Meet the Team
The people behind Kahu
Meet the Team
Experienced soaring coaches, mountain pilots and instructors who understand that good flying begins with judgement, curiosity and trust.
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” — Mark Twain
Soaring coach
Gdale — just “G”
After a childhood spent building—and crashing—model aeroplanes, G began gliding at 20 with Dorset Gliding Club. Ten years later he joined Lasham Gliding Society and developed into that rare bird: a true cross-country soaring coach.
He has followed the endless summer through Britain, New Zealand and Australia, working with national gliding associations and clubs around the world. His roles have included CFI, DCFI, head coach and travelling mountain-flying instructor.
A multiple British national champion and former British team pilot, G earned a silver medal at the 2019 European Gliding Championships. He now concentrates on distance flying in his ASH25 and teaching mountain soaring.
Mountain flying instructor
Daniel McCormack
Dan began flying gliders at 14 in Yorkshire, through his local club and the air cadets, where he also discovered the satisfaction of instructing.
He first came to Omarama intending to spend six months as ground crew. The place proved difficult to leave: he returned year after year and settled permanently in late 2016.
Dan later became Chief Flying Instructor. Pilots value his concise, in-depth weather briefings and his ability to coach personal development, competition flying and sound decision-making in demanding mountain terrain.
Instructor
Kieran Cassidy
Kieran started at Wellington Wairarapa Gliding Club, soloed at 13 and gained his Glider Pilot’s Licence at 14. He has accumulated nearly 600 hours and competed at regional and national events around New Zealand.
He represented New Zealand at the 2023 Australian Junior Gliding Championships—JoeyGlide—and has instructed with Wellington Wairarapa Gliding Club, Omarama Gliding Club and Youth Glide NZ.
At Kahu, Kieran enjoys sharing the possibilities of gliding in the Southern Alps while continuing towards his goal of competing at the Junior World Gliding Championships.
Volunteer • Mountain specialist
Phil Penney
Phil is a mountain person in every sense: climbing, skiing, flying and guiding have shaped his life. He volunteers with Kahu when the team needs an extra hand, a break or calm mountain judgement.
His free-flight apprenticeship began with a fifty-dollar hang glider in the early 1980s, followed by paragliders and then sailplanes—the ultimate expression, for him, of free flight.
Phil flies his own sailplane and remains involved in cross-country instruction.
Owner • Instructor
Milan Kmetovics
Milan’s aviation journey began at 15 in Hungary in 1999. He has accumulated more than 3,000 hours, competed in gliding and organised and directed three World Gliding Championships.
After working in Omarama as an instructor with Glide Omarama, he gained his CPL(G) and created Kahu Soaring to continue professional instruction in the Southern Alps.
He is passionate about the beauty of mountain soaring and especially interested in the psychology and philosophy of the sport. Away from gliding, Milan is a rock climber, mountaineer and photographer.
Who will you fly with?
Your instructor depends on dates, conditions and the kind of experience you are planning. Milan can help match the right coach to your goals.