Bush pilots/Air taxi NZ

[Bla Bla Bla]

Flew in NZ a few years ago and was just wondering if there are any operators servicing the fishing and hunting community like in Alaska and Canada with cubs or C185's etc.

The big braided rivers and river flats looked so good to land on and there are alot of local and international hunters/fisherman. Are you allowed to land off field on DOC land and in remote areas. Is that sort of flying just a throw back to the deer culling days or does it have a future in NZ.

[tinpis]

About this time of year in Kiwi there would be calls for large loads of compost to be ferried into remote areas. :rolleyes:

[c100driver]

Yes, No, Yes and No.

There are many that have tried to run such operations and only one that I can think of that still does in fixed wing aircraft as their only source of income, and that is in the North Island. There is a lot of helicopter operations in both Islands that still do the hunting, fishing thing. Because NZ is such a small country compaired to Alaska helicopters are cost effective for the short distance transport required, and the helicopter has available better choice of landing spots. Most of the deer culling strips are no longer usable (both operationally and legally) and the ones that are still operational are used by private ops at the risk of prosecution if caught.

No landings are permitted in "wilderness areas" by fixed wing or helicopter except on DOC business. Commercial operators require concession approval and pay fees for landing in National Parks, Forest Parks and other areas of the DOC estate.


Is that sort of flying just a throw back to the deer culling days or does it have a future in NZ


For fixed wing the glory days ended in the 1970's, a few are still doing some as an extra to sight seeing and/or training, only one I can think of is its sole income and that is because the have a very very large private block available to them as the sole operator.

As much as I would like see C180/185's PA18 etc working in the back country with hunters and fishermen, their days are over in those comercial ops. (But still alive and doing it with private owners doing it for themselves)

[Bla Bla Bla]

So can a private owner land in the DOC back country areas and hop out for a bit of hunting or is that regulated to death now.

[c100driver]

Designated Wilderness area - no
National Park - no
Forest Park - some are OK some are not
DOC land - Some OK but with notice to DOC required, and some is don't ask, don't tell, and don't get caught.

Access issues with DOC and some private landowners can be very tricky. Fixed Wing Aviation is not one of their favorite land use options.

[c100driver]

Hi Corky,

Yeah I agree there are still a few doing it but is is more of a suppliment to their day job of tourist flying rather than servicing hunters and fishermen as a business.

The question was

Flew in NZ a few years ago and was just wondering if there are any operators servicing the fishing and hunting community like in Alaska and Canada with cubs or C185's etc.

The C185 operated for the whitebait is exclusive to the whitebaiters and is non ATO. CFI is still used occasionally to ferry hunters but mainly on MF and sightseeing duties same as ENW and DOC. PC still does a little from Makarora but mostly tourist work. Wilderness Wings is almost total meat bombing from the Fox. RH at invervegas is probably the closest still making a living moving hunters and fishermen, in the South Island.

The reality is that the R44 and Eurocopters have cleaned out C185's and Cubs etc from making a living at this work. Shame because there is nothing like the sound of a IO520 at 2850 with an 88" three blade black mack coming out of a mountain valley airstrip on a still and frosty morning. :D :D :D :D (I suppose a 500D might get close though)

[Bla Bla Bla]

Its a shame really, I used to hunt quite allot when I was there and some of those valleys were just perfect for a cub with tundra tires.

I know there are allot of heli operators but at the end of the day you can operate fixed wing cheaper for the customer. And real hunters climb to the tops and don't get lifted up there.

What about the braided rivers that are running through farm land and allow vehicles, can you land on them.

[tred]

Bloke runs a C206 from central north island to Franz Joseph a lot - believed to be taking hunters (yanks?) backwards and forwards

[Bla Bla Bla]

Thanks for the info you guys have given me, I may move back to NZ as I miss the fishing and hunting. So to clarify if I buy myself a cub and put tundra tires on it, is there enough to keep me entertained and although it is regulated will I be able to land out in the back country and take myself hunting/fishing to some extent.

[c100driver]

Yes but dont tell the world where you have been and you should be ok. WS at avskills.com has good information on where and what in NZ plus some good youtube vids.