I have rented at the Canterbury Aeroclub for a few times already. It is a bit more pricey, but if you buy 20 hours you may be able to make a 10% discounted deal. The good thing there has been that they have several aircraft. If one breaks, you'll have a good chance to get another one. Last time (in 2015) I paid 225 NZD per hour, all inclusive.
You wrote that you have an FAA licence. I guess you will have to get a validation, which is pretty easy and straight forward.
http://www.caa.govt.nz/pilots/Flight...ition_Info.pdf
Short term validation of overseas flight crew licences
1.
A current PPL, CPL or ATPL issued by the licensing authority of an ICAO member state may
be recognised
for the issue of a NZ Validation Permit
. A Validation Perm
it is not a pilot licence
but a short term document, which facilitates the exercise of overseas flight crew licence
privileges in NZ regis
tered aircraft
. A
n overseas pilot licence will only be considered for
validation to an equivalent or lower level of NZ
licence.
All applicants are required to meet the
ICAO English Language
Proficiency (ELP) requirements
. ELP to at least ICAO level 4 must
be endorsed on each applicant’s overseas licence.
2.
The successful completion of a NZ Biennial Flight Review is a pre
-requisite to the issue of a
validation permit for visiting pilots intending to engage in private
flying activities
under visual
flight rules (VFR) in NZ
. A
pplication for a NZ PPL Validation Permit
should be made using
form CAA 24061/18.
3.
Each Validation Permit will specify a maximum validity period
of six month
s. However, t
his
period will not ex
tend beyond the expiry date of the
applicants overseas licenc
e or medical
certificate
under any circumstance
s.
4.
If the privileges of an
overseas licence presented for validation exceed those permitted by the
NZ Civil Aviation Rules
, the NZ rule requirements will take precedence. Each NZ Validation
Permit will clearly specify all privileges that have been granted and show any appropriate
limitations.
5.
Overseas type ratings held at the time of application for a NZ Validation Permit
will be
endorsed on the permit if required, provided that the type is listed in the NZ civil aircraft
register.
It is not possible to add any type rating to a NZ Validation Permit
if the applicant does
not already hold the applicable type rating overseas
.
6.
A NZ medical examination is not required
for the issue of a NZ Validation Permit
; applicants
must produce appropriate and unexpired ove
rseas medical certification.
7.
Any person who has been denied the issue of a NZ pilot licence
or medical certificate
is not
eligible for t
he issue of a NZ Validation
Permit
.
8.
Validation permits granting commercial privileges will not be issued to overseas CP
L or ATPL
holders who intend undertaking commercial operations in NZ unless they produce a letter
written by t
he principal of a certificated NZ aviation organization confirming their
employment
.
9.
Overseas CPL holders seeking the initial issue of a NZ Valid
ation Permit to undertake
VFR
operations in NZ
a irspace are
generally
required to pass a NZ
CPL Air Law written
examination.
10.
Applicants who hold an overseas CPL and an instrument rating, who intend operating under
IFR in NZ airspace, are generally require
d to pass both NZ
CPL Air Law and
NZ
Instrument
Rating Air Law written examinations.
11.
Applicants who hold an overseas ATPL
who wish to exercise
the privileges of an ATPL
in NZ
airspace
are generally required to pass an NZ ATPL Air Law written examination.
12.
Persons who are required to hold a
Validation Permit to conduct ferry flights from NZ to
overseas destinations in NZ registered aircraft
, or
to undertake specific tasks such as flying at a
NZ air show
or to operate NZ registered aircraft on international operations between overseas
countries are not generally required to pass a NZ
air law examination
.
13.
Although a Validation Permit is not a renewable document, previous certificate holders may
apply for a new certificate if the need arises. Where appropr
iate, p
rovided that a period of not
more than five years has elapsed since the
applicant gained
their
NZ air law exam credit, a resit
of this examination will not be
required.
14.
Applicants seeking a NZ validation permit are required to have flight experienc
e that is at least
equivalent to that prescribed for the appropriate level of NZ licence
. . That is, for a validation
that grants PPL privileges, applicants must have the equivalent of all the NZ PPL minimum
flight experience requirements, including dual instrument instruction, PPL weather and terrain
aware
ness and so on.
The same principles apply at CPL
and ATPL level
.
15.
Prior to undertaking commercial flight crew duties in NZ, persons holding a
NZ Validation
Permit at CPL or ATPL level must complete all appropriate competency checks within the
training and checking system of the company concerned.
16.
Application for a NZ CPL or ATPL Validation Permit should be made using form CAA
24061/19
.
17.
Completed a
pplication paperwork
for all validation permits should be submitted to
:
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
PO Box 3555, Wellington 6140
NEW ZEALAND