For the first time in 30 years, Fiordland will be serviced by two floatplanes.

Wings & Water owners Kylie and Ivan Krippner will take delivery of a sought-after 'G' model 1979 Cessna 206 on Monday (September 28). It is due to arrive by container to Te Anau Manapouri Airport to be assembled for operations from Te Anau lakefront.

The Krippners describe their 'new' floatplane as the equivalent of the Holden station wagon of the skies. The aircraft is factory corrosion proofed and factory seaplane kitted, unlike other models.

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It's arrival has been a long time coming, thanks to COVID-19 disruptions that made it impossible to have the aircraft 'ferry flown', as it normally would have been, from Cairns, Australia. The aircraft was purchased on the 26th March 2020, two days before New Zealand closed its borders, followed later by Australia closing its borders.

Floatplanes and flying boats have been a part of the history of Fiordland since the building of the West Arm power station in the late 1960's and have been operating from Te Anau ever since. 

The Krippners have been operating the seaplane in Fiordland since late 2015, and said they loved being able to offer tourists, trampers, hunters and fishermen, flights to remote and exclusive places in Fiordland that were unable to reached by helicopter. They are currently operating the only commercial seaplane operation in the South Island.

The company is still working through operating issues with the Department of Conservation. Until this is resolved, they said there would be one of Wings & Water's floatplanes, or the other, flying from their Te Anau lakefront premises.