Queenstown to Milford Sound

[falcon409]

I purchased Orbx South Island this morning (I now have both North and South Island) and made up a flight plan to take me around the outskirts for some sightseeing. Flying the P-26 Peashooter (great little airplane by the way) I climbed to 10,500 which allowed my to just clear some of the peaks along the route. As I neared Milford Sound, I failed to consider my altitude and assumed that what I saw on the GPS was farther out toward open water. . .when, in fact, I was almost directly overhead, lol. I banked over and began a slow spiral back to the airport and realized I was descending into a maze of lush mountainsides and deep valleys. . .just amazing scenery really. I flew back into the valley as far as I could and started a steep turn back to the airport which, by now, was shrouded in heavy vegetation. Getting the airspeed down to about 100kts and full flaps to get it even lower I settled onto the rwy and taxied off at the prescribed turnout. It's a beautiful area and certainly worthy of close examination with some low and slow later on.

The first shot shows the direction I was headed. Actually between the two largest peaks, and headed away from the airport when I realized I had just passed it. The other shot is the valley area I flew back into to line up with the rwy. Beautiful area!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g84/ejwells409/South%20Island-2018-jan-25-001.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g84/ejwells409/South%20Island-2018-jan-25-002.jpg

[hairyspin]

I have done more go-arounds at that strip than I care to admit, and they are hairy enough. You’ll enjoy South Island Ed, it’s very well done. :encouragement:

[mrogers]

Great that you're enjoying the orbx scenery for nz. I've got it as well and it's great, well worth it. I've already done a sightseeing tour around all of NZ, starting first around the South Island and then around the North Island. It's just awesome scenery.
The vegetation at Milford Sound is indeed heavy like in real life, that mountain peak you see from the airstrip looking out to the sea is Mitre Peak. The usual approach procedure is to turn near Mitre Peak and come down from there to the airfield, rather than from the other end which is a fairly closed in tight space. Take off is out towards Mitre Peak as well. That's with the cessnas and turbos that fly to/from Milford regularly.

[falcon409]

Great that you're enjoying the orbx scenery for nz. I've got it as well and it's great, well worth it. I've already done a sightseeing tour around all of NZ, starting first around the South Island and then around the North Island. It's just awesome scenery.
The vegetation at Milford Sound is indeed heavy like in real life, that mountain peak you see from the airstrip looking out to the sea is Mitre Peak. The usual approach procedure is to turn near Mitre Peak and come down from there to the airfield, rather than from the other end which is a fairly closed in tight space. Take off is out towards Mitre Peak as well. That's with the cessnas and turbos that fly to/from Milford regularly.

Nice to hear from someone who knows the area, and good advice about the approach to Milford Sound. . .as I found out the hard way. As a resident of South Island Mark, are there airports that offer similar vistas on the Island. . .or areas you would suggest that are a must-see for a tourist with a plane?

[falcon409]

Milford Sound to Glentanner and finally Hokitika. Westport will be next and then on to Nelson!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g84/ejwells409/Hokitika_NZHK-2018-jan-26-001_1.jpg

[mrogers]

Cool that your'e heading over to Nelson! Drop in to Motueka Airfield (NZMK) on the way to Nelson. It's only 10 minutes from Nelson, and is a general aviation airfield and is used by a aviation training college, their base is the cross shaped building that you'll see is on the east side of the field. The Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island are a great vista to fly over with all its inlets and sunken valleys. Omaka airfield (NZOM) near Woodbourne (NZWB), Blenheim, is another GA airfield that has grass strips and every 2 years has a airshow with warbirds like the P-51, spitfire, Avenger, DC-3, etc.

[fliger747]

Milford Sound looks quite convincing, but you really need Sand Fleas...

[mrogers]

You mean sandflies, not sand fleas!

[fliger747]

They are flea sized and bite like hell!

: )

[mrogers]

Lol! True :biggrin-new: