Nice pics John, where is that? I talk a lot about getting down that way to fish.. Maybe one day!

onefitty wrote:Nice pics John, where is that? I talk a lot about getting down that way to fish.. Maybe one day!

You fly down when the backcountry water season is open, and we'll go there. Take the 177 to my place at NZFE and I'll take you the rest of the way. We could do it with just one night away, home to NZFI for dinner the next day.

Weekend away hunting with my lovely wife. Thanks to mother-in-law for babysitting!

We flew into a local spot which the more observant may recognise from earlier posts. Weather was perfect and the flight was gorgeous and uneventful.

We tied the plane down and covered up for the night.


We would be climbing for several hours to hunt the mountain tops. There was no track or marked route, so we made our own way in the forest.


Unfortunately as I walked through the high country, I brushed through a very sharp bush called Turpentine (Dracophyllum) and it sprung back violently and caught me right in the eye. Decades of hunting in this stuff continually, first time it's got my eye. This scratched the cornea and left me unable to see clearly or judge depth. The remainder of the walk was very slow, and we arrived much too late. Then it took us about 20 minutes to find a suitable camp site.


While we were making dinner, a mob of deer with a nice stag appeared only 250m (300yds) from our tent. They just stood up in the head-high snow tussock. I wasn't able to see clearly to shoot, and wife was unfamiliar with my rifle and didn't feel confident with the shot.

Next morning my eye was a little better, so we did a short hunt before making our way slowly down.
Starting home. There are about 8 deer bedded down on the slopes in this photo, but not the one we were looking for.


Making our way back. Last night's camp site visible in the distance on the mountain tops.


We had a little tailwind for the take-off, as the airstrip is downhill. It was interesting as the Bearhawk needed most of the 200m (600ft) runway available. Good thing there is a steep bank at one end with a clear drop-off, carrier-launch take-off technique is possible.

Time for some new video content, while I sit at home with a busted back - wishing I was flying!

Nice video, brings back a few memories of flying in the area quite a few years ago.

Photos from a recent fishing trip and scouting mission to new airstrips

West coast of New Zealand






Back to the east side of the Alps for a little fishing







Weather wasn't so nice on the way home! Still VFR mind you....

Our latest offering, I had to learn a new video editor (took all day) and I am still a little rough around the edges....

Great video and I'm really happy to see you "tighten up” the oil access cover as well

Mapleflt wrote:Great video and I'm really happy to see you "tighten up” the oil access cover as well

Haha Try flying 650 hours watching that thing vibrate So much happier now!

We had to rebuild the whole cowl anyway, so it was an easy opportunity to reshape the oil door and strengthen the top cowl.

This is our first video with the new prop and extended hoerner wingtips fitted, it's a new-look and higher performing machine these days.

Keeping my dreams alive...

Zzz wrote:Keeping my dreams alive...

I really, really want to see that machine flying one day. The good things take time.

I honestly have no idea how you do everything you do, in just 24 hours a day.

Some video clips from a recent long weekend down the Southern Alps.

Gorgeous, Jon!!

Great video -----going to watch that often!!!!