NZFF

After a week in Kaikoura I failed to see one whale so I'm off to the highest peak in NZ; Mt Cook for some sight seeing.

Early 6:00am start



Climbing to 12000 ft



Close up of the Reality XP GPS - about the same functions as the real thing (Garmin GNS 530) - still many functions I need to work out - here we are heading south and easing our way from the coast (sorry the screen is bit blurry - it is not like that on the sim)



Climbing through 5000ft and on our way to 12000ft to clear the Mts and clouds



Cruising at 12000 ft - the highest I have been on the entire trip





The landscape is looking considerably more mountainous than any other stage of our trip



Passing over Lake Tekapo



Now descending into the Alps - hope these MS controllers don't send me into a cloud covered ridge



Oh! - if I do what they say I will hit the ridge



The descent into Mt Cook field was rather treachorous to say the least - My first approach was a mess I had to go around as I couldn't see the airfield due to low cloud and then ended up in the middle of more cloud on the go round and getting awfully close to being a splatter mark on the side of a mountain. My landing was spot on though.






Lots of actvity here despite the weather - Squirrels, Islanders, Porters , Jetrangers & 185s.

Heh as we all know Mainlanders are a different breed.
IFR elsewhere is just your common day trip down here
That Baron really is a good looking model, nice shots Naki.

Great screenies- the aircraft and enviroment look really realisic there :thumbsup:

Nice Naki, and Nice Baron

Thanks guys - Yes I should just turn of RL weather and enjoy the view - but I guess that wouldn't be realistic - I guess that is why they call NZ the Land of The Long White Cloud - next leg is a just a short hop to Tekapo. Somewhere in this trip (don't know where yet - it is a moving target) I am going to pick up a new plane and fly it back to Tauranga.