Paragliders & Hang gliders
Information for Visiting Pilots to New Zealand
The Queenstown / Wanaka (Southern Lakes) region of New Zealand is one of the premier flying destinations in the Southern Hemisphere.
The spectacular high mountains with remote and challenging flying makes for a flying experience almost unsurpassed in the world. There are numerous flying sites offering superb flying that are in close proximity to an international airport and townships.
Every season, it appears, that there are a spate of accidents and incidents, some involving personal injury, whereby pilots have taken off in unsuitable weather conditions and from, or through, illegal flying sites and restricted airspace. Some of these pilots have not been licensed to fly in New Zealand.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations in New Zealand require that all hang glider and paraglider pilots (including visitors) must be current members of the New Zealand Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (NZHGPA) before flying.
Membership including visitor membership can be applied for on the NZHGPA website.
You can also find helpful information for visitors here – NZHGPA Visiting Pilots Information.
Flying in the Southern Lakes is considered to be ‘mountain flying’ in relatively high latitudes that presents certain unique weather conditions, particularly with respect to winds. If you go to an established flying site and there are no local pilots flying there is probably good reason why they are not! There are over 300 pilots in the Southern Hang gliding and Paragliding Club (SHGPGC). Ensure that you contact local pilots or schools, to notify your intentions to fly or to ask about local flying conditions.
As always: “if in doubt….. don’t fly”.
The SHGPGC has worked hard to secure and maintain airspace for flying paragliders and hang gliders in an area of dramatically increasing commercial air traffic. The Wakatipu Basin near Queenstown is particularly sensitive and very busy with other airspace users. We are fortunate to have three excellent flying sites near Queenstown (The Skyline Gondola, Coronet Peak and the Crown Terrace) in very close proximity to restricted airspace. The Skyline Gondola has unique qualifications and endorsements that are required by all pilots before they are permitted to fly there. Please contact the Club to arrange an accreditation to fly the Skyline Gondola site.
Unless you plan to ‘hike and fly’ into the more remote regions do not takeoff or fly in areas not specifically set aside for paragliding and hang gliding. The SHGPGC and CAA cannot condone illegal activity. If pilots are caught flying illegally the police will be called and the CAA may prosecute to the full extent of the law. It has been done before. CAA inspectors have been known to frequent established takeoff and landing sites to check licences.
The access to Treble Cone is over privately leased land and access is sensitive and strictly limited. Do not pass through the locked gate unless you are registered and signed into Zero Harm Farm.
In and around Wanaka there is a lot of helicopter and light aircraft activity. Be warned! If you fly cross country from Wanaka it is preferable that you also carry, and use, an Airband radio.
As in all countries you visit, please respect the local flight restrictions, licensing, airspace and meteorological conditions. Ask the local pilots or seek advice from a local school.
Radios used in hang gliding and paragliding operations are the UHF band CB radios in the 476-478 Mhz range. In the event that you may wish to fly longer distances e.g. towards Mt Cook, you will be required to carry an Airband radio and broadcast your intentions in the respective MBZs. To operate an airband radio in NZ you are required to hold an FRTO or ARO rating.
The SHGPGC has an excellent relationship with the landowners that kindly permit us to take-off and land at the designated sites on their land. Ensure you respect their property. In the NZHGPA Operations manual there are specific rules as guidance for when one lands in or otherwise uses another’s property. In the Wakatipu Basin do not take-off or land at undesignated sites.
Finally, on arrival in the region ( Queenstown / Wanaka) the best way to catch up and get briefed by the locals is to go out to the main landing sites which are Flight Park (793 Malaghans Rd) for Coronet Peak, The Rec. Ground ( for the Gondola/ Skyline in downtown Queenstown) or the entrance to the Treble Cone Ski resort near Wanaka. Flight Park is also home to several schools. Speak to the pilots or the schools. Remember you must be certified to fly the Gondola Site in downtown Queenstown. Treble Cone may have limited access.
Links:
Airspace
https://southernclub.co.nz/airspace/
http://www.nzairspace.appspot.com/
Landowners Code
http://www.nzhgpa.org.nz/visiting-pilots
‘Hike & Fly ‘ FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/flyhikenz
SHGPGC FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/southernclub