Louisa (Choppy) Patterson is an innovator in her field. A helicopter and fixed wing pilot with 30 years experience, she owns Over The Top in Queenstown. miceNZ.net assistant editor Natalie Akoorie caught up with Choppy about the business of flying.

Soaring to new heights

Q: How long have you been a helicopter pilot and where did you train?
A: 1976, how long ago is that? – Gosh 30 years in August. Well that is when I started flying, both fixed wing and helicopters. I trained initially here in Queenstown and then attended the Wanganui Commercial Pilots College. That is the beginning but with aviation you are always learning so you could say I am still training, every time I fly.

Q: Have you worked anywhere else in New Zealand or internationally?
A: Yes I have flown all over New Zealand and lived in many towns, also internationally; mainly Fiji. I flew Fletchers top dressing out of Taihape before being based in Fiji flying helicopters on seismic survey, government support and power line construction. After Fiji I was based in Ohakune and my day there varied from helicopter spraying of forestry and market gardens, ski field construction, rescue flights, fire lighting and fire fighting, live animal capture and a smattering of tourism. After Ohakune I spent time at the America’s Cup in Perth before starting the Over The Top brand in Auckland, now Queenstown. Somewhere amongst that I piloted passenger planes for Air New Zealand.

Q: When did you start Over The Top in Queenstown and what were the initial experiences available?
A: Over The Top was formed in 1986. Our slogan has always been “Not so much a helicopter line as an entertainment company”. Milford has always been a focus. Although looking back on original experiences offered we did have “the mountain sixty-niner”. For $69 you could heli to the top of The Remarkables. We are a little more sophisticated now.

Q: How long has Over The Top been catering for the C&I market?
A: Five years. The expansion of our fleet has allowed us to offer manageable options for groups.

Q: What are some of the experiences/ options available to the C&I market with Over The Top?
A: We have some fabulous retreats, high country stations and restored gold miners cottages which are only available to Over The Top and, encompassed with our helicopter excursions, provide unique experiences. We can theme for groups of all sizes, team-building etc.

Q: How many people can you move at one time for groups?
A: We can do 20 at one time, but utilising all Queenstown helicopters we can do 50. What we normally do is fly the groups in waves or combine with jet boats or 4WD’s meeting at a central luncheon spot and swapping.

Q: What do you like about Queenstown and Central Otago?
A: The scenery is fantastic and ever changing with the seasons. The coast is only 24 minutes away – by helicopter; the alps are six minutes away; there are fabulous camping spots all within five minutes of my front lawn. The people are great. The attitude to life, to live and look after each other is paramount.

Q: You have a reputation as a pioneering helicopter pilot – why is that?
A: Perhaps because I am so old and have been flying now for 30 years. I actually think what we do is so very different. We create experiences based on what we would like to do if visiting New Zealand. The helicopter component is but a small part with the main experience being the remote destination.

Q: Do you think this adds to the experience of your customers?
A: To accommodate people’s needs, to take people to places that they would otherwise have no access to? It is the essence and the heart of the company. It is why we are “Over The Top”. Louisa (Choppy) Patterson is an innovator in her field. A helicopter and fixed wing pilot with 30 years experience, she owns Over The Top in Queenstown. miceNZ.net assistant editor Natalie Akoorie caught up with Choppy about the business of flying.

Q: How many helicopters and pilots does Over The Top have and what kind of helicopter are they?
A: We have five helicopters; Eurocopters and Robinson Raven II’s and six pilots, although I prefer to think of the crew as ambassadors of New Zealand.