Haven't done that many flights in New Zealand compared to most people.

Anyone still flying in New Zealand lately?

I have some of the payware by NZA, but might pickup their newest (Christchurch).

Christchurch worth it?

 

 

Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown,  Milford Sound and the Bay of Islands are all worth a visit.  Addon scenery is available for all of them.

Everything about NZ is great. Love flying there in the Sim and making videos. Honeymoon there many years ago and been back several times since then, including for the famous “Warbirds Over Wanaka”. Just a short hop from Melbourne, Australia! Cheers.

16 minutes ago, FrankPilot said:

Everything about NZ is great. Love flying there in the Sim and making videos. Honeymoon there many years ago and been back several times since then, including for the famous “Warbirds Over Wanaka”. Just a short hop from Melbourne, Australia! Cheers.

Well, it's 1,336 miles -- I guess short is a relative term. But I agree, NZ is fantastic.

I flew all over New Zealand last week   on a Tour for my VA Airline, all GA flights. Pretty country, and some really challenging  airports. 

Edited June 3, 20233 yr by Bobsk8

16 hours ago, Alpine Scenery said:

Haven't done that many flights in New Zealand compared to most people.

Anyone still flying in New Zealand lately?

I have some of the payware by NZA, but might pickup their newest (Christchurch).

Christchurch worth it?

 

 

Definitely worth it. NZA do some good work and having visited most of our major airports (any many of the minor ones) in a previous life, I can say that NZA do excellent renditions. As to the flying flying environment, it is most definitely picturesque with a mixture of pastoral country, coastal, island, mountainous and alpine scenery, the latter of which should fit you to a tee.😀  

While NZAA and NZWN and at times NZCH can all be busy the airways environment is not too taxing if you want to experience that. Otherwise just go where your eyeballs wander to and enjoy Aotearoa, New Zealand. You might even see a Kiwi 😉. But remember, you're downunder, so you will be flying like this 🙃     

NZA Simulations is also currently working on a massive Milford Sounds scenery together with Serigo Del Rosso (who has already developed a Milford Sound scenery which sadly is not compatible anymore).

So, yes, NZ is still very much a great place to fly. Live weather has it’s problem’s though as the resolution of it’s snow map isn’t great. So whole regions are covered in snow even though irl only the mountain tops are covered. There is no issue with custom weather, so you might want to use the excellent NZ weather presets from zkd0s from flightsim.to. 

Here are some flight plans for GA aircraft, from my VA. Warning, some of the approaches are a real challenge. 

I flew all these in the Kodiak. 

Invercargill Airport (NZNV)    Manapouri Airport (NZMO)   
2    Manapouri Airport (NZMO)    Milford Sound Airport (NZMF)    
3    Milford Sound Airport (NZMF)    Mount Cook Airport (NZMC)   
4    Mount Cook Airport (NZMC)    Westport Airport (NZWS)    
5    Westport Airport (NZWS)    Nelson Airport (NZNS) 
6    Nelson Airport (NZNS)    Paraparaumu Airport (NZPP)   
7    Paraparaumu Airport (NZPP)    New Plymouth Airport (NZNP)   
8    New Plymouth Airport (NZNP)    Raglan Airfield (NZRA)    
9    Raglan Airfield (NZRA)    Dargaville Aerodrome (NZDA)   
10    Dargaville Aerodrome (NZDA)    Kaitaia Airport (NZKT)   
11    Kaitaia Airport (NZKT)    Whangarei Airport (NZWR)    
12    Whangarei Airport (NZWR)    Ardmore Airport (NZAR)    
13    Ardmore Airport (NZAR)    Rotorua (NZRO)    
14    Rotorua (NZRO)    Gisborne Airport (NZGS)    
15    Gisborne Airport (NZGS)    Hawke's Bay Aiport (NZNR)    
16    Hawke's Bay Aiport (NZNR)    Hood Airport (NZMS)    
17    Hood Airport (NZMS)    Kaikoura Airport (NZKI)    
18    Kaikoura Airport (NZKI)    Greymouth Airport (NZGM)    
19    Greymouth Airport (NZGM)    Glentanner Airport (NZGT)    
20    Glentanner Airport (NZGT)    Wanaka Airport (NZWF)

Timely post by the OP as I just did a flight in the Kodiak last night from NZCH west toward NZHK, then north, landing at NZWS Westport. 8500', absolutely gorgeous scenery. Yes, some of us are still flying in New Zealand and enjoying it.

NZA Simulations Christchurch - I think the reviews out there sum it up pretty well. Just about to pick up that scenery this morning. Good review of it on YouTube by Kiwi Mace (embedded below). I'd also recommend their Mt. Cook scenery package.

 

I like flying out of Nelson.

Evening in the eastern US means it's daytime in New Zealand. Live weather VFR flights of reasonable distance in the CRJ or E175.

I don't understand why weather stations are so scarce tho.

I used to fly in New Zealand exclusively, pretty much what I did in P3D too. I took a break to fly in Australia and UK/Ireland for a while, but am back in New Zealand. I hate the crappy weather with only three reporting stations, the continual snow in Milford, and I'm now seeing the weird ground tile issues in random places, but I still love it. Dunedin in the south and Hamilton in the north are my favorites, but I have no add-ons there. And as Twenty6 said above, it's perfect living in the US and flying after work since it's daytime in New Zealand.

Fly North from Nelson VFR to Durville Island and thru the narrow French pass, sorry can't the Island is missing just there but the Boats and jettys are floating were they should be except on the island for them to attach to