Our team is at the heart and soul of everything we do. From our experienced pilots to our friendly ground crew, every member of our team is dedicated to providing you with a safe, comfortable, and unforgettable experience. Our pilots aren’t just highly trained professionals – they’re storytellers, guides, and adventurers at heart. Their knowledge of local weather patterns and terrain allows the to navigate the Southern Alps, Milford Sound, and Fiordland with precision. Our friendly ground crew makes sure your experience is seamless from start to finish. From booking your flight to stepping on board, they are here to answer your questions, help with logistics, and make sure everything runs smoothly. Take some time to learn more about our amazing team below.
As well as his role as a company pilot, James is the training captain at Glenorchy Air, helps with maintenance planning and is also our CAA flight examiner. James is passionate about all things aviation and can usually be found learning about, talking about or flying planes. When not at work he is exploring the South Island or at home spending time with his lovely wife Kirstin and daughter Piper.
Megan has been flying locally since the early 2000's amongst the mountains of Queenstown and Milford Sound. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, biking and skiing and being at home in Wanaka with her wee dog Freddy. She loves having fantastic new aircraft to fly!
Michael is a born and bred Kiwi and has held many different roles in the aviation industry. He has recently moved back to Queenstown with his family and rejoined the Glenorchy Air team after some time spent in Auckland.
Michaela moved to Queenstown in 2017 having fallen in love with the mountains, the lakes, the coastline and the kiwi spirit whilst here on holiday. Her passion for aviation comes from time spent working for private jets and commercial airlines both on the ground and in the air in the UK. When she’s not at work she’ll likely be found out hiking or frequenting Perky’s floating bar.
Joe grew up just outside of London but decided to make the move over to New Zealand in January 2018 and landed in Queenstown in March. In winter you'll find him up the mountains and in summer playing frisbee golf! All year round he will be annoying colleagues with his terrible sense of humour.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest in the US, Kirstin moved to Central Otago over 15 years ago and quickly fell in love with New Zealand. She worked for the iconic kiwi brand Icebreaker as part of their original eCommerce team. She spends all of her time with her daughter Piper and husband James exploring the beautiful South Island.
Will is our Queenstown local and has been flying in the area since 2003. He'll be happy to share his knowledge and local secrets.
Jim's our American expat. He came to New Zealand in 2005 and decided to stay. When asked about living in New Zealand, he jokes that "I came over for just a three month flying job...It's been a long three months!"
Originally from Auckland, Conner moved to Queenstown to further pursue his passion and career in aviation. Outside of work, you'll find him hiking in the beautiful Central Otago region or participating in a range of difference sports including golf, squash and tennis.
Ben grew up in Dunedin, but now calls Arrowtown home. Having recently returned to the company after a short stint overseas, Ben's realised that Central Otago is the place to be. Outside of work he can be found hiking or playing golf.
Originally from the Canterbury Plains, Joseph has decided he prefers Otago Planes and recently made the move south. You'll frequently find Joseph behind a guitar, in the squash court, or in his garage under his car which he works on in his spare time.
Rob has recently moved down to Queenstown from Christchurch to join our team. When he's not at the airport, you'll find him flying gliders and enjoying the running and mountain bikes trails.
Isabel is an Otago local and has a big passion for aviation. Outside of work, you will often find her in a dance studio or spending time with family and friends.
Originally from Essex, England, Katie has been travelling abroad for nearly a decade, visiting over 50 countries on 6 continents. After living in Turkey and Australia, she moved to Queenstown with her partner and welcomed their son.
Raised in Wellington, Shura knows what a real windy day is like! She lived on Ohakune on the North Island for over a decade as a snowboard instructor, but has been pulled down south by the biking and snow in Queenstown.
Ancy comes to us from a place named Bhopal, situated in the heart of incredible India. She moved to Queenstown in 2017 to pursue her career in Tourism and Hospitality. She holds a diploma with the International Air Transport Association, which is where her passion for aviation came from. Ancy loves exploring new brunch places in Queenstown.
Originally from Whanganui, Dana moved down south to Queenstown in January of 2020 to pursue a career in tourism. When not at work, Dana enjoys spending time with Kepler the cat.
Originally from the UK, Emma adventured to Australia before coming to visit New Zealand. After a couple of weeks, she fell in love with Queenstown and signed on to stay for the next year. In her spare time, Emma loves to explore all Queenstown has on offer.
This is a Half Day experience. From check in 30 minutes before departure, to landing back at Queenstown Airport, is approximately 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Please note, this does not include time for self-driving or using our complimentary transfers. If you have plans immediately either side of your experience with us, please let us know.
It’s always a good time to fly! If the option is there, we would suggest either our 9.00am or 1.30pm departures. Please note, our 1.30pm departure time is only available at certain times of the year. Whilst we cannot guarantee it, Milford Sound can sometimes be a little bit quieter at these times.
We suggest you bring the following with you to make it a great day out:
Your flights between Queenstown and Milford Sound are approximately 40 minutes each way.
Your Nature Cruise through Milford Sound with our partners Southern Discoveries is 1 hour 45 mins.
No, lunch is not included. When making your booking online, you have the option to add a picnic lunch for an additional cost that will be ready for you on the cruise. We have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options available.
Complimentary tea, coffee and water is available. A selection of small snacks are available to purchase onboard. You are also welcome to bring snacks of your own.
Yes, the cruise has a large indoor area with comfortable seating and tables.
Your cruise through Milford Sound is on a boat with a large open-top deck and comfy interior cabins with full-height windows for optimal viewing. Take in the stunning scenery of Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls, Copper Point, and the Tasman Sea. Keep an eye out for seals, dolphins and penguins.
We would say the cruise is suitable for all ages.
Yes, there is a nappy changing facility onboard the cruise.
Our pilots will always look at the forecast for the full duration of your trip and if we feel like the weather may change, we will not leave Queenstown. Due to the weather-dependent nature of flying in the Southern Alps to Milford Sound, it is unfortunate that there are very rare occasions where the forecast changes on us and although uncommon, it can be a case that we are unable to operate the return flight. The safety of our passengers is always our highest priority and in the unlikely event that this ever occurs, we will arrange coach transfers back to Queenstown. We fully appreciate the inconvenience this will cause and do everything we can to look after our passengers.
