Glenorchy Air

Glenorchy Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
- - -
Founded 1992
Hubs Queenstown, New Zealand
Secondary hubs Glenorchy, New Zealand
Subsidiaries Kiwi Shuttles
Fleet size 4
Destinations Milford Sound, Mount Cook, Mt Aspiring, Fox Glacier, Lord of the Rings locations.
Headquarters Queenstown Airport, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Key people Robert Rutherford (Chief Pilot/Owner) Janet Rutherford (CEO)[1]
Website http://www.glenorchyair.co.nz

Glenorchy Air is a scenic flight and air charter company based at Queenstown Airport, New Zealand. The company is owned by Janet and Robert Rutherford who founded it in 1992. The company was started with just one aeroplane, a Cessna 185. With the expansion of the business, a second aircraft, a Piper Cherokee Six 300, was purchased in 1996. The Cessna 185 was sold in 2003 when it was replaced by a brand new Gippsland Aeronautics GA8 Airvan. The company took delivery of a second Airvan in 2013 and a third replaced the Cherokee 6 in 2015 .[2]

Services

Glenorchy Air mostly operates scenic flights between Queenstown and Milford Sound[3] as well as some Mount Cook and glacier flights. Flights can be made to and from Glenorchy as well as Taiaroa Head in Dunedin. Charter flights are also available.[4]

During the winter ski season Glenorchy Air offers flights to Treble Cone.[5]

These flights have received high ratings for customer satisfaction [6]

Glenorchy Air's Gippsland Aeronautics GA 8 Airvan on the ground at Milford Airfield

Lord of the Rings involvement

Glenorchy Air became involved in the making of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy in 1999 when it transported members of the cast, crew and equipment around the southern half of the South Island of New Zealand. This included flying producer Barrie Osbourne on reconnaissance trips to Paradise, Poolburn and Ben Ohau. Glenorchy Air now provides tours to some of the locations used in the filming of Lord of the Rings.[7][8]

Fuel efficiency research

In 2010 the airline, along with seven other companies including two other Queenstown flight operators, Real Journeys and the Helicopter line, took part research to determine optimum fuel efficiency. The research was of the New Zealand Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme, which was a partnership between the Tourism Industry Association and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

Glenorchy installed technology which showed how much fuel its aircraft were burning on a per litre an hour basis. It also installed GPS technology to inform pilots of their ground speed. This enabled them to determine the optimum altitude for fuel savings.[9]

Fleet

Aircraft Number
Gippsland GA8 3
Cessna 172 1

See also

Milford Sound Airport

References

  1. ↑ Fairfax NZ News (5 June 2008). "Airport readies for night flights". Southland Times. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Flight company receives 2nd GA8 Airvan". Otago Daily Times. 13 Aug 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  3. ↑ Dodgshun, Joe (24 Jan 2012). "Off to Milford Sound for a paddle". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Heavy snow strands tourists - Glenorchy Air to the rescue". Southland Times. 15 Jul 2006. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "How to get to Treble Cone". Treble Cone. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Glenorchy Air: Traveller Reviews". Trip Advisor. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  7. ↑ BROOKE, JAMES (22 December 2002). "A Long Journey Rewarded". New York Times. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  8. ↑ The Frodo Franchise, Kirstin Thompson (2007), Penguin Books, pp285-286 and p288.
  9. ↑ Tourist airlines polish up on fuel efficiency, Shane Cowlishaw, Southland Times, 26 March 2010

External links

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