A Skyline Queenstown gondola operator will have a unique claim to fame when the iconic attraction reopens about July 1 with new 10-seater cabins.
These will be the third set of cabins David Glanfield’s worked with since coming onboard on January 9, 1987.
During his first four months the original 1967-installed, multi-coloured ‘bubble car’ cabins were still going up and down, before being replaced with then-modern Doppelmayr four-seaters.
Tonight those cabins will carry their last passengers before a new cableway’s installed to take the new cabins.
Glanfield, 60, says he’s been waiting for years for these to come online — ‘‘I’m hanging on for this new lift, pretty much’’.
He’s most looking forward to their flush loading, so it’ll be much easier to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers and pushchairs.
Apart from starting up or closing down the gondola system each day, Glanfield says his job’s largely about keeping his eyes peeled on people getting in and out of the cabins.
In turn, he gets a buzz out of their faces lighting up when they look at the view from on top.
‘‘They say to me, ‘it’s a lovely view’, and I say, ‘yeah, they pay me to look at that’.’’
However, it’s probably a canine passenger he recalls the most.
He’s referring to a paragliding pilot who used to bring his dog up the gondola to access the Bob’s Peak launch pad.
‘‘Now and again they’d get separated and you’d see this little dog come running into the terminal, hop into a gondola, ride up to the top, get out and run up to the paragliding site to try and find him.’’
Lifting the bar for charity
Cabin fever’s catching as Skyline Queenstown auctions off most of its outgoing cabins to raise money for Whakatipu Wilding Control Group and Branches Charitable Trust.
GM Wayne Rose is ‘‘absolutely thrilled’’ the first cabin auctioned off via Trade Me — cabin no.1 — raised $5300.
Another five were listed last Thursday night with a reserve price of $2000 on each — those auctions closed yesterday in half-hour increments.
He hopes they can maintain the momentum with further auctions in the next few weeks, culminating in marquee auctions for cabins featuring the 2011 Rugby World Cup, stargazing and Luma light festival.
Warning over chopper noise
Doing the job: This Iroquois will be installing three gondola towers on May 5
Expect a fair din in and around Queenstown’s CBD on the morning of May 5.
That’s when a Bell UH-1 Iroquois (aka a ‘Huey’) will be installing three towers on the steep face of Bob’s Peak as part of Skyline Queenstown’s ‘Project Skyline’.
Ten towers are being put in place for a new gondola cableway, however the other seven are being erected using diggers and cranes.
Skyline GM Wayne Rose says the Iroquois — operated by Beck Helicopters — has an iconic sound created by its distinctive rotor design and
engine noise.
To minimise noise, they’re using the smallest chopper possible, compared to larger ones that were able to do the job.
The Iroquois work will begin at first light on May 5 and should be completed by noon — during that time, Ben Lomond Reserve will be closed.
