HD Video: 'Must See' Pilot's Eye View... This Is Why We Fly
Friday, October 25, 2013 at 06:30AM
This recently uploaded HD video of a stunningly beautiful approach into Queenstown Airport in southern New Zealand shows why most of us love to fly... the view of the Earth from above is simply awesome. And when the landscape you're flying over looks as beautiful as these mountains, this thin layer of low level clouds, and this finger at the eastern edge of Lake Wakatipu that leads right up to runway 5 at NZQN, you've got a recipe for an amazing video. Be sure to watch it in HD and full screen!
Queenstown is a resort area and the airport is the fourth busiest in New Zealand. Traffic is handled by smaller regional aircraft and 737's and A320's. Based on the visual clues of the windshield etc this appears to be an A320. It also appears that the video is showing a now outdated approach, so it's hard to know exactly when it was captured... but the important part is that it was captured and shared for you and me to see : )
I love this simple statement from the video description: ...sometimes what a pilot sees in a day, people won't see in their lifetimes..
Hat tip to my friend Gavin in New Zealand for sending me the video link!
Video screenshot of the beautiful approach into Queenstown Airport in New Zealand.
Reader Comments (5)
Fantastic!
Why is that approach outdated?
I am told by an Air New Zealand pilot friend of mine that the approach being flown looks like the now discontinued RNAV (RNPAR) Y RWY05 with a visual component to final.
He sent me a copy of the NZQN plate showing the approach path.
Cheers
A VERY nice simulation that many folks believe is real. Probably done in X-Plane. Watch the shadow of the center post in the cockpit. It blurs a bit, but never shifts, even during turns. Mountains are also too perfect, landing too hot and too long. But it is a great example of why we fly. Nice job, "Video by thewillyballs"
Always conspiracy theory people out there. Landing is hot because video has been sped up watch car on road at final. Not possible to have the mountains reflected in the windscreen as they pass by the left of the aircraft as well as they are if it were sim. If you pay attention to the shadow it moves enough for it to be viable. I have many hours experience filming flights and avionics during flight to believe this is an old approach but real.