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NEW ZEALAND
ARDMORE (NZAR)
Very friendly, ask at each hangar for access.
Added 25 February 2008
ASHBURTON (NZAS/ASG)
Lots of hangars housing lots of residents but they’re usually closed up. Friendly, ask for access. The Ashburton Aviation Museum is usually only open on Saturdays, but often has extended opening hours to cater for potential visitors heading down to Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow.
Added 29 March 2008
AUCKLAND (NZAA/AKL)
To get to the International terminal from the domestic, you can either follow the footpath between the two terminals, marked by a blue line or there is a free bus that shuttles back and forth every 20 minutes. The walk is better has you have the chance of seeing what action there is. A good idea for the International terminal is to walk past it and head for the fence where the taxis park up. From here you can see what is parked on the odd numbered piers, though this view will be blocked soon, as new piers are going up. Now go back inside and head for the departures, past the shops and food area and up the escalator. On your way to the viewing area you'll pass the Spinnaker Bar and the Jean Batten story. The viewing area is just around the corner and up the stairs, though there are no facilities. Once up there you get a decent panoramic view of the International apron and the runway, but you can’t see any tails of stuff on the odd numbered piers due to the roof – hence the walk mentioned earlier. Anything arriving or departing will pass this point at some stage. There’s no seating, but the seating area below gives the same views. It starts to get interesting around 11.00am when the first of the international flights arrive and will go on for about 2-3 hours. To the right of the domestic terminal is where the Great Barrier and Air Post fleet reside. Spinnakers bar also provides good views. The last viewing area is off the airport, by the roadside just off 23 threshold and with the best view of all. To get here a car is essential as there are no facilities of any kind and it's a good 30-40 minute walk. The area is at the Pukaki bridge. To get here from the domestic car park go back to the roundabout and turn right. You'll go past the ANZ maintenance hangers, another chance to log as you go past. At the DHL building turn left up to the roundabout and turn right. As you go over the bridge the best side to go is on the left as it is higher than the one on the right. The viewing area by the roadside just off 23 threshold, having a quick look in the hangars on the way past. This viewing area is OK if 23 is in use, but not much good for 05 as the aircraft turn off too soon on landing and are too high to read by the time they reach you on take off. Airside there are views from the seating areas between gates.
Updated 3 January 2008
CARDRONA ADVENTURE PARK
A helipad on the 'direct' Wanaka to Queenstown road, about a km or so out of Cardrona itself on the Wanaka side, actually at the Cardrona Adventure Park. Nordic Helicopters have a hangar here but no office, so you're unlikely to see anything unless you're lucky enough to be there at the right time.
Added 29 March 2008
CHRISTCHURCH (NZCH/CHC)
In the domestic terminal, head up the stairs, follow signs for cafe/bar and as you get to the top, turn right and within 4 metres there are two doors. Through these doors and up some more stairs is the open air viewing area. This outside deck is free and stretches out along one of the piers. There is seating available and a restaurant/food court inside the terminal immediately underneath. Views of the airfield are excellent with only the extreme corners of the ramp, the cargo ramp, NZ maintenance and some of the International stands out of view. A great place for photos and logging. The viewing area mainly covers the domestic terminal, so ANZ, ANZ link and Jetconnect aren't a problem. Both runways are in view and across from the terminal is the Canterbury Aero Club, which you will need a good pair of bins for. Go back down stairs and turn left - this leads to the International terminal. Christchurch's terminals are in the same building complex. Go as far you can and exit the building, walk straight through the car hire bays to the chain link fence and hopefully you should see some Hercs and various other freighters belonging to the US Antarctic expedition. A quick drive around the airport roads will lead you to all the areas out of view of the viewing deck - including the US Air Force parking area.
Updated 3 January 2008
CROMWELL
Situated on the local racecourse just to the west of the town. The airfield is also quite popular during Wanaka shows as it's fairly close to Wanaka itself.
Added 29 March 2008
DAIRY FLAT
Very friendly, ask at the Aero Club for access.
Added 25 February 2008
MOUNT COOK
Owned by the Mount Cook group, and home base of Mount Cook Ski Planes.
Added 29 March 2008
OMARAMA (NZOA)
Gliding field with three large hangars for gliders, and loads of glider trailers. Friendly, ask for airside access and to hangars. The nose of Dakota ZK-AWO is currently used as an advertising signpost at the entrance to the airfield.
Added 29 March 2008
PUKAKI (NZUK/TWZ)
Friendly, ask for access. There's also an agricultural strip just to the south of Pukaki airfield - it's almost visible from the airfield itself, but does have a separate runway. It's only visible when approaching from the north - if you're coming from the south, it's hidden behind a line of trees until you've gone round the bend in the road, in which case it's then behind you. Like most ag strips, it's just pot luck as to whether anything will be there.
Added 29 March 2008
TEKAPO (NZTL)
Private airfield owned and operated by Air Safaris. Unless they're out doing sight seeing tours you'll probably see almost the whole Air Safaris fleet here, but you're unlikely to see anything else. Friendly, ask for access.
Added 29 March 2008
TWIZEL
The Helicopter Line have a helipad in the town, visible from the main highway, with a couple of pads.
Added 29 March 2008
WELLINGTON (NZWN/WLG)
The car park at the side of the runway at Lyall Bay has good views.
Added 7 April 2008
WHARE KEA LODGE
This is a small and very basic airstrip (just a grass runway and windsock), about 4 km from the centre of Wanaka on the road to Glendhu Bay, accessed via the road to the luxury Whare Kea Lodge (it can be seen from the main road). There probably won't be anything here on a normal day, but during the Wanaka airshow there's usually something present that prefers this to Wanaka itself.
Added 29 March 2008