Glenorchy Air was established as a family-owned and operated business by Robert and Janet Rutherford in November at 1992. Named after Glenorchy, a beautiful township at the head of Lake Wakatipu, they operated one Cessna 185C Skywagon, ZK-CHK.

Operations expanded to locations all across the South Island, including Taiaroa Head at the end of the Otago Peninsula where passengers would visit the rare Yellow-Eyed Penguins.

The fleet doubles with the purchase of a Piper PA32-300 Cherokee Six.

When filming for Lord of the Rings was taking place, Glenorchy Air transported members of the cast and crew and film equipment. This included producer Barrie Osbourne and actor Sir Ian McKellen.

Glenorchy Air establishes its base within the Queenstown Airport terminal. This continues to serve as our hub to this day. Come visit us today!

Gippsaero GA8 ZK-LOR is purchased. It was the first brand new aircraft to arrive on the flight scene in Queenstown since 1975.

A second brand new Gippsaero GA8 Airvan, ZK-JRR,  joins the Glenorchy Air fleet.

Glenorchy Air added its third Gippsaero GA8 Airvan, ZK-ZEA, to the fleet in April 2015.

On 1 July 2019, James Stokes, a pilot of Glenorchy Air since 2015, purchased the company. The company underwent a modern rebranding.

Glenorchy Air purchased a brand new Cessna 206 Stationair HD from Cessna in Kansas, USA. This beautiful and modern machine arrived in Queenstown in December 2019.

Cessna custom build a 208B Grand Caravan Ex for Glenorchy Air, ZK-MMZ. It arrived in Queenstown in September 2020.