|
Southern Soaring is New Zealand's
longest established commercial gliding business.
The Southern Soaring Team is dedicated to giving
you an enjoyable experience and providing quality service. We like
meeting people as much as we like flying. Sharing the joys of gliding
is what we do best!
Chris Rudge
CFI/Director
|
Chris has been flying gliders and powered aircraft
since 1984. He has 20 years of gliding instructing experience behind him
and has completed over 5000 tows as a tow pilot. He also holds New Zealand
and Canadian commercial licences for aeroplanes and balloons, and has flown
helicopters. He was the first New Zealander (and one of only a few people
in the world) to log 1000 hours each on gliders, balloons and aeroplanes.
In addition to holding four New Zealand national aviation records, he has
been flying gliders at Omarama for 21 years. Other achievements include
being the author of two aviation books and visiting Antarctica eight times.
|
Mike Till
Senior
Instructor
|
Mike
joined the Southern Soaring team in 2005. With over 10,000 glider hours
and over 2000 hours towing, Mike isn't new to the gliding game! He has worked
at the Coventry and London Gliding clubs in the UK – as well as with the
Wellington Gliding Club during New Zealand ’s summer months. Mike will make
your gliding experience pleasurable, whether you are trying it for the first
time or are learning advanced soaring. |
Don Mallinson
Senior Instructor
|
Don
has been in aviation all his life and has over 24,000 hours flying time.
He has flown military jets (including Lightnings, Sabres and Mig 21s!) and
classic aircraft (such as Spitfires and P-51 Mustangs). Currently flying
for the Singapore government as a check pilot, he owns his own gliders and
is a B Cat instructor. As well as teaching aerobatics, Don loves meeting
new people and scenic flying is one of his specialities. |
Darren Smith
Tow
Pilot/Instructor
|
Darren Smith is an experienced pilot with
over 2000 hours fixed-wing time (1100 of this being in tail-dragger aircraft)
and over 1000 hours as a glider pilot. During the off-season he flies
gliders and tow planes in Canada and works in New Zealand flying a Cresco
aircraft on sky diving operations out of Queenstown and Wanaka.
|
Gavin Wrigley
Senior
Instructor
|
Gavin Wrigley first flew
for Southern Soaring in 2004. During the 2009 NZ winter he was instructing
as Deputy CFI at Husbands Bosworth in England. Total time in gliders is 4000.
Originally from Yorkshire, he has been based in Darwin, Australia, since 1978.
He owns his own motorglider, which he uses between seasons to teach flying
to pupils at The Essington School in Darwin. He is among the few who have
regularly soared the world famous Morning Glory wave over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
An experienced yachtsman, Gavin has a circumnavigation of the globe in a
10m sloop among his many accomplishments.
|
Rod Dew
Equipment Manager
|
Rod
Dew joined the team in 2006 and has been a great asset in helping prepare
gliders and equipment each day. Rod, who has been gliding since 1992, is
well known for his work as Sports Editor for the Christchurch Press and in
writing Master of The Wave,
the biography of Terry Delore. His help on the airfield ensures a smooth
operation and his ability to talk to visitors about all aspects of gliding
is greatly appreciated.
|
Adam Dalziel
Instructor/Tow Pilot
|
Adam
Dalziel has been flying for Southern Soaring since the company began. He
initially worked for the Canadian Armed Services as a gliding instructor
and tow pilot, but now pilots a Cessna Caravan on survey work in Africa. He
is a valued member of the team and helps out over the peak summer period.
|
Nick Wyngaarden
Tow Pilot
|
Nic
Wyngaarden joined the Southern Soaring Team as a tow pilot in September 2009.
Nick came from Mainland Air, Otago's premier flight training and business
air charter provider, where he worked as a "C" Cat Instructor. Towing runs
in the family blood as his grandfather, Malcolm Walls, also flew as a tow
pilot with Southern Soaring! |
Irene and Les
Lamb - Directors
The
owners of a major art gallery in Gairloch, Scotland, Les and Irene Lamb
have been visiting Omarama for over eleven years. A keen dry fly fisherman,
Les was initially attracted to Omarama due to its reputation as an excellent
place to catch trout. In the 2006/2007 season, he did a trial flight with
Southern Soaring and then completed a Learn-to-Fly Course. He liked the experience
so much, he decided to buy the business!
"I love Omarama, and had a great time with the guys at Southern Soaring
during the course. There was a great camaraderie among the staff, who were
clearly very talented and knowledgeable."
Irene, who is a Postmistress with a background in banking, manages
the Southern Soaring office over the four-month peak period of the season
and, together with Les, helps promote the company's new products.
|
|
|