Awe-struck Start
For the first time ever, this Season kick-started with a 19 day tour for a whole of New Zealand experience. Very few Kiwis ever get to appreciate NZ this way:
Our guests experienced everything from remote beach forest on shear-sided mountain valleys with cascading waterfalls, to snow clad mountains and glacial-fed lakes. From fertile valleys and patchwork-farmed plains, to golden sand beaches, and sleepy inlet settlements. From steaming volcanic terrain and bubbling mud-pools, to sub-tropical bush-clad beaches and islands in the north. Plus much much more.
Our start reminded us of the truly remarkable variety New Zealand houses within these small islands, and how fortunate we are to share the experience through Flyinn.
Flyinn and FlightFlix
Meet Ryan and Tory of FlightFlix who joined Flyinn during this season. Their sophisticated cameras, editing expertise and total enthusiasm for flying, has created fabulous video footage of what guests see and experience with Flyinn.
Lippert's Return and the Kaikoura Earthqake
We were delighted to again welcome Tom and Laurel to Flyinn. After writing (Laurel) and photographing (Tom) an article about Flyinn for Pilot Getaways in 2005, they had fallen in love with New Zealand, and us with them. Now on their third visit to NZ, they were prepared to 'wing-it' and go with whatever was planned each day. This led to their being involved with an Angel Flight rescue mission after the Kaikoura Earthquake, where goods and people were transported by GA Aircraft using the Kaikoura Airfield. Whilst all main roads to this coastal township were inaccessable, the small GA Airfield was unscaithed. Watch our website for the full story - coming soon!
From 747 to 172
In another first this season we welcomed a retired (and still young at heart) AirNZ 747 Captain to our Flyinn Pilot team. Pete is an aviation enthusiast, and kept current in GA when he wasn't trans-Atlantic and at 40,000'! In fact Pete is one of life's enthusiastic souls: he loves the outdoors, and generates great energy when meeting new people, and sharing his vast knowledge of flying and our country.
Beating the tide by torchlight
Landing on a beach is totally controlled by the tide. Get it wrong and your run-way disappears!
One enthusiastic group rose early in order to be briefed and ready to fly at sunrise.
They had a spectacular day.
PPL at 70 and Loving It
At Flyinn we don't generally single pilots out - everyone brings different experiences, and gains different skills while with Flyinn.
This year, we want to celebrate an exceptional effort by one guest, who after being an aviation enthusiast through his life - obtained his PPL at 70. His first visit to Flyinn some years back was as a student pilot. This season we were delighted to welcome Peter back as a fully fledged pilot, having passed his PPL during the previous year.
Congratulations Peter!
KiwiBurger
The best burgers are prepared slowly: home-grown lamb, home-made bread, and fresh garden veges and herbs within.
New Zealand's idea of a real hamburger includes everything you might expect. Plus:
- it contains beetroot
- and a fried egg
- one must toast the bun
- there is sauce or relish, but no dill pickle.
Liz and Henry so enjoyed their kiwi burger they took notes, and immediately upon returning home - made the most excellent Kiwiburger to share a bit of 'Kiwi' with their son. Mmmmmm
Cattleyards
Flyinn guests are immersed in a working farm environment. This summer, guests watched the Geordie Hill Cattle yards become transformed from a tired set of well-used pens to a smart construction with new pens, concrete, a new second race, new cattle platform, and super strong gates built to size at the Geordie Hill workshop. Matt McCaughan, Matt Wise and Jeremy Wise can be very proud of the finished product.
Flyinn combined an end of season staff gathering, with the Cattle Yard Opening - which was very symbolic:
Flyinn guests are immersed in our farming life / our farming life is immersed in Flyinn and our guests.
Tucked away
It's the end of another season, days are getting shorter, there's a chill in the air. Time to relax before planning to do it all again. We hope you can join us!