Milford Sound is a world-renowned natural wonder with towering peaks and cascading waterfalls. It is truly an iconic destination in New Zealand.
It’s also home to one of New Zealand’s coolest airports: Milford Sound Airport (NZMF).
Landing at NZMF presents a number of challenges and requires thorough preparation.
Below is a video of my approach and landing at Milford Sound following several weeks of planning and waiting for the perfect weather window. The weather for this flight couldn’t have been better: cloudless skies and low winds made for some brilliant flying. Landing in Milford was somewhat challenging as the Cirrus has a fast approach speed and it’s a relatively short runway (plus no headwind to slow our groundspeed). As you’ll see in the video, the landing was “positive”.
After Milford we flew down the coast to Doubtful Sound before coming back over Lake Manapouri.
Landing at Milford Sound was a thrilling experience and I think it should be a rite of passage for any New Zealand pilot.
If you’re a visiting pilot to New Zealand, reach out to one of the flight schools in Wanaka to arrange a flight to Milford with an instructor. It’s an experience you won’t forget!
Andrew Schofield 