Would you still do a helicopter tour?

[Suskies]

For our February 2020 POA port stop in Hilo, we've booked a helicopter tour of the volcano with Safari Helicopters, the same company whose helicopter recently crashed in Kauai. Ironically, we chose Safari because of their attention to safety. Would you still do the helicopter tour or cancel and switch to a land tour?

[Nanner]

We are scheduled for a helicopter tour on Kauai for our upcoming cruise (not with Safari). We have done Volcanoes NP with Blue Hawaiian in the past, and they have had tour crashes.  We have done fixed wing tours in Alaska, as well as a helicopter to the glaciers.  LIfe is uncertain, and no company is likely to escape any mishaps.  The issue is that unlike ships, where a mishap normally doesn't result in loss of life, falling out of the sky is pretty certain to be deadly.

 

Costa still cruises, and Carnival survived that "ordeal" a few years ago in the Caribbean.  If you really want to experience the volcanoes from the air, you can always consider changing companies.  Helicopters, like cars, are machines.  Weather is uncertain (we almost were stranded due to weather on a bear flightseeing trip out of Ketchikan).  The choice is yours, but don't miss the opportunity to take the flight if you really want to see the volcanoes from above.

[CruiserBruce]

You are going to take a car, bus or similar to the airport, right? All of those have crashed. You appear to be flying from the East Coast to Hawaii...planes have crashed...

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, Suskies said:

Ironically, we chose Safari because of their attention to safety. Would you still do the helicopter tour or cancel and switch to a land tour?

I'm in the aviation industry and frankly am not a huge fan of helicopters unless you need to use one. And even then, choppers are safer to use in populated areas (like a transfer from Manhattan to JFK) where rescue is easier vs operating one in an extremely rural area of Hawaii or over water. You can read the statistics a few different ways, but FAA stats support the fact that helicopter operations do have more fatalities per flight hour than fixed wing operations. 

 

Also, some helicopters are safer than others. You should never get into a single engine chopper. Always make sure its a twin engine one. I think switching to a fixed wing would be a good compromise here. Knowing what I know thats what I would do with my family. 

[cat shepard]

If you really are uncomfortable using the company you booked, I know the company I flew with, Paradise Helicopters, flies out of Hilo. They also have an excellent safety record. And are very highly regarded by the local folk.

 

I would not cancel, if I were you. It is such a great way to see the Big Island.

[BostonGal35]

we are doing hawaii in april, 2021 an intend to book a chopper.  i appreciate the advice above regarding the single engine vs. dual engine.

[lake dr]

On 12/31/2019 at 12:09 PM, BostonGal35 said:

we are doing hawaii in april, 2021 an intend to book a chopper.  i appreciate the advice above regarding the single engine vs. dual engine.

The helicopter pilot was 69 yrs old and didn't have an instruments rating. I'm not saying low visibility played a role in the crash, but you can't pick your pilot. We did the helicopter tour a few years back, and fortunately we had a 50 some yr old pilot that was a retired Army helicopter pilot that had flown in 'Nam. We were lucky!!!!

[princeton123211]

4 hours ago, lake dr said:

The helicopter pilot was 69 yrs old and didn't have an instruments rating. I'm not saying low visibility played a role in the crash, but you can't pick your pilot.

I mean you can't in advance but you can also say no, I'm not flying with you today. No offense to older people but there is a reason that the mandatory retirement age of airline pilots in the US is 65. If I saw someone pushing 70 about to take my family up in a chopper I would politely decline. 

[Northumberland]

On 12/31/2019 at 7:16 AM, Suskies said:

For our February 2020 POA port stop in Hilo, we've booked a helicopter tour of the volcano with Safari Helicopters, the same company whose helicopter recently crashed in Kauai. Ironically, we chose Safari because of their attention to safety. Would you still do the helicopter tour or cancel and switch to a land tour?

I wouldn't book a helicopter tour, but not because of safety concerns. The odds of getting hit by a bus crossing the street would be higher than another helicopter crashing. My deciding factor would be cost. I've ridden in a helicopter before and the last time we were in Hawaii, I tried a fixed wing glider flight on the north shore of Oahu. That was a blast and the pilot provided a great experience. Enjoy your tour.

[squadron]

On 1/3/2020 at 6:14 AM, lake dr said:

The helicopter pilot was 69 yrs old and didn't have an instruments rating. I'm not saying low visibility played a role in the crash, but you can't pick your pilot. We did the helicopter tour a few years back, and fortunately we had a 50 some yr old pilot that was a retired Army helicopter pilot that had flown in 'Nam. We were lucky!!!!

Having an instrument rating I would have thought would be a requirement.  Also, a recent mountain flying course refresher.

[Suskies]

Just want to thank you all for your very helpful perspectives. We ended up taking the Safari Helicopters volcano tour out of Hilo, and it was a fabulous experience. We felt very comfortable with the pilot's and staff's attention to safety. We flew on a picture-perfect day--virtually no clouds--which also put us at ease. Samantha, our pilot, said safety was her first priority and she might need to cut off the narration if she had to communicate with someone on the ground or another pilot. The views were amazing and we'll never forget them. So we felt completely comfortable with our decision to proceed with the flight. Thanks again, all!

[cat shepard]

On 2/15/2020 at 1:45 PM, Suskies said:

Just want to thank you all for your very helpful perspectives. We ended up taking the Safari Helicopters volcano tour out of Hilo, and it was a fabulous experience. We felt very comfortable with the pilot's and staff's attention to safety. We flew on a picture-perfect day--virtually no clouds--which also put us at ease. Samantha, our pilot, said safety was her first priority and she might need to cut off the narration if she had to communicate with someone on the ground or another pilot. The views were amazing and we'll never forget them. So we felt completely comfortable with our decision to proceed with the flight. Thanks again, all!

 

Thrilled for you! It is an awesome way to see the Island. In the true sense of the word - awesome.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

We have done helo on Kauai and Alaska.  They rate up there with one of the top things to see on any vacation.  You would not be able to experience Kauai via fixed wing and see the volcanic craters with dozens of waterfalls coming down the inside.  

Edited February 24, 2020 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[carbon]

On 2/23/2020 at 8:57 PM, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

We have done helo on Kauai and Alaska.  They rate up there with one of the top things to see on any vacation.  You would not be able to experience Kauai via fixed wing and see the volcanic craters with dozens of waterfalls coming down the inside.  

We are cruiseing to Kauai in April. Would like to book helicopter, any recommendations on company?

[KeepCalmBearOn]

See my reply in the other thread.

 

 

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:45 AM, carbon said:

We are cruiseing to Kauai in April. Would like to book helicopter, any recommendations on company?

It's been to many years to recall.  We were on our own and not a cruise.  If on a cruise I would book with the ship.  

[Mrs f.]

Instead of the helicopter,  we did a 5 passenger plane..WINGS OVER KAUAI. Fantastic.  They picked us up at pier. 

[vacation44]

On 2/11/2022 at 5:41 AM, Mrs f. said:

Instead of the helicopter,  we did a 5 passenger plane..WINGS OVER KAUAI. Fantastic.  They picked us up at pier. 

Thank you for the information.  I just went to their website and it does sound like something we would be interested in.

 

Just have one question......how long were you up in the air?   We will be on the POA next March with extended family and will be more than five and, unfortunately, more than 1100 pounds so we would need two trips up.

[Mrs f.]

I thought the website said.. I forget exactly but it was longer than the helicopter  one. Somewhere  are 65 min.

 

They took a photo of us standing  next to the plane. At the end they gave us a cd with Hawaiian  music and on the cover was the photo they had taken of us.

 

We recommended  it to friends  and they also loved it

[squadron]

On 1/3/2020 at 6:14 AM, lake dr said:

The helicopter pilot was 69 yrs old and didn't have an instruments rating. I'm not saying low visibility played a role in the crash, but you can't pick your pilot. We did the helicopter tour a few years back, and fortunately we had a 50 some yr old pilot that was a retired Army helicopter pilot that had flown in 'Nam. We were lucky!!!!

I would take a military pilot any time. The important thing is for the company to keep their pilots current on mountain flying for the  gorges and  hilly terrain.