Little in free fall! (In a good way)

Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, December 4th, 2015 - 32 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, humour - Tags: , ,

Good on ya Andrew Little:

Andrew Little takes on skydive for kea conservation launch
…
Mr Little will do a tandem skydive from 19,000 feet above the Franz Josef Glacier to help launch a new kea conservation programme promoted by Skydive Franz and the Kea Conservation Trust.

32 comments on “Little in free fall! (In a good way) ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    4 December 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Just awaiting all the howls of outrage about a political leader doing something that the average NZer won’t ever get to do, like all the howls of outrage about John Key wearing a $6,000 suit to the royal wedding.

    • Puckish Rogue 1.1
      4 December 2015 at 2:41 pm

      John Key bad *insert Labour leader de jour here* good

    • Rosemary McDonald 1.2
      4 December 2015 at 4:56 pm

      “…howls of outrage..”

      Claire Trevett does a good enough job of that in her nasty ‘little’ piece.

      I wasn’t aware that Little had a particular interest in kea, or conservation….or enough spare $$$ to donate…

      Ah! Politics.

  2. Michael who failed Civics 2
    4 December 2015 at 1:50 pm

    I hope he didn’t let Cunliffe pack his parachute.

    • Northsider 2.1
      4 December 2015 at 5:03 pm

      Surely a mistake Michael?

      Andrew needs to watch Robertson. By stomping on the Progressive Wing and giving oxygen to the Right Wing he has left the balance of power with Robertson and the Careerists Wing. Robertson is now the king maker and the Right will be bought off very easily. The Shearers will do anything for an Ambassadorial position.
      If Little does not stumble soon, due to parachute “failure”, Robertson will be happy for Little to loose the next election: he has experience in that department. Robertson’s caucus fans will ask him to “rescue” Labour and he will step up to the job.

  3. Macro 3
    4 December 2015 at 1:51 pm

    I can never understand why anyone would want to jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane.

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      4 December 2015 at 2:23 pm

      Now that’s funny.

    • Grindlebottom 3.2
      4 December 2015 at 3:24 pm

      Good on him. It’s real thrill. If you can do it, do it.

      • Macro 3.2.1
        4 December 2015 at 3:38 pm

        Having actually witnessed a parachutist falling to his death at Hood Aerodrome Masterton, in the ’70’s at a parachuting event over the new year period I can say without any hesitation that it is something I would never voluntarily do. He knew what was going to happen because we could hear him. It was gruesome.
        ps I held my PPL at the time and Hood is where the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club is based.

        • Grindlebottom 3.2.1.1
          4 December 2015 at 4:11 pm

          Must’ve been horrible Macro. I’d hate to have to watch that. Was bad enough watching the video and pics of that balloon-fire accident.

          But heaps of pastimes have serious risks. Nothing wrong with people doing them who consider the risk all part of the thrill, and skydiving deaths are rarer than deaths in car accidents (I know, I know – the cliché comparison, but true).

          Why’d you give up flying, out of interest?

          • Rosemary McDonald 3.2.1.1.1
            4 December 2015 at 4:29 pm

            “But heaps of pastimes have serious risks.”

            And skydiving in NZ is particularly risky.

            http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/64732919/skydiving-accidents-in-new-zealand

            • Grindlebottom 3.2.1.1.1.1
              4 December 2015 at 4:49 pm

              Queenstown (2011)

              Shots were fired at a skydiving plane near Queenstown leaving a bullet hole in the aircraft. Police said noise complaints about aircraft in the area were made the same day as the shooting and could be related.

              Hope they got the prick. Fucken idiot. That’s not a risk you expect. Couldn’t find any reference to a prosecution with google though.

              • Rosemary McDonald …
                4 December 2015 at 6:28 pm

                “Couldn’t find any reference to a prosecution with google though.”

                Hardly surprising, as it would require someone to actually tell the truth.

                “…complaints about aircraft….”

                almost always completely ignored…almost as if the industry is literally above the law.

                • Grindlebottom …
                  4 December 2015 at 6:37 pm

                  Big difference between a crossbow with no bolt and a rifle leaving a bullet hole in the aircraft Rosemary.

                  • Rosemary McDonald …
                    4 December 2015 at 7:36 pm

                    “a crossbow” ?????

                    “bolt ” ?????

                    Difference between the truth…as opposed to myth and misrepresentation.

                    Or misreading?

                    Geeze. I don’t know.

                    What I do know, from very personal experience, is that there are ordinary risky activities done with as much care as possible and then there are those who are supposed to be ‘professional’ behaving in a reckless, dangerous and highly intimidating fashion.

                    The aviation sector seems to have a preponderance of the latter.

                    IMHO.

                    • Grindlebottom …
                      4 December 2015 at 7:48 pm

                      Sorry Rosemary. Should’ve said hunting bow. Understand your position. Don’t think it justifies someone else putting a bullet hole in a skydiving aircraft. Unless it was just some stupid mistake by some idiot pointing a loaded rifle in the wrong direction.

          • Macro 3.2.1.1.2
            4 December 2015 at 4:31 pm

            I had a grumbling appendix – which lasted for a few years before it was so bad I went private. One day I was up flying and I thought – hmmmmm – If I had an attack now I would really be in trouble. So I landed immediately and did not fly again. As it was several years later that I had my op and it took 6 months to get over it – the damn thing was in a very bad state when they finally took it out – my PPL had lapsed and I would have to resit etc, and I was moving on to the Navy at that stage and different interests. (sailing and cricket). I still enjoy aircraft watching and have a friend close by who is an ex-warbirds pilot and who still has close relations with Ardmore, so have been very interested in recent times to see the rebuild of the Mosquitos – one or two of which will actually get to stay in NZ.

            I particularly enjoyed spending several days visiting Aircraft museums in Canada – Ottawa and Toronto last year.

  4. Eralc 4
    4 December 2015 at 1:58 pm

    I hope he took a selfie on the way down.

  5. Atiawa 5
    4 December 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Good on ya Andrew. You’re a braver man than me. Love the humor too.

  6. repateet 6
    4 December 2015 at 3:39 pm

    C’mon let’s start a list to get all the comments out there first.

    “Little in free fall.”
    “Little still in free fall.”
    “Little comes crashing down to earth.”

  7. Chooky 7
    4 December 2015 at 9:01 pm

    a publicity stunt like Jonkey wearing an All Black jersey and posing with the All Blacks

    and not very impressive…my kids did this at age 10 and 13 and bungy jumps

    Little should be judged on his performance as a politician and the leader of the Labour Party…NOT on publicity stunts

  8. Whispering Kate 8
    5 December 2015 at 10:04 am

    For what’s it worth, I don’t think for one minute Key would have the courage to bite the bullet and jump off the wing of a plane and do a parachute jump. He cannot even stand up to Australia and be a strong leader against repugnant stuff going down over there, just a wimp. Not on your sweet life would he jump. Yes, it has risks but everything in life is risky, your heart beating one minute and not beating the next is one. And, I know because I have jumped and it does take a sort of guts many people just do not have. It gifts you with a confidence where you can take anything on in life – a boost in the courage department. Good on you Andrew.