I visited New Zealand on an "adrenaline" type trip from the north island all the way to Milford Sound doing it all...

bungy jumping, canyon swinging, sky diving, riverboarding, whitewater rafting... you name it. My time flying with Vincent (and prep with his super nice wife) in the stunt plane blew everything else out of the water. The plane is a very powerful open cockpit stunt biplane with Vincent sitting in the seat behind and talking you through all the various crazy-fun stunt maneuvers that gets your heart racing while you take control of the stick. Maneuvers included loops, barrel rolls, cuban 8's, flying inverted and quite a few others with some serious positive G forces. The DVD video is a MUST and Vincent shows that you are actually flying by putting his hands on his windshield during the maneuvers. Don't be fooled either... 15 min is a good amount of time when you're doing all these things.

Like one huge video game, the views are absolutely breathtaking and Vincent is super patient. The speed and feeling of freedom with the open cockpit is indescribable as you fly up into the clouds and high over the city. Flying upside down was a bit disconcerting when you realize the only thing holding you in is your seat belt!!! Flying of this kinds is a feeling that needs to be experienced once in your life... definitely one for the bucket list!

I actually decided to go back for a second run (I can't find anything remotely close to this in the USA) and Vincent pretty much said "I'll take off and land and you have control... go anywhere you want!"

Very, very cool. I understood the passion of flying after this experience and it has actually gotten me looking to get my private pilot's license (NOTE: This experience actually COUNTS towards flying time towards a license!!!)... great stuff and definitely good for serious bragging rights when you get home!

Reviewed almost 14 years ago and experienced in February 2011