Charter a Local Helicopter Company
Make a grand entrance or make a quick getaway. Chartering a helicopter is cheaper than you think and a lot faster and more predictable than other travel.
Contents
Steps
- Search for "Helicopter Charter" on the internet or in a telephone directory.
- Set up the appointment. Expect to pay around $500 for a three passenger helicopter and $1800 for a 5 passenger helicopter, depending on the distance you have to go. Sometimes it will be much more effective to make two trips in the smaller helicopter, depending on the distance.
- Scout a good landing area. Make sure there are no wires because these are the biggest problem for a helicopter trying to land. Alert your chosen company as to where any wires are situated and realize that the company will make the final decision on where to pick up and land. Large fields or parking lots are best. Parking decks are great too, even better are those with lights.
- Get landowner permission to land the helicopter and get it written on a piece of paper. This is a requirement for the FAA (and most likely many other air traffic authorities in your part of the world).
- Count on a 15 minute window of timing, and realize that these are highly mechanical devices that have weather constraints. They can fly around thunderstorms, but not at night, for example.
- Wait for help to get in. When entering the helicopter, the pilot will assist you. Do not slam the doors shut. They work with a simple close and a pin, very unlike a car door.
- Put away problem items. Scarves, gloves, sunglasses, camera cases and cellular phones are dangerous when introduced to a tail rotor. Make sure they are under control before you approach the helicopter. In the summertime, just keep them pocketed.
- Expect that the doors may be open during flight. This is for your comfort, as there is seldom air conditioning; ask ahead of time, and expect to pay a slight premium for air conditioning if you desire it.
- Keep calm if there is a lack of doors. This will not be a problem; just keep your arms inside, because the wind is four times the speed than that of your car. You can easily dislocate or injure your arm. Wind will not be an issue, wind is designed to slip around the aircraft, not into the cockpit.
Tips
- When flying to Hartsfield, for example, ask for a "special rate" or a "block rate" and pre-pay for several flights at a good discount.
- Bring a camera. You can take pictures unattainable by most travelers.
- Birthdays, airport delivery, anniversaries, proposals, and simple business meetings are some reasons people do this every day.
- Expect the best, prepare for the worst. Mechanical difficulties are to be well respected, as is the weather. Helicopters are generally maintained more frequently than an airliner, though, so realize how many times you've been "bumped" from any commercial flight.
- Pack lightly. There is not a lot of room for luggage. Make sure the pilot knows the dimensions of what you are bringing. They will not charge for the extra space, but they may limit the number of people coming on board.
Warnings
- You will not want to be in a helicopter for 10 hours. The helicopter is not designed for long distance travelling and is not comfortable for flights more than three consecutive hours long.
- Expect to pay a cancellation fee if you cancel less than 36 hours ahead. The business is well scheduled and cancellations can cost the company nearly the entire cost of the flight.
- During the landing, don't talk. The pilot is using all of the available information to land.
- The pilot is in command. He or she is interested in one thing; a safe return.
- Get the landowner's permission. For example, in the USA, the Federal Aviation Administration insists that the landowner be aware of the flight. Noise is rarely an issue, unless you are taking more than one flight a week from the same location.
- Helicopters can last about 2.5 to three hours in the air before refuelling. The average speed is about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. That means {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} is a good maximum distance you would want to travel. Exceptions can always be made.
- Do not walk behind the helicopter. Most ground accidents are caused by walking at the back of the helicopter.
- If you need to extend or lengthen your flight, it will cause people behind you to be late or miss flights. Please be considerate and consider a return flight if someone is scheduled after you.
