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gavin covered this bush flying in photos recently , landing a Piper Cub in a river in the top South Island

The aircraft was a Piper Pacer and was landing on the Wairau river Marlborough and here is the youtube sit it is on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsaGvQ-UzN4

[IslandBoy77]

QUOTE (dbcunnz @ Sep 23 2010, 06:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The aircraft was a Piper Pacer and was landing on the Wairau river Marlborough and here is the youtube sit it is on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsaGvQ-UzN4

Wow - I didn't even know one could do that! Very cool - love the big, fat tyres! Still, one wouldn't want to be too 'casual' taxiing around in a riverbed - wouldn't take much to go A-over-K by hitting a largish rock...

[dbcunnz]

QUOTE (gojozoom @ Sep 22 2010, 02:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi guys,

Just wondering if any of you know if there is a bush plane club or float plane club in New Zealand? My goal is to get my water rating and also to become a "bushpilot" eventually. I see that there are lots of nice and challenging grass runways around the country, but they are mainly used for agricultural purposes. Also there are lots of nice lakes/sounds/rivers for a float plane but I haven't seen much of those around (other than the Taupo and Picton ones).

Thanks
Daniel

Hi Daniel have you had a look at Willie Sage, and Craig Anderson's website http://avskills.com/index.htm they both work for Sounds Air but also run courses for Mountain flying techniques.
Their site also includes a lot of pics and videos including the one above on the water landing.
Willy lives up the Wairau valley from Blenheim so there a a lot of video flying and landing on river bed using water as part of the landing strip.

Doug

[gojozoom]

Great website, I just wrote them an email.

Many Thanks for the tip!

PS: Strange that this site never came up with my google search.....

Cheers again

Daniel