An interview with Mount Cook Ski Planes / Helicopters

Interview with Richard Royds from Mount Cook Ski Planes / Helicopters

Marijke: "Could you tell me about Mount Cook Ski Planes and Helicopters?"

Richard:  "We offer a unique opportunity for our customers to set foot on the Tasman Glacier, the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere, and before scenic flights inaccessible to all but the best climbers.  We fly from Mount Cook Airport up the Tasman Valley offering spectacular views of the Tasman Terminal Lake, Aoraki/Mount Cook, The Hochstetter Icefall and other dramatic points of scenic interest, before landing by Ski Plane or Helicopter on the Tasman Glacier.  After the landing the passengers are able to alight on the snow and enjoy fabulous scenery and pristine snow in the midst of the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and World Heritage Area.  The return flight follows a route closer to the superb sites below the Aoraki/Mount Cook summit including the formidable Caroline Face and the Ball Glacier."

Marijke: "What do your customers particularly enjoy about the experience?"

Richard: "In the Ski Plane the passengers enjoy a flight and landing in a type almost unknown outside our area, and worldwide we believe we are the only company to offer the experience year round.  The landing itself is quite spectacular, often so smooth the passengers are not sure they have landed until the aircraft comes to a stop.  The pilot stops the engine before disembarking the passengers on to the snow, so they can experience the magical “natural quiet” of the mountains.  For some it is the first time in their lives they have experienced total quiet.

In the Helicopter the passengers experience the thrill of the unique helicopter characteristics, following the same flight path as the ski planes, and landing at the same or similar sites.  While the engine is usually kept running the experience is also superb, and our passengers almost always say their flight is the high point of their visit to New Zealand."

Marijke: "What’s new this season?"

Richard:  "For this season we have a range of optional flights to provide more flexibility to our passengers while giving the same spectacular experience, and for returning passengers the mountains are always changing with snow pack and conditions never the same on consecutive days or years."

Contact details:Name business:     Aoraki Mount Cook Ski Planes Ltd
Website address:   http://www.mtcookskiplanes.com/
Email:  info@mtcookskiplanes.com
Contact person:    Trish or Anne
Phone: +64 430 8034