helicopter safety records

[luv2travel2beaches]

Does anybody know of any links to find out about the helicopter tour companies and their safety records? I am specficially interested in tours on Kauai and the Big Island. I have narrowed down the companies that I am interested in but I would like to check out their safety records before I book.

 

 

Can't wait till 5/19/04 on the Wind

[Quartetlead]

We did a helicopter tour last December and I thought there was information posted re safety records before our cruise. However, I have been unable to find any pertinent safety data. I'm sure that if you contact the individual companies they will tell you what you want to know. The FAA has a web page at ffa.gov where you might be able to get some info.

 

We used Safari in Hilo. Pilot was a Nam veteran and very knowledgeful regarding what we saw on our trip. Trip was smooth and no one experienced any uneasiness at all. Interactive headphones allowed passengers to speak with the pilot and also kept out the noise. Friendly folks to deal with and had a good internet price on their web page (safariair.com). They also have a game on the web page where you pilot a helicopter through the tour and if successful will win a very nice T shirt when you go for your tour.

 

Bud Laumann

 

Till we sail Rome to Baltimore

[spleen93]

There have been very few helicopter accidents in Hawaii by tour companies (I can probably remember one in the last 5 years and given the hundreds of flights that happen on a monthly basis, that's pretty incredible). I think you'd probably be safe with any of the major helicopter companies - but I can also understand the desire to check it out for yourself!

 

Spleen

 

 until RSSC Navigator - Canada - 6/04

 

Carnival Conquest - W. Caribbean - 10/03, Celebrity Infinity - Alaska - 6/03, Ocean Princess - Alaska - 7/02

[bug_dan]

In Nov of 2003 we used Jack Harter's on Kauai. We had booked the flight in July of '03 about a week before one of their choppers crashed on Kauai. Up until that time they had a perfect safety record for 32 years.. You may find the info you're looking for by going to Google.com and searching for "Hawaiian helicopter accidents" or Hawaiian helicopter safety"

 

Dan

 

Infinity Panama Canal 10/17/2004

[RvrCrzr]

http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/16/news/story1.html

 

http://www.news24houston.com/content/top%5Fstories/?ArID=11288

 

Navigator of the Seas- 12-13-2003 (7 days) Western

Ocean Princess - 02/2002 (10 days)Southern

Enchantment of the Seas - 02/1999 (7 days) Western

[spleen93]

OK, 2. I remember that it was a freak string of 2 accidents now. But still rare considering the number of flights. Ironically, the safest helicopter company may be the one that had the most recent accident as their mechanics will be doubly alert to make sure that no other problems come up ...

 

As always, the choice of whether to do a helicopter flight is up to you ... but I think the risk is a manageable one and the experience is hard to forget. I've done them before and I'll do them again. For those that are more risk-adverse ...

 

Spleen

 

<a href="http://www.escati.com/counter98/free_time_codes.htm">

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 until RSSC Navigator - Canada - 6/04

 

Carnival Conquest - W. Caribbean - 10/03, Celebrity Infinity - Alaska - 6/03, Ocean Princess - Alaska - 7/02

[luv2travel2beaches]

Spleen, your information and advice has been very valuable to me. With just barely a month till we visit your islands I am sure to have many more questions. My dh and I think the risks are worth it for the thrills and beauty we will see on the helicopter tours. I am trying to balance safety and weight restrictions as my dh is just barely above those 250 lb weight limits (with surcharges). Of course we are looking for the best deal, so that we can do even more fun things! Of course I am the obsessive planner! Thanks again for your advice.

 

 

Can't wait till 5/19/04 on the Wind

[Oregano]

There have been very few helicopter accidents in Hawaii by tour companies (I can probably remember one in the last 5 years and given the hundreds of flights that happen on a monthly basis, that's pretty incredible). I think you'd probably be safe with any of the major helicopter companies - but I can also understand the desire to check it out for yourself!

 

Spleen

 

 until RSSC Navigator - Canada - 6/04

 

Carnival Conquest - W. Caribbean - 10/03, Celebrity Infinity - Alaska - 6/03, Ocean Princess - Alaska - 7/02

"OK, 2. I remember that it was a freak string of 2 accidents now"

 

Spleen, it has been a "freak string" of two fatal tour helicopter crashes per year in Hawaii year after year.

[West Maui]

"Spleen, it has been a "freak string" of two fatal tour helicopter crashes per year in Hawaii year after year.

 

This is not correct, in any sense of your statement. Sunshine Helicopters was one of the first tour companies to join a special study with the FAA on rules and regs for tours, and Blue Hawaiian and some others followed.

 

On June 26, 2009, the results of a study which ran from 1981 through 2008 were published in various journals. See, for example, the June 29, 2009 issue of Science Daily. It mentions the total of crashes in Hawaii over the 28 year period (that the study covered) was 59.

 

Of those 59, 16 included fatal injuries.

This is a far cry from your allegation of 2 fatal crashes, each year, year after year.

 

Every accident which results in injuries, much less death, is taken seriously and the highly rated companies put safety first. Thousands, not hundreds, of flights are conducted statewide every month--and the accident ratio is far lower than driving one's car to work.

 

I find it odd that you joined today, and that your first post is a misleading and factually incorrect reply to a thread untouched since 2004. If you have an issue with a helicopter company, perhaps this forum is not for you.

[maroons]

We flew with them on Kauai - booked through NCL. We were very happy with their set up, their emphasis on safety, their staff, the pilot, the DVD at the end, etc. Fabulous experience.

[chipmaster]

Does anybody know of any links to find out about the helicopter tour companies and their safety records? I am specficially interested in tours on Kauai and the Big Island. I have narrowed down the companies that I am interested in but I would like to check out their safety records before I book.

 

 

Can't wait till 5/19/04 on the Wind

 

 

There is a popular tour book about Kauai that has a side bar talking about this. They listed a few of the dozen companies that fly there at the top, Blue Hawaiian was one. The other couple escape my memory. We used them and were very happy with our pilot.

 

Unlike the other poster who had a 50+ nam pilot ours was young late 20's and doing it for almost 5 years. He was the product of a surfing couple and took up the job to work in the place he loved. We couldn't have felt safer.

 

Also, searching google for accidents is a very missleading statistics to look for. You need to likely search FAA citations or such. There are many forms of safety issues; mechanical issues, training issues, training, behavior, flying in questionable weather etc. etc. BTW the last item was something we personally experienced. Blue choose to not fly the day before due to thunderstorms in the PM while many of the other companies did. That is likely not something you find in any FAA write up or statistic. Not pushing Blue H, but simply sharing what we personally experience on your stay in Kauai.

 

Do the heli as Kauai is the best island of them all to do it at!

[TrentS]

Having been on several of the tour companies helicopters IMO Blue Hawaiian is the best of the bunch.

[CC Help Michell]

Here's a link to the National Transportation Safety Board's Aviation Accident Database -- http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

 

You can make a query for helicopter, Hawaii, and input dates to read about what accidents have happened (fatal and non), what the causes were, and what recommendations the NTSB has made. We did not choose to take a helicopter flight while we were in Hawaii, but hope this information is of some help to the OP.

[West Maui]

Am I correct that most travel insurance pkgs out there will NOT cover heli rides?

 

Aloha,

I can't answer your exact question, but can tell you that the heli companies-the majors especially--carry huge, huge policies. Yes, you have to be cautious in booking a heli, but as many posters have said, it is an incredible experience. It is the only way to see many parts of all the islands, due to the inaccessability of so much terrain by any other means. It is also a great way to get the scope of areas like Waimea Canyon, Haleakala, Volcano National Park, etc. For example, on Maui, I used to suggest that guests do a heli over Haleakala in the mornig, then drive up to the summit afterwards and explore the Park. The contrast between 'air' and 'ground' was fun for them! Same goes for Volcano NP.

 

In my experience, Sunshine and Blue Hawaiian were always the first to cancel or re-route if there was any question of safety. Yes, it seemed odd to guests when I pointed this out-until they realized that this really was the right way to run a company-safety first. Additionally, the pilots have discretion when in the air, to change the route if conditions were to change from the time of takeoff. It doesn't happen often, but cloud cover can increase or winds can change-and that's why the pilots are allowed and encouraged to put safety above the buck.

 

Heli tour problems are like shark attacks. They receive an enormous amount of publicity, yet the actual incidents are rare and often not what gets reported...especially due to the instant nature of the Internet. Last time I checked, shark attacks in Florida were the highest in the nation, but they rarely make the front page!:confused:

[Donna6369]

I did The Big Island Spectacular in June with Blue Hawaiian and it was amazing... We were in the air for over 2 hours.

 

Enjoy!