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