Hiring a/c in NZ with Aust CPL??

[Shadowfromthesky]

I am heading to New Zealand at the end of this year (summer) and will be spending a bit of time travelling the south island with a few friends. Ive got my Australian CPL licence and endorsed on the C172/182. Was looking at scenic flights in some of the areas there, fox glacier etc.. and then thought about hiring an aircraft myself, as i ve seen some of the GA pics from NZ on these forums and it looks amazing!
So, i got a few questions..

1- Can I use my Aust. lic in NZ?
2- If so, anyone know of any training schools/operators in the south island that would hire out a cessna? and is it similar costing to here? ( I realise would have to have a check flight first.)
3-Basically, do you think it would be worth hiring my own aircraft for a few hours or better to just pay to be a pax in a scenic flight!?:confused:

Appreciate your replies, Thanks!

Shadow.:ok:

[toolowtoofast]

A big call to go mountain flying (and they are serious mountains) with no experience in that region. Pay to go with someone who knows what they are doing and where they are. Even if they are an instructor and you fly LH seat - it should only add $30-$40/hr to the rate and is a great safety margin - check rides for mountain flying and Aussie check out are going to set you back way more than that anyway.

[RadioSaigon]

You'll most likely find you will need to do some level of conversion under the TTMRA. 1st point of contact will be CAA.

None of the operators local to the mountainous area you are thinking about flying into will rent you anything at all until you have done a Mountain Flying course at a minimum. I would recommend you seek advice from the Wakatipu aeroclub. The area around Fox/Franz -apart from being exceptionally mountainous terrain- is also extremely high traffic-density (particularly at the time of year you indicate), all VFR, all doing scenics, all totally reliant on the other guy having some idea of where he is and what he is doing. You'd be far better off doing a scenic with a local operator or hiring an aircraft and instructor to do what you want to.

[27/09]

Wot the other guys said

[startingout]

Where are regarded as the better places for the mountain flying courses? SO:ok:

[Konev]

Queenstown, Wakatipu Aero Club.

dont get any better in NZ.

[remoak]

You don't need any form of conversion under TTMRA, you just need a very simple validation. See http://www.caa.govt.nz/pilots/Flight_Crew_Recognition_Info.pdf

Relatively quick and painless.

First point of contact is not the CAA, it's ASL who do the validations - Aviation Services Ltd (http://www.aviation.co.nz)

[RadioSaigon]

Did you have to go to the CAA website to find that out so you could big-note yourself -again- remoak? You really are a tiresome wee individual.

[conflict alert]

To validate your license over here you will require production of a current medical and you will have to complete a NZ BFR. Given the cost of a BFR (shop around) and the paperwork cost, I would only go down this road if you intended on doing a large number of hours otherwise, as others have said, hire an aircraft, instructor, and full it up with your mates and go for a fly at instructor/student aircraft rates where you can fly. You can always just go for the senic flight as you mentioned as joe public, but can be dearer and you aren't allowed to pole the aircraft around.

[remoak]

RadioSaigon

The guy asked for some information. You gave him the wrong information. I gave him the correct information. I know this because I have just validated my JAA licence in NZ.

Get over yourself.