Experience the Word's most exciting Jet Boat ride, in the spectacular Shotover River Canyons with Shotover Jet, Queenstown New Zealand.
 

Our Jet Pilots – Highly Trained and Licensed to Thrill

Only 10 people on the entire planet are licensed to drive a Jet Boat in the spectacular Shotover River Canyons, and they all work for us!  Our Jet Pilots are highly trained professionals and know their ‘Big Red’ Jet Boats and the fast flowing waters of the Shotover River like the back of their hands.  Each Jet Pilot is trained by Shotover Jet and they conduct a minimum 120 hours on river training (twice the New Zealand Jet Boat industry’s required number of training hours) before taking any customers.  Recruited for their personality as well as their driving ability our Jet Pilots deliver the Shotover Jet experience in an individual and exuberant fashion, combining on-water thrills with their own personalised commentaries and interactions with passengers.  It’s a thrilling ride and you are in experienced and safe hands.

Hover over the pictures below to meet our Jet Pilots and find out more about them.

  • Hover over the pictures below to meet our Jet Pilots and find out more about them.
  • Name: Simon Thew

    Nick Name: Chopper
    Age: 35
    Born: Orange - Australia
    Grew Up: Queenstown - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: August 2006
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 6237 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Private Business Owner
    Hobbies: Fishing, Skiing, Mountain Biking
  • Name: Shane Griffin

    Nick Name: Skippy
    Age: 25
    Born: Perth - Australia
    Grew Up: Auckland - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: October 2004
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 4688 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Chef
    Hobbies: Snow Boarding, Surfing, Mountain Biking, Fishing
  • Name: Olly Burke

    Nick Name: Wally
    Age: 29
    Born: Christchurch - New Zealand
    Grew Up: Auckland - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: December 2004
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 4042 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Pro Snowboarder
    Hobbies: Skate Boarding, Snow Boarding, Hunting, Golf
  • Name: Nick Simpson

    Nick Name: Doofy
    Age: 32
    Born: Lincoln - New Zealand
    Grew Up: Canterbury - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: June 2001
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 7737 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Farm Management and Child Camp Councillor
    Hobbies: Mountain Biking, Skiing
  • Name: Mike Topp

    Nick Name: Baldric
    Age: 28
    Born: Christchurch - New Zealand
    Grew Up: Christchurch - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: January 2006
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 1638 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Hair Dresser
    Hobbies: Snow Boarding, Mountain Biking
  • Name: Alexander Kelt

    Nick Name: Kelty or Flash
    Age: 26
    Born: Hastings - New Zealand
    Grew Up: Hawkes Bay - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: October 2006
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 2046 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Jet Boat Driver
    Hobbies: Flying, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Sports, Travel
  • Name: James Aitken

    Nick Name: Bacon
    Age: 28
    Born: Dunedin - New Zealand
    Grew Up: Dunedin - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: November 2004
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 2402 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Music Composition
    Hobbies: Drama, Hunting, Writing Music, Cricket, Rugby
  • Name: Clay Sheriff

    Nick Name: Young Gun
    Age: 23
    Born: Cromwell – New Zealand
    Grew Up: Bannockburn - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: March 2007
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 1069 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Graphic Design
    Hobbies: Surfing, Skate-Boarding, Snowboarding, Design
  • Name: Michael Cammell

    Nick Name: Gold Fish
    Age: 41
    Born: Auckland – New Zealand
    Grew Up: At the beach
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: 2005
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 623 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Automotive
    Hobbies: Catching bigger trout than Chopper (Shotover Jet Operations Manager), Sky Diving
  • Name: Elliot Fell

    Nick Name: Billy
    Age: 24
    Born: Christchurch – New Zealand
    Grew Up: Glenorchy - New Zealand
    Employed by Shotover Jet Since: September 2007
    Number of Commercial Trips Driven: 410 (as of end December 2007)
    Background: Royal New Zealand Navy
    Hobbies: Snowboarding, Skateboarding, Socialising

Trip date:

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What are people saying about us...

"…fly through the narrow canyon at speeds up to 70 kph, deliberating buzzing the cliff . . ."
» View full comment

Shotover Jet
Shotover Jet Beach, Gorge Road,
Arthurs Point, PO Box 189,
Queenstown,
New Zealand

Tel: +64 3 442 8570

Free Phone (within NZ only): 0800 SHOTOVER (0800 746 868)
Updated Monday, 19 May 2008