United States F-16 pilots in hot water over low scenic flight over Fox Glacier

US F-16 jet fighter pilots were "reminded of New Zealand's aviation rules'' after low flights over Fox Glacier sparked safety concerns from helicopter operators. Photo / File

United States F-16 jet fighter pilots were "reminded of New Zealand's aviation rules'' after low flights over Fox Glacier sparked safety concerns from West Coast helicopter operators.

The pilots raised the hackles of locals during their visit for the Warbirds Over Wanaka air show.

It is understood the F-16s, on pre-show training flights, approached the area from the south, flying close to tree level as they neared the glacier.

The Civil Aviation Authority said yesterday it received complaints from tourism operators in the Fox Glacier and Franz Josef areas about low-flying F-16s.

"We understand the Royal New Zealand Air Force reminded the pilots of New Zealand's aviation rules, after which no further incidents occurred.''

Warbirds general manager Ed Taylor said he had been contacted by tourism operators who "expressed concern'', and he passed that on to US Air Force personnel in Christchurch, where the two jets were based.

They were here for a week before the airshow.

The tourism operators told him the jets were "flying low in our airspace'', and were concerned enough about safety issues to ring him.

When he contacted United States personnel, they said they would talk to the air crews.

The RNZAF would also have "shown them where they could and couldn't go and do that sort of flying''.

F-16 pilot Richard Smeeding said before the show the jet would "let me pull minus 3 to 9.9gs, go twice the speed of sound, rage through the mountains at 100ft fully loaded for war and all the time flying like an extension of my body.''

Fox Glacier helicopter pilots declined to talk on the record yesterday.