Biplane Flights The Team

Chris Rudge
Chief Pilot and Director

Chris has been flying gliders and powered aircraft since 1984. As a tow pilot flying "tail dragger aircraft", he has completed over 5000 launches. His total time in aircraft exceeds 4400 hours. 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 aeroplanes, gliders and balloons. In addition to holding four New Zealand national aviation records, he has been flying in the area around Aoraki Mt Cook for 23 years and was the Chief Flying Instructor for the Southern Soaring gliding company from February 2006 until April 2010. Other achievements include being the author of two aviation books and visiting Antarctica eight times.

Tarn Jones
Director

Tarn has had an interest in aviation, Mount Cook and the outdoors for much of her life. She has worked as cabin crew for Mount Cook Airlines for over 23 years. Prior to that she worked for a season in Antarctica at McMurdo Station on Ross Island, where she met Chris. She has travelled extensively in North America, explored the Pacific countries of Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the Solomon Islands, and hiked in the Nepalese Himalaya. Other interests include kayaking, mountain biking, whale watching and helping run a community garden in Lyttelton.

Darren Smith
Pilot, Quality Assurance Manager

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.

	The Aviation Adventures Team includes some of the most skilled pilots in the business. We are 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 a biplane flight is what we do best! Chris Rudge Chief Pilot and Director Chris has been flying gliders and powered aircraft since 1984. As a tow pilot flying "tail dragger aircraft", he has completed over 5000 launches. His total time in aircraft exceeds 4400 hours. 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 aeroplanes, gliders and balloons. In addition to holding four New Zealand national aviation records, he has been flying in the area around Aoraki Mt Cook for 23 years and was the Chief Flying Instructor for the Southern Soaring gliding company from February 2006 until April 2010. Other achievements include being the author of two aviation books and visiting Antarctica eight times. Tarn Jones Director Tarn has had an interest in aviation, Mount Cook and the outdoors for much of her life. She has worked as cabin crew for Mount Cook Airlines for over 23 years. Prior to that she worked for a season in Antarctica at McMurdo Station on Ross Island, where she met Chris. She has travelled extensively in North America, explored the Pacific countries of Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the Solomon Islands, and hiked in the Nepalese Himalaya. Other interests include kayaking, mountain biking, whale watching and helping run a community garden in Lyttelton. Darren Smith Pilot, Quality Assurance Manager 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.