RNZAF pilot officer Tim Leslie (20), of Wanaka, was one of four pilot officers being trained at Queenstown for two days this week, as part of mostly low-level navigation training around the South Island.
Mr Leslie was born and raised in Dunedin and said he always dreamed of becoming a pilot.
Seeing vintage warplanes made him all the more determined.
"I started by learning the right subjects at school: maths, physics and English at John McGlashan College. Then I took up flying at about 14, at Otago Aero Club. I applied for the air force in my seventh-form year and got accepted in early 2008."
Mr Leslie began with six months of officer training, then learned how to survive in different environments, using only items found in the cockpit.
He and his team survived six days in the bush without food.
"It's something really good to go through, to see how far your body goes under pressure."
Pilot training involved two months of study and exams on aircraft performance, weather and aviation rules.
Mr Leslie logged 130 hours in the air and has another 20 hours to go.
He flew solo for the first time last July.
The squadron was flying four two-seater Aerospace CT-4 Airtrainers, which were also used by the Red Checkers aerobatics team.
"Queenstown offers a lot of challenges we definitely don't see in the North Island.
It's incredible flying down here, with the high mountains, the changing weather and the very busy aerodrome.
"We'll be given a target and we have to navigate around turnpoints to be there at a certain time. Today we had to be at Kingston rail station at midday, plus or minus 10 seconds."
Mr Leslie said he would finish on Airtrainers next month and move to larger Beech King Air aeroplanes for six months.
The ultimate goal for all pilot officers was to earn their wings and become fully qualified.
"From there you move on to the Huey helicopters, Hercules, Boeing 757s and the P3K Orion.
"I've always wanted to fly the Hercules . . . its role in the air force, transporting troops overseas and aid relief, is one I want to play."
