Glenorchy Air

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Glenorchy Air's Gippsland Aeronautics GA 8 Airvan on the ground at Milford Airfield
Glenorchy Air's Gippsland Aeronautics GA 8 Airvan on the ground at Milford Airfield

Glenorchy Air is a scenic flight and air charter company based at Queenstown Airport, New Zealand. The company is owned by Janet and Robert Rutherford who founded it in 1992. The company was started with just one aeroplane, a Cessna 185, registration ZK CHK. With the expansion of the business, a second aircraft, a Piper Cherokee Six 300, ZK DOJ, was purchased in 1996. The company still operates this aeroplane. The Cessna 185 was sold in 2003 when it was replaced by a brand new Gippsland Aeronautics GA8 Airvan ZK LOR.

Contents

[edit] Lord of the Rings involvement

Glenorchy Air became involved in the making of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy in 1999 when it transported members of the cast, crew and equipment around the southern half of the South Island of New Zealand. This included flying producer Barrie Osbourne on reconnaissance trips to Paradise, Poolburn and Ben Ohau. The Airvan was so named because of Glenorchy Air's involvement during the making of the trilogy. Glenorchy Air now provides tours to some of the locations used in the filming of Lord of the Rings.[1]

[edit] Services

Glenorchy Air mostly operates scenic flights between Queenstown and Milford Sound as well as some Mount Cook and glacier flights. Flights can be made to and from Glenorchy as well as Taiaroa Head in Dunedin.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Frodo Franchise, Kirstin Thompson (2007), Penguin Books, pp285-286 and p288.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links