Big_Daddy

How much are heli rides on Kauai and are they worth the $$$?

JohnD

Here is a link to a guidebook, Kauai Revealed, that has pricing and company info:

http://www.wizardpub.com/kauai/kauai.html

I thought it was worth the $), and not just because we survived, but it did involve flying through some rainy conditions.

JohnD

Here is a link to the company we used next to Princeville resort:
http://www.heliusa.com/tours/hawaiit...apalicoast.htm

Big_Daddy

a past link stated that Heliusa has the worst safety record in Kauai - True?

cmeyer54

looks like you've decided on hawaii instead of Aruba. We have taken two helicopter rides on Kauai - one from the Poipu area and one from Princeville. Both were spectacular and well worth the $$. Get one that has a glass floor unless your or your wife is a little squeamish. also make sure they have top quality headphones. most will have music synchronzied with the flight and narrative. You'll easily spend over $120 per person.

JohnD

We chose are flight based on price and convenient location, alot of posts rave about another company, Interisland, which has "open door" tours.
I don't know about HeliUSA safety, but they were not the last to go down as referenced in this post:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34434727

JohnD

Website claims no accidents with 600,000 passengers:
http://www.heliusa.com/safety.htm

auntiemaria

The "circle island tour" runs $125+ per person. Is it worth it? Well...fully 85% of this beautiful island can only be seen from the ocean or from the air (or a few years of rugged hiking in the mountains!), so my reply is "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Ryan

Yes, it is definately worth it. We also used the HeliUsa from the PV airport. If anyone in your party is likely to "feel" the effects of climbing and turning, you might think about one of their shorter tours.

Big_Daddy

what do you mean about feeling the effects of climbing and turning - does this company do more quick manuevers than others?

Ryan

Yes, that's exactly what they do. They've gotten some surplus Apache helicopters from the army and really get them going.

Or it could just be that any helicopter ride is likely to be more turbulent than what someone is used to from a large, commercial aircraft.

Big_Daddy

someone once told me heli rides are usually pretty smooth???

cmeyer54

I didn't think they were terribly rough at all. As with any small aircraft,I wouldn't recommend going on a very windy day. Generally, these are not small Hawaii Five-O helicopters - they are large enough to seat up to 8 people.

JohnD

Compared to a Cessna single propellor 4 seat aircraft, the helicopters we have ridden on in Maui and Kauai are much smoother than small planes though they are noisy and it is not easy to communicate without headsets. I did not notice any unusual flying patterns with HeliUSA.

makai1

Aloha BD,

Hey, did you tell your wife that you're taking her to Hawaii yet?

Big_Daddy

Hey Hey Hey Makai1
You bet I told her, can you imagine the pain I would have to endure when Big Mama puts me in a headlock!?!

dingoworld

A Heli-ride over Kauai is DEFINITELY worth the money.

Blue Hawaiian is by far the best company in islands...probably the world...but they don't fly on Kauai. So...choose Chuck DiPiazza/Air Kauai.

My wife & I did the ride on a whim..and it was the highlight of our trip. There's nothing like it to truly see the island and appreciate the landscape.

If you fly with a company with newer machines, like Air Kauai, you'll have a comfortable...safe ride. And if they have Bose noise-cancelling headphones, like Air Kauai, you'll hear very little noise.

All the pilots play great music in the headphones...and our pilot...Chuck...had a calm relaxed style that put the more nervous passengers at ease.

If you have a pilot that's flying stunts...you're flying with the wrong company, and they should probably lose their license. It's not about acrobatics...it's about touring the island in a manner only available by helicopter. Planes fly too high and too fast...and they can't hover over a waterfall...like helicopters do.

In other words...don't miss it.

mscarls

We thought the helicopter ride on Kaui was sensational.

Knowing

Do whatever it takes to make sure you get a helicopter ride. You will feel so good about your decision to go. I don't care much for heights and was a little fearful, however, it turned out to be the highlight of our trip! I realize everyone has their own opinion about who to use, but we used Jack Harter and they were great! We were blessed to be able to go up with a couple who had done it before and told me it was just like floating and they were so right!

Kal

How can there be helicopter rides on Kauai? Afterall, we all know there's nothing to do on Kauai. :-"

We did Harter pre-Iniki and got Jack himself.
He manuevered the chopper around so we all could get pics of the rainbow over the NaPali Coast.

The post-Iniki trip was with Ohana, I think.
Jet jock. Nearly dropped a loaf in my Jams when he flew over the top a mountain to reveal the Waimea Canyon.

We will probably take another one this Dec/Jan since we're due and the statute of limitations is over for soiling one's self in flight.