MOUNTAIN AIR SUPPORTS KIWI RECOVERY PROGRAMME

 Our Cessna 172 is a very versatile aircraft and fills a number of roles.  As well as carrying passengers on scenic flights, it is used to track our iconic kiwi from the air.  The photo shows one of our pilots, Cameron Nix fitting the radio tracking aerials to special brackets on the aircrafts wings before setting out on a flight with Department of Conservation staff.

The kiwi are fitted with very small radio transmitters on their legs.  The Department of  Conservation Ranger on board the aircraft uses a computer attached to the aerials to track the kiwi.  Once they have found them from the air the Rangers then track them on the ground, catch them and carry out health checks.   At present there are 34 kiwi in the Tongariro Forest Conservation Area being tracked using radio transmitters.

This is very important conservation work and Mountain Air is proud to be able to contribute to it.

 SPECTACULAR MOUNTAINS, SPECTACULAR SNOWFALL

Winter 2011 cam late to Tongariro National Park but when it came the snow was fantastic.  Our airfield had up to 300 mm deep snow drifts covering it and although the snowfall was followed by a beauriful clear sky day our aircraft weren't going anywhere until the snow melted off.  The photo shows one of our pilots Claire Drinkwater getting our Cessna 172 ready for flying two days after the big August snows.  Gumboots were standard footwear for the day!   Ruapehu looks spectacular in the background and the flying later in the day was really superb.

TURANGI LEISURE LODGE VISITORS ENJOY GREAT SPRING FLIGHT

Kevin and Caroline Payne from Britain, presently living in Adelaide, Australia, enjoyed a great flight around the Tongariro National Park in mid-October.  They were staying at the Turangi Leisure Lodge in Turangi  where they met James, one of our pilots.  The day they flew followed a period of fresh snow falls so the mountains looked fantastic.  The last word is Kevin's, " The flight is well worth doing - something not to be missed.  The views are exceptional and the staff friendly and professional.  Thanks." 

Thank-you for flying with us.  We hope you had a really great holiday in New Zealand.

 Kevin and Caroline Payne beside our beautiful, newly painted Cessna 206.

 A PROUD MUM WITH OUR NEW PILOT JAMES

James Owen started with us late in July and has already proved his worth by doing some great marketing work with our friends at Turangi Leisure Lodge and Kaimanawa Timeshare in Turangi.   James is a highly professional pilot who has quickly adjusted to life flying for a scenic flight company.  He had his mother Susan up from Wellington for the last weekend in October.  She is obviously proud of his achievements but was also keen to make a contribution to the environment around the Mountain Air buildings by planting tussocks and pruning our shrubs - a real family effort. 

 VINTAGE AIRCRAFT VISITS MOUNTAIN AIR

 The last weekend in October also saw a visit from my favourite aircraft, a 1950's vintage De Havilland Beaver.  These a magnificent aircraft developed for the harsh flying conditins in Canada.  They are rugged and are powered by a very reliable and powerful Pratt and Whitney 9 cylinder radial engine.  I was lucky enough to go for a fly in this once which is painted to replicate the Beaver used by Sir Edmund Hillary in his exploration of Antartica in the late 1950's and early 1960's.  I fly one of these on sky diving operations for a number of years.

BONJOUR AGAIN FROM TAHITI - NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL WEEK 2011

Francis Mortimer from New Pacific Discovery and Air New Zealand Tahiti organised another great trade week in Tahiti in September.    I was accompanied to the Trade Show by Mishelle Gilmore from The Bayview Chateau Tongariro, Mt Ruapehu and The Bayview Wairakei Resort, Taupo.  We started a busy week at Club Dec located at the Armed Forces base in Tahiti.  This was followed with 3 days beside Air New Zealand in downtown Papette promoting our volcanic flights to people travelling to New Zealand.  It was a really enjoyable way of promoting our products especially as there was a Tuti Frutti (frozen yoghurt) shop close by!  We really had a great time and enjoyed the company of the Tahitian people and Tahitian/French food.  We look forward to v isiting again next year.