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Thread: Any private pilots on the forum?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    Colorado, USA
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    Default Any private pilots on the forum?

    I've got about 20 hours toward my private pilot's license. So if I make it to NZ, I'll be looking for a good flight school.

    Any pilots out there? I'd love to hear about the flying scene in NZ.


    Cheers,
    -Brian*

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    Arizona to Paraparaumu
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    Default

    hi brian!
    i am not a pilot, but there is a flight school right here in paraparaumu/kapiti.

    http://www.associatedaviation.co.nz/home.php

    personally, i think having a plane and a pilot license would be the way to go in NZ. sure would make it easier and quicker to get to the south island instead of taking the ferry. plus i tend to get sea sick...

    cheers!
    laurel

  3. #3
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    Apr 2008
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    Auckland (from SA)
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    Default

    Hi Brian,

    Ask me in 6 months time and I may be able to help. I plan to bring my plane over from South Africa in January next year. I will then have to convert my licence. I have already found a couple of flight school north of Auckland. Recreational flying seems to be quite popular in NZ from what I've seen.

    Good luck,

    Andrew

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Auckland NZ
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    946

    Talking

    There are schools out there definately - a friend of my OH who has just come back from NZ said he got his pilots licence there - it was cheaper than UK - and the experience of flying over such a beautiful country is what dreams are made of!! We dont see him very often but i will ask him when i see him.

  5. #5
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    Jun 2008
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    Colorado, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by andrewp View Post
    Ask me in 6 months time and I may be able to help. I plan to bring my plane over from South Africa in January next year. I will then have to convert my licence. I have already found a couple of flight school north of Auckland. Recreational flying seems to be quite popular in NZ from what I've seen.
    Andrew, that's going to be a very long flight! You've got to show us a pic of your plane.

    Yeah, rental rates don't sound too unreasonable in NZ, from what I've seen. But apparently they do have landing fees and probably other fees that we've managed mostly to avoid here in the 'States. Our pilots' associations have been fighting pretty hard to keep it that way.

    Cheers,
    -Brian*

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    37

    Default Flying in NZ -

    Hi

    I'm an ex UK PPL now living in NZ. I've obtained a NZ licence on the basis of my UL licence and have just completed the NZ Commercial Pilot Licence. Ask me anything you like about flying in NZ!

    Good starting points are:
    http://www.caa.govt.nz/ (the Civil Aviation Authority)
    http://www.aviation.co.nz/ ( the company that runs all the ground exams and flight tests on behalf of the CAA)
    http://www.flyingnz.co.nz/ ( a list of many flying club sites)

    Probably the centre of General Aviation flying in NZ is Ardmore Airport just south east of Auckland. There are several large flying training organisations there.

    NZ is a wonderful country to see from the air. There are numerous flying clubs - genuine clubs owned by the members - and everyone is helpful and friendly. The terrain can appear hostile though!

    Flight training is very similar to UK. If you've done hours in UK, that will normally count in NZ.

    There is a new recreational licence that is more than a mircro light lecence but less thanthe usual Group 'A' licence. I think there are slightly less hours training required and the medical standard is a little lower.

    I miss flying in UK and europe. Trips to Le Touquet, St Marys (Isles of Scily), Isle of Wight, Popham, WhiteWaltham - some very expensive coffee trips!!

    Bumpf

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Auckland
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    Default

    I suppose the trouble with flying in NZ is there's nowhere to go other than other parts of NZ

  8. #8
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    Coromandel peninsula - ex UK
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    Quote Originally Posted by CJ22 View Post
    I suppose the trouble with flying in NZ is there's nowhere to go other than other parts of NZ
    Ah, but once you're here you don't need to go anywhere else.

  9. #9
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    Auckland (from SA)
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    Quote Originally Posted by buraian-kun View Post
    Andrew, that's going to be a very long flight! You've got to show us a pic of your plane.
    Hi Brain... re-reading what I wrote, I should have been a bit more clear. My plane is being crated and packed in to our 40' container along with our household. I did look at flying it over but at 80MPH cruise and a range of about 5 hours, although not impossible, a bit beyond how much I love flying. Here's a pic so you can see what I'm talking about...


  10. #10
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    Auckland
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    Back of a cig packet calculations suggest a minimum of 12500nm, at 80nm/hour gives about 150 hours flight time. That's a little excessive, given that most of it will be rather boring sea.

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