Being Tom Cruise in Top Gun for a day

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So after an amazing evening on the Milford Sound we travelled back to Queenstown for another two nights of mayhem. On the way Dave dropped the group of at the airfield for myself and Alex to do the best thing EVER!!!!!.

As someone that really enjoys theme parks and all the rides, the chance to experience the ride of your life was something l was not goning to miss.

We arrived at JAGAIR and we were met by Rupert & Adam. Rupert a 20 year old pilot (Yes 20) who at first l thought was the pilots son!!!, took Alex up in the plane first over the fantastic lakes and mountains around Queenstown. the whole group had stayed to watch this awesome expereince.

WING IT YOUR WAY - WITH “JAG AIR”

This team has the expertise and passion to create fantastic flight experiences that will bring an ultimate adventure flight to life. Strapped inside the ultimate aerobatics aircraft, the Pitts Special, you experience the world as you’ve never seen it.

I picked the ultimate flying adventure with anything from extreme adrenaline-filled aerobatics with up to +6 and -3 Gs at over 300 kph, to a striking scenic flight over the Queenstown Basin with a difference.

Formed by Ray and Amy Mudgway in 2006 and named after the Jaguar fighter bombers Ray flew all over the world, JAG Air Adventure Aviation offers unique aerial experiences designed to suit anyone from the dare devil to the most cautious flyer.

AEROBATIC

You’re settled in and feeling great. The air is so smooth and you’re ready to ramp up the JAG Air experience. Start with some smooth gentle loops and a couple of easy rolls. Feeling great? It’s so smooth that you want to see more.

ADRENALINE FILLED

You will have watched the Red Bull Air Race on TV this is what you can do right here with JAG Air. Twist, turn and feel G forces that you thought could only ever be experienced by a few specialised pilots. See the world spin like crazy, watch the mountains turn to lake turn to air and back again in the blink of an eye. Not for the faint hearted but an experience unique to JAG Air and one you couldn’t possibly forget!

The Aircraft

You don’t take a ride in an ordinary aircraft at JAG Air. Instead, you experience one of the best aerobatic aircraft in the world - the classic and famous Pitts Special. The Pitts Special’s ability to perform high G manoeuvres and dance around the sky has made this aircraft one of the most famous and admired in the world. You can always rely on a Pitts Special to please hoards of spectators at airshows and now you can be the one everyone gazes skyward to admire and watch in awe!

My eyes popped out, with so much to see all around me!

So with Alex safe on the ground it was my turn to climb inside this tiny plane. Once strapped inside and with my headphones on it was time to make it to the airstrip. Rupert then made sure l was ok. Within seconds we had left the ground and climbing up towards the mountains. The scenery all around me was even better than from the ground and Rupert even took the plane as close as possilbe to the mountains edge. Then once he knew l was still ok the fun started.

By a quick twist of the rudder l was now flying up-side down and then climbing vertically up towards the sky, then complete silence as the plane then dropped downwards just as he turned the plane up-side down again. More twists and turns followed on this truly amazing flight. Then he did a 360 degree turn in quarter turns which really makes turn stomach turn (Still great). The 15 minutes was up so quick, so l decided to take the extra 10 minute option.

Rupert then took the plane in-between two of the mountain peaks and climbed again up to about 6500 feet. He then took the flight stunts to another level and after each stunt made sure l was ok. More and more the stunts continued and the views got better and better.

Soon l was back on the ground and the group were waiting for me. Again with my feet back on the ground and out of the plane (Getting out is not that easy) it was time to watch the DVD of this amazing journey. But you will have to wait until l get home to see this amazing film of me flying.

Back up high again

Once back in Queenstown we stopped off at the Skyline a cablecar that takes you to the top of one of the mountains overlooking Queenstown. Once inside the Cablecar with Jess, Tess & Christain you could really see how steep it climbs, but the views were truly amazing and could picture the setting in winter when snow would be all around. Once at the top and the rest of the group were there we spents some time looking at the views of Queenstown below us and the Ledge Bungy Jump that was beside us.

It was time then for a relaxing drink in the bar overlooking this remarkable view and Queenstown and its neigbouring towns. we watched boats come and go on the lakes and even small aircraft taking people on scenic flights.

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Photos

The Cockpit
Small and compact