Glenorchy_Air
Glenorchy Air
Airline of New Zealand
Glenorchy Air is a scenic flight and air charter company based at Queenstown Airport, New Zealand. The company was founded by Janet and Robert Rutherford in 1992, with just one aeroplane, a Cessna 185.[2] With the expansion of the business, a second aircraft, a Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six, was purchased in 1996. The Cessna 185 was sold in 2003 when it was replaced by a new Gippsland GA8 Airvan. The company took delivery of a second Airvan in 2013[3] and added two more before the business was sold in 2019.
The business was purchased in July 2019 by its training manager, James Stokes, and remains family-owned and operated.[4] In August 2019. James and parent company Stokes Aviation began a Fleet upgrade programme beginning with a refurbishment of two GA8 Airvans. Glenorchy Air announced in August that a new Cessna 206 would join its fleet, expanding its flight options to Mount Cook and other destinations.[5] The 206 replaced an ageing Cessna 172 . In December 2019 Glenorchy Air announced the addition of a brand new Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX to its fleet. After a long delay due to the COVID-19 delaying the ferry flight, This aircraft arrived in Queenstown November 2020.[6] . A second Cessna 208B EX arrived in March 2022 and entered service in April. In July 2023, Glenorchy Air announced that it had acquired a Daher Kodiak 100 which is due to enter service in October.
Glenorchy Air is Qualmark Gold Certified by Tourism NZ.[7] The Company Slogan is 'Discover Milford Sound And Beyond'