A helicopter pilot who lost his leg in an accident two years ago is back in the skies over the Central Plateau as he helps launch a new heli-biking trail.
Thomas Orr, 28, lost his left leg in December 2021 when a loader slipped off the trailer on an isolated road near Taupō, trapping his leg beneath it.
"I noticed a pool of blood on the ground getting bigger and I just thought, '****, I'm going to run out of that', so I thought I'd better stop the blood flow.
"It wasn't a very pretty sight, that's for sure."
Alone and with no reception, Orr used the belt he was wearing to tourniquet his leg. Passers-by found him not long after.
While his quick thinking saved his life, it didn't save his leg, which was amputated above the knee.
Despite the arduous physical therapy which followed as he learned to walk on a prosthetic leg, Orr was certain he wouldn't be kept grounded for long.
"There wasn't a moment where I was like 'I'm not going to fly'. I would have done whatever it took to get back in the seat."
Two years on, the Helisika junior pilot's helping to launch the Kaimanawa Descent, the North Island’s first ever heli-biking trail on private land.
The 22km trail, located just east of Mt Ruapehu, is a joint venture between Helisika, Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust and the Kaimanawa Trust.
Orr said while riders will need some skill to ride the trail, the view is a sight to behold.
"These blocks of lands that historically haven't had much use, people haven't been able to access them so they're just really stoked to see something happening up here," he said.
For those with a slightly less adventurous spirit, there's also a glamping experience on offer.
There may be some unexpected visitors too, with kiwi being spotted in the area.
"We’re in the process of putting in a kiwi and who recovery programme, so we’ve got about 15km of trap line going in the next couple of months."
The next step is getting out for a ride himself.
"I’ve just got to sort out some magnetic pedals."
The Kaimanawa Descent is expected to open to the public late next month.
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