Sim Lab: Flying New Zealand’s Fiordland by Beaver Bushplane

MSFS2024 allows backcountry exploration of the country’s national park.

Sean Siff

Monday, July 06, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The approach into Martins Bay Aerodrome is a fun challenge with little room for error. [Credit: Sean Siff/MSFS2024]

Key Takeaways:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS2024) allows U.S. pilots to virtually explore challenging and scenic New Zealand locations, offering an accessible way to experience remote destinations from home.
The author details a specific virtual flight adventure in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park using an amphibious DHC-2 Beaver, starting at Quintin Lodge Airstrip and navigating to the Martins Bay Aerodrome.
The experience highlights the versatility of the DHC-2 Beaver for both water and land landings, particularly emphasizing the realistic challenge of landing on demanding backcountry airstrips like Martins Bay within the simulator.

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For many U.S. pilots, New Zealand is a country we’d love to explore by air, but few of us have had the opportunity to travel there. If you’ve always wanted to fly in the South Pacific country but haven’t had the chance, it’s possible to experience it digitally by using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS2024).

I’ve been flying on MSFS2024 since a major update in fall 2025 brought the needed stability to the title. Using Microsoft’s extensive location data and AI capability, MSFS2024 has mapped the world’s geography, allowing access to some of the most remote destinations from the comfort of your home sim.