MSFS 2020 - The Wanaka Tour

[Charl]

I've been exploring the NZA Wanaka Region scenery.
As expected, it's very good indeed.
I thought I'd drop these here now, since we are sort of at the "End" of FS2020.
And it might be interesting to see what FS2024 does with the area, later on.
Being custom scenery, I don't expect Too Much, really.

It's rather a lot, but then: it is rather a lot.
Here we go:







You could play in this region for a very long time; Queenstown is just over the hill, Milford Sound down the road, and then there are all the Huts...

[Splitpin]

Charl ....beautiful

[Charl]

Thank you, Marty.
Brace yourself, there will be many more from this region.

I have just parked the helo's and dusted off the Wilga!


Maybe ZK-NEV will be my first crack at painting a MSFS plane...

[Splitpin]

[Charl]

My flightsim box has been repaired and upgraded a little - graphics and RAM (for FS24, eventually).

Meantime... a check drive around Wanaka to see if everything works.
Seems OK, found this little island in Lake Wanaka, I suppose it has a name.



Ah but there is more than one way to camp out on a remote little island! and so invited a couple of friends along.

[jankees]

wonderful shots!

[Charl]

Thank you JanKees.

I know one should be making the most of the local waters with the Catalina, but this one popped up in the Marketplace and I thought ah well.

[cowpatz]

Is there a way to tether or anchor a float or seaplane in the sim? Or does it just stay where it stops?

[Charl]

Not that I've seen... they stay put where they stop, and may just weathercock into the the wind if it is strong enough.

Brace yourself, there will be many more from this region.
I have just parked the helo's and dusted off the Wilga!

Forgot about these...
Being a round tour, afraid once more it is a whole bunch to digest!



The Wilga can stop pretty much anywhere the helo's can











It's the kind of scenery where you can take two screenshots at the same stopover. And so I did.



And back at base camp

[Splitpin]

Superb shots Charl, the Makarora shots are super accurate.

Way back in my tour coach driving days, that was a comfort stop heading to Queenstown from Greymouth. I discovered the best mince and cheese pies there (Jimmy's)
Its also the place I lost a passenger. Those tours were unescorted , so I was it, steering, providing the commentary, first aid, marriage guidance...you name it.
Anyway, I had a full load (50 pax) and the head count was easy ...one head in each seat...lets go, having clearly stated the door closed time. Turns out I made the mistake of including a fur hat on a headrest as a head ...from my view point.
The owner of the hat had decided to have stroll around the village. We departed ... no body thought to mention that the guy wasn't on board.
I got to a point just past "the neck" between Wanaka and Hawea and was flagged down by a police car coming the other way. He told me there was a van about 15 minutes behind me with my , until then unknown lost sheep.
He arrived, gave me a right royal verbal and took his seat. However I got my own back....I noticed him heading to the toilet. By gently moving the steering wheel side to side would translate to quite swing in the rare...Im pretty sure he would have had to dry his shoes. He was first on board for next few days.
Sorry to hijack this Charl ...those screens reived those memories.

[Adamski]

Marty ... you *cad*!

[Charl]

Marty you sure have "Been Around"!
Great to get anecdotes like this, thanks.

I do love going to places in the sim before landing there IRL.
This is on my list now, never been beyond Wanaka airport!

[Splitpin]

Sorry again to hijack your post. For some reason it opened a flood gate of memories.
I'll start something in the off topic thread.
I'm enjoying the tour....get yourself up to the neck", amazing views of both lakes and Mt Aspiring.
Re the islands in Wanaka, there are 3, cant remember the names of two of them...could google I suppose....but we used to take the boat out to Ruby island.

[Charl]

Ruby rings a bell

I guess sooner or later I will fall off the Wanaka map, but this part of the world is well endowed with FS spots, which just roll on and on...

It started with a little freeware helipad at Homers Tunnel.
Alas one of the updates or NZA addons ate it and it sat up the mountain.
Definitely a straight through the mountain requirement so in the bin.
The fallback is probably better in fact.



How to pick a route? There is so much rugged terrain to explore, ah well just go west a little



Down the road from Milford Sound I came across this little bush strip: Hollyford Track



Plenty here for those looking for driftwood, rocks and flora



So let's go look at the Sound from the back



I love to chase trains, boats, anything that moves.
It keeps the flying skills on right side of brain



I learned recently that Milford Sound isn't.
It is a Fjord, carved by glacier.
Also: it's the only NZ fjord accessible by land!