Not my photo - stolen from here

Only a Kiwi could have come up with this activity! I'm sure it was invented down the pub after a few Steinies had been drunk.

"I knows, letchs get a blardy long rope like, and swing around a valley on it."

"Fook that, let's tie a plane on the end of it and roar around"

"Aye, but wivout the wingses"

"And wiv a blardy big motorbike enjin init"

"So it goes over 170kph"

"Sweet…"

I think they've got a few site's now, but the Queenstown one remains the largest. The site is built in a bowl shaped valley with two huge pylons suspending a central nexus. From this a single 100 metre long line descends and is tied to the cockpit. So you lie inside this and the rear end is dragged to the top of the valley bowl. This bit is actually quite scary as you're hanging face first a couple a' hundred foot above the valley floor.

Then, when given the all clear, you pull a wee handle and rocket ground wards like a released pendulum. A pendulum with a propeller though.

Now the tricky bit is turning at the crest of the swing - turn too early or late and you'll lose air speed - bearing in mind that faster is more fun with this thing. They say that experience in motorbikes helps and I see their point, as the turning and response is kinda similar.

So is it any fun? Well personally I had a great time, but some people don't really like the Fly-by-Wire much because they cant get a hang of the controls. Mess up a few turns and you don't get very fast. I did get the hang of it though and managed to get up to around 160kph.

Find out more on their pretty sexy website.

Not my photo - stolen from here

Not my photo - stolen from here

Not my photo - stolen from here

Not my photo - stolen from here