What to Wear on a Franz Josef Helicopter Flight
What to wear on a Franz Josef helicopter flight with a snow landing: shoes, layers, sunglasses, how cold the snow is, what is banned on board, heli-hike kit.
Dress for a cool day in the mountains: closed-toe shoes with grip that can get wet, long pants, a warm layer or jacket, and sunglasses. You step out onto the landing site in whatever you wore to check-in, because nothing is lent on a scenic flight. Glacier Helicopters says it does not provide any clothing to borrow or rent, and no operator mentions boots or overshoes for a snow landing.
Leave bags, selfie sticks and tablets behind; operators bar them from the cabin. Boots, waterproofs and crampons are handed out on the guided heli-hikes, not on scenic flights. On a flight such as the Fox Glacier and Mount Cook Helicopter Flight (35 minutes from Fox Glacier village, from $280 per person, 4.5 from 44 GetYourGuide reviews, our breakdown), The Helicopter Line’s own list reads warm clothing, a camera, closed-toe shoes and waterproof shoes.
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Shoes, layers and sunglasses for a snow landing
Shoes matter most, since your feet are the only part of you that touches the snow. HeliServices asks for covered shoes and says sneakers or trainers are fine, as are hiking boots. Glacier Country Helicopters asks for sturdy footwear all year and, in its booking notes, shoes you don’t mind getting wet. The Helicopter Line lists closed-toe and waterproof shoes for its Fox flight. High heels are on Glacier Country Helicopters’ not-allowed list, and Glacier Helicopters’ Fox Glacier flight rules out open-toed shoes.
For the body, think layers you can take off in the cabin and put back on for the landing:
- Glacier Helicopters: “warm clothes, sunglasses, sturdy footwear, your camera and a sense of adventure”.
- HeliServices: “comfortable outdoor clothing suitable for wearing on the snow”.
- INFLITE: “warm layers (long pants, a light sweater or jacket)” and “sturdy, closed-toe shoes”.
- The Helicopter Line: warm clothing including a jacket, and no loose clothing or scarves.
- Glacier Country Helicopters: a jacket in winter, sunglasses and sturdy footwear all year. It keeps the cabin itself comfortable.
Sunglasses appear on every operator’s list. INFLITE calls them “a must” because the snow glare is very strong, and you will spend your minutes at the landing site looking across bright snow. A few listings, such as The Helicopter Line’s Franz Josef, Fox Glacier & Mt Cook Helicopter Scenic Flight, add sunscreen.
Plan for the rest of the day as well. DOC asks visitors to Westland Tai Poutini National Park to carry warm and waterproof clothing at all times and to bring insect repellent, because sandflies are common. If your flight is rescheduled to the afternoon, you may spend the morning on a valley walk in the same clothes.
How cold is it on the snow?
Operators give different figures, and each describes its own landing sites. Glacier Country Helicopters says its snow landing is “generally only a couple of degrees colder than town”. HeliServices says it can be 5 to 10 degrees cooler on the snow than in the village. INFLITE says its Mt Cook landing sites are 1 to 3 degrees cooler than the airport. Taken together, the landing can be anywhere from slightly cooler than the main road to about 10 °C colder.
Your time outside is short, which keeps this manageable. The landing lasts about 6 to 8 minutes at Glacier Helicopters, around 10 to 15 minutes including loading at Glacier Country Helicopters, and approximately 10 minutes on The Helicopter Line’s Fox flight. That is long enough to get cold hands if you take a lot of photos, and short enough that a warm mid-layer and a jacket cover most days.
Wind and sun change how cold it feels, and none of the operators puts a number on that. A National Geographic writer recorded minus 6 °C on a sunny day on the glacier, one reading on one day. Treat it as a reminder that conditions up there can be well below the town figure.
Morning flights start colder. The averages below are daytime highs, and an 8 am departure leaves before the day has warmed up, so add a layer if you have booked the first flight of the day. The reasons to fly early are in the best time of day guide.
Dressing by month: town temperatures and the landing
Average daily high and low in Franz Josef, 1991 to 2020 (NIWA figures as relayed by Wikipedia; not checked against NIWA directly). The last column applies HeliServices’ “5 to 10 degrees cooler on the snow” to the average high, rounded to whole degrees. It is a rough guide.
| Month | Average high in town | Average low in town | Snow at the average high, 5-10 °C cooler |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20.0 °C | 10.5 °C | about 10 to 15 °C |
| February | 20.5 °C | 10.4 °C | about 11 to 16 °C |
| March | 18.9 °C | 9.3 °C | about 9 to 14 °C |
| April | 16.7 °C | 7.8 °C | about 7 to 12 °C |
| May | 14.5 °C | 6.0 °C | about 5 to 10 °C |
| June | 12.2 °C | 4.1 °C | about 2 to 7 °C |
| July | 11.9 °C | 3.3 °C | about 2 to 7 °C |
| August | 12.6 °C | 3.7 °C | about 3 to 8 °C |
| September | 13.7 °C | 4.9 °C | about 4 to 9 °C |
| October | 14.9 °C | 6.2 °C | about 5 to 10 °C |
| November | 15.9 °C | 7.5 °C | about 6 to 11 °C |
| December | 18.4 °C | 9.4 °C | about 8 to 13 °C |
So on your trip, from June to August, pack the jacket Glacier Country Helicopters asks for, because the landing can sit only a few degrees above freezing at midday and colder on an early flight. From December to March a warm sweater over a T-shirt may be enough on a sunny day, with the jacket kept in the cabin for cloud. In spring and autumn, plan on the jacket.
What you cannot take on board
Each operator publishes its own list, and the lists overlap. Pack for the strictest one if you have not settled on an operator yet.
| Operator | Bring | Not allowed on board |
|---|---|---|
| Glacier Country Helicopters | Sunglasses, camera, jacket, closed-toe shoes | High heels, bags and luggage, drones, selfie sticks, tripods, walking sticks, crutches, loose clothing |
| Glacier Helicopters | Warm clothes, sunglasses, sturdy shoes, camera | Selfie sticks, drones, tablets and iPads, open-toed shoes (Fox flight) |
| The Helicopter Line | Warm clothing with a jacket, sturdy shoes, camera | Bags, selfie sticks, iPads, loose clothing and scarves |
| HeliServices | Covered shoes, sunglasses, outdoor clothing | Selfie sticks, tablets, bags (Grand Tour listing) |
| INFLITE | Warm layers, long pants, sunglasses, closed-toe shoes | Selfie sticks |
Drones need a DOC permit. DOC says flying one without a permit is strictly prohibited, and Glacier Country Helicopters puts the fines at NZ$5,000 for an individual and NZ$30,000 for a company.
The listings bar bags from the cabin without saying where to leave them; ask at check-in. Glacier Country Helicopters says there are two high ladder-style steps into its helicopters and asks you to tell it in advance about limited mobility, such as an injury, arthritis or recent surgery, because it can affect which helicopter you fly in.
Cameras and phones
Every scenic-flight operator lists a camera as something to bring, and Glacier Country Helicopters’ overflight listing names a charged smartphone. Keep it on a wrist strap or in a zipped pocket you can reach with one hand, since loose items and bags are on the not-allowed lists.
Seats are allocated at check-in by weight and balance, so you cannot count on a window. A few reviewers on the longer flights say a middle back seat limited their view and their photos. Some operators sell their own photos: HeliServices offers souvenir photos for purchase when conditions allow, and a couple of reviewers mention a pilot’s photo offered at an extra charge. If you want your own shots, the landing is your best chance, with the helicopter and the peaks around you. What happens from check-in to take-off is in the step-by-step guide.
Heli-hike kit: what is provided
A guided heli-hike is a different list, because you spend up to 2.5 hours walking on the ice. FJGG provides crampons, a harness, a helmet, a waterproof jacket and over-trousers, boots and socks, trekking poles, a waist pack, and a warm hat and gloves. You bring warm base layers, long pants (no jeans), sunglasses and sunscreen. The Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike with Helicopter Transfer lists the same, from $508 per person.
Fox Glacier Guiding’s Fox Glacier: Up to 3 Hours Hike with Helicopter Transfer (from $480, departs Fox Glacier village, 24 km south) supplies leather boots and socks, crampons, walking poles, and a wet-weather jacket and over-trousers. It asks you to bring warm clothing, a hat, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, food and drinks, and any medication, and it does not allow jeans. Eligibility and the full comparison are on the heli-hikes page.
Clothing questions
Are boots provided on a scenic helicopter flight?
No. Boots and crampons come only with guided heli-hikes. On a scenic flight with a snow landing you wear your own closed-toe shoes.
Can I wear shorts?
INFLITE asks for long pants, and the snow can be up to about 10 °C colder than the village. Long pants are the safer choice in every month.
Do I need gloves for a snow landing?
No scenic-flight operator lists gloves. In winter, or if you plan to take many photos, a thin pair helps.
Is it cold inside the helicopter?
Glacier Country Helicopters says it keeps the cabin comfortable. The cold comes when you step out at the landing site.
Related:
Pick a Morning Above the Glacier
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