Hailed as the world’s most advanced commercial twin piston aircraft, Glenorchy Air’s brand-new Tecnam P2012 Traveller took to Queenstown skies for the first time this week following Civil Aviation Authority signoff last Friday.

It is the country’s first Tecnam and in June was the 91st off the Italian company’s production line.

CEO James Stokes says because the $5 million-plus plane is the first in the local Milford fleet to have ‘instrument flight rules’ (IFR) capacity, “we can fly through more weather”.

It will also be available for charter work across the South Island, including to Stewart Island, and Wellington, Taupo and Napier in the north, under the company’s new Queenstown Air Charter brand, which, according to its website, is launching this summer.

The 11-seater has a lower noise signature than many others due to its larger and slower turning propellers and also has large panoramic windows for better viewing.

“It’s a very, very nice aeroplane to fly and just really nicely harmonised,” Stokes says.

— PHILIP CHANDLER