New Zealand - Training Schools and Job Prospects
 

I am trying to find web address and or email address for the following companies in NZ.
Mountain View Helicopters Ltd. and
Advanced ZFlight Limited.
Any help appreciated, thanks ;)

Here is one:

This One

go to www.yellopages.co.nz and search for those names

Here's another..
http://www.advancedflight.co.nz/

New Zealand - Training and job prospects
 

has anyone here converted an faa or a jaa certificate/license to a nz cpl-h? what about validations? how long is it valid for? what about an instrument rating?


cheers

Try <a href="http://www.caa.govt.nz" target="_blank">NZ CAA</a> for licencing info


Cheers, BigJim

NZ Training south island
 

Can anybody give me information about a good flight school that also might be able to offer employment as a flight instructor after any training.

Try Simon Expensive Flowers at Wanaka Helicopters.

<a href="http://www.heliflights.co.nz" target="_blank">www.heliflights.co.nz</a>

New Zealand - Places to Fly Heles
 

I have a lifetime ambition planned to go to NZ in Jan 2003. Most of the time will be spent doing the usual stuff, but would like to get a brief taste of Kiwi heli-flying.

Can anyone suggest/recommend a company and/or location?? Mountains and spectacular scenery essential. Tourist sightseeing OK, but fancy at least a bit of stick time, if feasible.

UK ATPL with 6/7 types, but not looking to "convert", just to fly.

There are lots of places that will proably let you go flying with an instructor (there is no recpriocal agreement with the uk). The question should be where is going to be the most senic so you get your best bang for you pound!

I would give Simon Spencer Bower a ring at Wanaka helicopters, he opertes a few r22's a r44 and a AS-350. The terrain is awsome. Mt Aspiring, glaciers and the lake. www.heliflights.co.nz. Wanaka is also where helicopter hunting was born (if you havent seen it see if you can get your hands on a video called the helicopter hunters)

There is an outfit at the airport in Nelson that has a r22.

There is also Heliflight in masterton on the north island. www.heliflight.co.nz

Personally go to Wanaka, it is an amazing place.I would move there in a heart beat if I could figure out how to make a living.(wait till you see how cheap real estate is comming from the uk!).. if your dissapointed Ill buy you a beer.

later

RB

in snowy colorado, wishing he was on the south island.....

There's a request for information on helicopter flying in Colorado on another thread.
Can you help?
Or are you skiing? :)

Definitely base yourself in the South Island, nothing really to see in the north island. Flying out of Wanaka would be the best choice, closest flight school to the best parts of the southern alps, however accommodation is expensive as this is a small tourist town. Christchurch is the largest city in the south island with plenty of choices for night life and accommodation, the local company Garden City Helicopters is based at Christchurch international airport and offer scenic flights or training in AS350, R44 and R22, great training area and very close to some very scenic locations. I did my flight training in both islands and there is no comparison.:eek:

:mad:
Nothing pisses me off more than another kiwi telling a foriegner that there is nothing to see in the North Island. Complete BS. What a completely stupid and ignorant comment. Sounds more like something an aussie would say.

For some excellent flying in the central north island go to Taupo airport and take a jolly through the Kiamanawas and up and over Ruapehu (an active 10000ft volcano). No volcano's in the SI. Additionally, in the North you will be able to train with some guys who have a massive amount of local and international experience, not just 10000hrs of instructing. There is a bloke called Bruce (?) who runs a school out of Taupo airport. He took over from Peter Avery in about 1995. This guy has 17000hrs of work in all manner of american and russian gear all over Australasia and PNG. He can show you how to fly a R22.
Living costs are cheap in the North Island and most of the operators will help you out with accomodation.
Have fun.

...you tell 'em straight, steve76! :D

north-island:
http://www.nshelicopters.co.nz
http://www.heletranz.co.nz

Forgot about Bruce. Bruce Harvey - Harvey Helicopters... Ill dig for his email. [email protected]

There is also Ian Wakeling. Another super high time guy with international experience. He has a r22 he flies out of his farm in Wanganui (sp).
Ian Wakeling, Helicopter Flight Training, Wanganui, North Island. . Phone/Fax 06 342 1879.

He was the test pilot for Hiller back in the 70's



Expensive is a relative term. If you are comming from the UK or the US Wanaka is still really cheap.

Garden city are the guys who have that r22 in Nelson at the airport. Its there to keep the rust off the guys who fly the rescue squirrel.

Steve, I just perfer the S Island. More things I am interested in ...


Heliport- was skiing today 16 inches of fresh pow-pow... ill make a post over there....

:D

Thanks guys for the info - plenty for me to work on :)

I did not mean to start an argument :eek:

Helinut,

I have done alot of flying in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand and would suggest the following;

1) The time of year you are intending to go to NZ is smack in the middle of the America's Cup yachting final, hence try and get yourself a machine out of Auckland and do some flying around or near (depending on airspace restrictions at the time) the sailing regatta - it's a spectacular site.
2) As previous replys have mentioned, next stop should be the lower South Island. Try Wanaka or Queenstown for operators most will be happy to do a u-fly scenic trip. If the weather permits try and fly into Milford sound and get a landing (or two) in at the one of the many glaciers on the way back.

3) Forget the one eyed comment of Steve76, he should learn to read.

4) Accomodation can be expensive, but the great thing is that all levels of budget are catered for. Get yourself a 'Jason's' accomodation guide and book your next stop accomodation at least a day or two before.

Best of luck - BigJim;)

Well BJ,

I can certainly read unlike half the inbred lower SI. As for being "one-eyed" that is a completely accurate description of yourself.

If you really have flown all round NZ then you would realise the ignorance of the statement "Don't bother with the North Island, nothing to see there". I was up spraying at dawn over most of the North Island for the better part of 3 years. I have flown over just about all the space available. Believe me it is just as impressive as the SI. Not as grand....but as impressive.

As for taking a machine out for a pole over the Americas Cup. Well good luck. If you can afford the turbine, go for it, but there is a good chance it won't have floats and neither will a robbie if you go the affordable route.

helinut, if you want to cruise over the Remarkables I certainly affirm that it is magnificent. However, it may be more affordable to take a fixed wing. You will see more and go further for your pound.

If you really want to see some Kiwi heli flying, let me know and I will push you in the direction of a couple of lads out on Venison recovery.....

Enjoy our land,

Steve

Nz Atpl (h)
 

Aus and NZ have a TTMA agreement which allows the transfer of professional aircrew qualifications between the 2 countries without having to do further exams etc.

The Aus ATPL(H) has a 'lower requirment' for hours and qualifications than the kiwi ATPL (H), and the NZ CAA states that even though you do hold the Aus ATPL you do actually require the NZ equivalent hours and experience before they will issue you with their ATPL.

Has anyone had experience in transferring the ATPL's with or with out problems.

I have an Aus ATPL (H) but don't have the twin, or IFR that the kiwi one requires.

Thanks in advance.

Under TTMRA it would appear that you have to make application and that would be assessed. There are enough "differences" still between Aus and NZ to not let it be just a simple "rubber stamp" exercise. Even at the CPL level there are many differences. i.e. There is no requirement for mountain training in Australia. If you look at the definition of "mountainous terrain" in the NZAIP you won't be going far or landing in many places on an Aus licence. Sling is part of the NZ CPL(H) yet an addition to the Australian one. Aussies have only just realised what a hook is in the last 15 years. Couldn't believe that helicopters didn't all have hooks when I first went there. Was like a blade was missing or something! Night qualification is part of the licence and not an addition.

So if you have an Australian licence on face value it would be valid but not include "sling, mountain or night" whereas the Kiwi one would but wouldn't say so.

I think under TTMRA you would still have to meet the requirements or you would be allowed to operate only within the limits of your licence. They are NOT issuing you with a Kiwi licence, but recognising your qualifications.

In NZ you will have to do a flight test for the issue of a NZ ATPL (H) whereas there is no requirement in Australia. There is no requirement for twin "time" in either licence yet the "flight test" in NZ shall be conducted in a twin. You are required to have a current instrument rating for the NZ licence.

Have been dabbling in this for a while watching the differences and they are substantial. I hold or have held licence's in both pilot and engineer from both sides of the ditch and the way they are administered is very different. Check out the Aussie v Kiwi medical differences, the LAME differences blah blah................

TTMRA means Trans Tasman Mutual RECOGNITION Agreement. In each direction it is a case of recognising what you have. And what you have may be used as credit towards what you need.

Check the respective web sites, rules and Advisory Circulars. The Kiwi site may be easier to navigate and everything is written in English versus "legalese" - remember the Aussies are on their third attempt in about 10 years to re-write the rules. We won't go any further there..................

Now here's a funny sorry,
I looked at converting NZ CPL(H) to AUS CPL (H) last year under the TTMA due to a possable job in the land of Aus. Book a time at the Australian Embassey in Wellington and was told too provide my logs books (times 3) passport and NZ licences.

I arrived at the agreed time of 14:00hrs filled out the paper work and was told they requied photo copies of my log books (now here is the fuuny bit) every page at a fee of $35per page in addition to the other fees.........yes I kid you not $35 per page and I had 3 log books...........you guess it I told them to get f**Ked

4 weeks later at the CASA office in Bankstown they charge me $120Aus to do the samething and only required a copy of the last page of each log book and copies of my type ratings.

Work that one out..............

Big Beres,

You say that the Ausies require a photocopy of your logbooks, but when I looked into getting a Kiwi licence they said that only the real thing would do. Now thats a long time to be without my logbook cos I use it on a daily basis in UK. Any info on this :ugh:

Indi Trees

At Bankstown they sited my logbooks and photo copied the pages they need . They didn't need to keep the log books

The Australian Embassy in Wellington , New Zealand were going to charge me $35 per page in my log book................

Big beres,

seems like the left hand does not know the right exists, and people like us are left to find out for ourselves.
Just been on the CAA web site and was given some great advice about medicals and j even passed on my e-mail to the licencing dept for info, so things are begining to look up.
Maybe one of these days I will get a licence and get working, or would i be better off getting an Ausi licence first and then convert.
:confused:

Mountain training & sight seeing in NZ
 

I’ll be visiting New Zealand in July and will have a couple of weeks free. Having just got my PPL, doing some flying there seems sensible:D As NZ has better mountains than the UK, some mountain training appeals. I’ll be starting in Dunedin and finishing in Auckland, so hope to see some of both islands from the air. Any advice, specifically where to fly from and what to see - from an R22 – would be welcome.

Thanks! Excellent forum, BTW.

FlyAnotherDay

FlyAnotherDay,

I asked a similar question last year before a trip to NZ. You could search for it in the archives; got a number of interesting replies. My situation is a bit different to you, as I work as an ATPL(H) in the UK.

My flying there was limited by other things and some unhelpful weather. However, I did fly an R22 briefly at Wanaka Helicopters with the guy who runs this outfit. A thoroughly professional and experienced instructor - trouble is I can't remember his name and his business card has gone missing.

It wasn't my first exposure to mountain flying - but the way he approached instruction, I am sure that you would get value out of any training you did with him.

Not to say that there aren't lots of other good places/instructors in NZ - there is lots of opportunity to refine mountain flying skills there. :)

Best holiday I ever had by the way! :D

Helinut :)

Wanaka helicopters, Simon Spencer Bower.

If your around Taupo on the N island Look up Burce Harvey, Harvey helicopters.

Search for the old thread, worth reading..

Helinut, if I could figure out how to make us dollars and live on the south island I would have moved last week! gald you had fun

RB

Mountain Flying in NZ
 

I can recommend HeliFlight Wairapa who are based at Masterton in the North Island (about an hour North East from Wellington.)

I went out in a 300C and did some mountain flying in the local ranges- very impresive and miles better than Snowdonia. (No fast jets to worry about either!!!)

I believe they have an R22 as well if you are so inclined!

Fly Safe.

Canterbury helicopters in Christchurch have R22's and plenty of big mountains nearby.

training
 

Hughesy I will be in the area in a few months time, were you happy the training? and should I ask for anyone in particularly?

Gidday Theraingod, Heliflight have bases in Auckland and Masterton. Auckland being GREAT for the airspace, with Auckland INT airport and 2 other controlled airports quite close. And Masterton with the Tararua mountains (which are excellent!) You get the best of both worlds with Heliflight.
Was I Happy with the training?
Absolutley! I have just completed my CPL and are doing my C Cat with them, I have flown with most of their instructors and and found them all to be very skilled, willing to teach and above all friendly. When I travel between bases, Im always made to feel very welcome. They are a great bunch of guys, and I owe them everything.
Also forgot to mention, we have 2 of the latest H300s in NZ.
2x 269cbi ( the fuel injected models ) Very nice Ships!

I'd also recommend Auckland Helicopters / Christchurch Helicopters, both are commercial operators as well as training organisations and have 3 established bases around the country giving students the benifit of variety or conditions and airspace

the auckland base is only less then a year old but as a whole they are worth a look.

My training so far with them has be fantastic

www.aucklandhelicopters.co.nz
www.christchurchhelicopters.co.nz
www.foveauxhelicopters.co.nz

all 3 are apart of the same group

i am flying with foveaux helicopters, between this amalgamation and simon at wanaka helicopters you probably cant get better.
helipilotnz.

hey Hughesy, yeah training is goin good been confined to books recently though, id be keen for a beer some time but ill have to find out weather our lot are still banned from the aero club

No probs theraingod, I did forget to mention Heliflight are awaiting the arrival of their new ship, a new BETA ii robbie.
I am looking forward to its arrival.:ok:

CPL Training In NZ
 

Just been made redundant after 17 years in flight ops so want to put the dosh to good use. CPL training in NZ has already been recommended by a heli-instructor friend living in Auckland.

Quite fancy NZ particularily South Island.

Any do's, dont's or top tips gratefully received.

Timfly

New Zealand is generally very helicopter friendly and a great place to fly - lots of interesting terrain. Exchange rate at the moment gives great value for money as well compared to the UK.

However, just remember if you want to work your NZ CPL will be useless in the UK, and converting it will basically require you to do all the JAA exams and flying.

If you want to work in NZ, obviously you have to check out the legal situation. Highly unlikely unless you're from there originally or whatever. Even if that's the case, chance of you getting a job with raw CPL just a tad above zero unless you're prepared and legally able to stay in NZ and do hanger-rat type jobs for a year or two until you maybe land a flying position.

In the UK, after your CPL(H), you'll need 300 hours and an instructors rating to be in a position to look for work. Likelihood of any work off a straight CPL(H) with low hours again zilch basically.

Only proviso to that would be if the North Sea suddenly opened up again in a big way, but I wouldn't hold your breath!

If you already know all this stuff, then sorry:\

If not, then I hope it's a help. Not trying to put you off, just give you a realistic view of what the CPL actually means before you start spending your well-earned.

Good luck.:D

Apologies to timfly if this goes off topic, sorry to hear about your redundancy.

Max, so let me get this straight, that if you get a JAA CPL(H) which generally would provide one with roughly 140 hrs or so even if one gets an instructor rating, one can't instruct until you have 300 hrs? Is that correct?

So not only does one have the cost of the CPL(H), you have to somehow fund the 160hrs some other way which you can't get because it's unlikely that anybody will give you a flying job with so few hours directly after a CPL(H) what a crock of s**t..so it's only it's ever gonna be accessible to the boys (girls too) with rich mommies and daddies or sold their souls to IT!!

:mad:

Whilst on the subject i've noticed a lot of you oldbbies out there with different licenses such as JAA, FAA, Candian, Aus, NZ. Are there no agreements between these countries? So for every license one has to set practically the same set of exams just to satisfy the local government ego? Yet more money! So to clear things up, does anybody know where the FAA license is accepted, where th JAA license is accept throughout the world appart from those resident countries. ie FAA - US, JAA - EU, Can - Canada etc?

helislave, yes, sorry to be the messenger of bad news but that's it under JAR's I'm afraid.

There are a number of entry requirements for the instructor's course, but yes basically you need 300 helicopter hours before commencing the course, which itself is at least 30 hours.

There have been times in the past when North Sea operators have hired people with a basic CPL(H) and no more hours than the minimum, and no instrument rating. But with the present economic climate, it's certainly not happening now.

Bristows have also sponsored people through their training. Highly competitive, usually an upper age limit and not always advertised. Don't know what the state of play is at the moment.

So financially to get those 300 hundred hours is a nightmare. An alternative route is to train in the USA where it's much cheaper and you need about half the hours to be an instructor. Once you've trained, if you're very lucky and good enough you might be taken on by the school you trained at on a visa that allows you to stay and build up time instructing. This way you get the hours. Only drawback is when you get back to Europe, you've still got exams and flying to do to convert to JAA license. However, arguably much cheaper if it all works out as planned. But, if you don't get taken on as an instructor, what then? As you know, there just aren't any guarantees.

In answer to your other question, simply put, not easy to convert other licenses to CAA/JAA. That is probably the biggest hassle. Easier to convert from CAA/JAA to FAA, or AUS or NZ. As for other countries accepting licenses, it can be complicated, especially when you get down to where the aircraft's registered etc. But for example, in Middle East countries and Africa both CAA/JAA and FAA tend to be accepted or easily converted. So generally you're not talking about sitting all the exams again, at most an Air Law exam and IR test if appropriate. It's really just going from anywhere else into the JAA system that tends to be more restrictive.

Ultimately the biggest hurdle of course is do you have a work permit, visa, immigration approval for the country you want to work in?

Hope that answers some questions. Bottom line is, it ain't easy!

Hi timfly. You could come to NZ and do some of the hours down here, and then go back to Scotland to sit the exams. Just an option, as we have had a few students from your way do just that.

Hi timfly. You could come to NZ and do some of the hours down here, and then go back to Scotland to sit the exams. Just an option, as we have had a few students from your way do just that.
Good luck with your CPL mate.
:ok: