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 offers pilots a highly realistic virtual platform to explore challenging and scenic destinations, such as New Zealand's Fiordland National Park.
The author details a virtual flight adventure using a DHC-2 Beaver, starting from a remote airstrip, navigating valleys and water bodies, and successfully tackling a demanding gravel runway landing at Martins Bay Aerodrome (NZMJ) after multiple attempts.
The amphibious DHC-2 Beaver is recommended as an ideal aircraft for exploring New Zealand's diverse virtual landscape, allowing access to both water landings and challenging backcountry airstrips.

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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.