Daniel wrote:
Hi!

I saw this web beafore I've asked here for informations. We are looking more
for informations from the 1-st hand, from someone who has been flying in NZ.
How does the clubs atmosphere looks like, where to go to meet the nicest
glider pilots, where are the best conditions to fly. You know, stuff like
that. :-)

I did more or less what you're planning, but in late 2003. I flew into
Auckland, out from Christchurch and travelled by car and train in
between, visiting friends and gliding clubs along the way. I visited
three airfields:

- Auckland Gliding Club at Drury, south of Auckland. Friendly bunch,
but I didn't get to fly due to slight disorganisation. The club fleet is
a bit limited. Winching and aero tow.

- Wellington Gliding Club at Paraparaumu. A well-organised operation
with decent gliders (Twin Astir, Janus, PW-5, Libelle) in the club
fleet. Friendly and pretty much on the ball. Aero tow only.

- Omarama. A must. I had a flight with Alpine Soaring (now Southern
Soaring, http://www.soaring.co.nz/) in their DG-1000. That was my first
attempt at mountain flying: 3 hours and about 200km of ridge running
across the Hawea, up the Dingle Valley and almost to Mt. Huxton and back
home. A really memorable experience. Both the commercial operations at
Omarama run mountain flying courses. I was just passing through in 2003,
but a course there is firmly on my list for next time.

Take a look at www.gliding.co.nz - the national body's website. It has
locations, contact details and other information about all the clubs and
commercial operations in the country.

The first club you fly with should sell you a 30 day temporary
membership of the national body. This provides insurance when flying in
club gliders, is valid at other clubs and was accepted by Alpine soaring
as well.

I took my log book, British Glider license and current British medical
certificate. That was all the documentation I needed.

Other tips:

Don't take a hire car across the Cook Strait. Its a lot cheaper to
re-hire on the other side and cross the strait as a foot passenger.
Given decent weather, a good use of a day's sightseeing is to take the
ferry from Wellington to Picton and then get the train to Christchurch.
The scenery is spectacular and both ferry and train are inexpensive. You
leave Wellington in mid-morning and arrive in Christchurch in the later
afternoon.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. |
org | Zappa fan & glider pilot