SoloAlex

Looking to take a BI helicopter tour and it sounds like doors-off is the way to go for me. Definitely want to see the volcanoes but a longer trip would be great too. Not particular about where it leaves from since I'll be spending several days nr Kona and Hilo.

So far I have only found doors-off through Paradise Helicopters and Tropical Helicopters. Any feedback on these two? Are there any others out there?

rfs

I believe that Paradise & Tropical are actually the same company, at least they share the same terminal location & personnel in Hilo. I did the doors off flight over the Volcano in July and it was great, especially if you want to get some good pictures without glare. We did a conventional helicopter ride (with doors intact)last year in Kauai and that too was a good experience, just not as good for Pixs. If you want to see the volcano, take the trip from Hilo, it's much closer. We also did the fixed wing turbo prop around the island. Not bad, but I'll remember the doors off flight a lot longer. Another interesting trip was the trip up to the top of Mauna Kea at night (it starts in the afternoon). Have a nice trip.

DebitNM

For what it is worth...since you are looking for doors off...

We did a doors on with Blue Hawaiian last week and I took pictures with disposable underwater camera [long story]. I was skeptical but...I had them developed today and they came out really well!

One suggestion -- even with the doors off, you may want to take pictures out of the front [we were lucky to sit next to pilot] and if so, wear dark clothes to cut down on the possibility of reflection.

I highly recommend Blue Hawaiian -- we flew on Ecostar on the 2 hour tour out of Kona. Pilot was great and we really enjoyed it.

Also, we did the drive down to the ocean and walked out on the lava flows at VNP the day BEFORE and watched as the sun set and it got dark and was really able to see the lava coming down the slope [with binocs] and empty into the ocean so we had a much better appreciation of the sites on the flight. You could NOT see the lava flowing into the ocean on the flight due to steam/vog.

Hope this helps...
Debi

SoloAlex

Thanks for the feedback! This is mostly a photographic trip and I have a new SLR to play with too. I hope I can get a front seat since the back seats look kinda tight.

Turns out my dad flew in the Hughes/MD 500 in Vietnam (then known as the OH-6A Cayuse "Flying Egg" scout helicopter) and he had some good pointers: don't brace your arm on the airframe (too much vibration) and don't stick the lens outside the doorway (rotor wash is a killer).

It seemed like Paradise and Tropical were one in the same, but it seems odd that they would have two separate web sites. I wonder if I'd get a discount if I gave them some marketing advice...

SoloAlex

Booked and flew Paradise out of Hilo. (I'm beginning to think the choppers are the only traffic at Hilo! lol)

Cloud ceiling was too low to fly over Pu'u O'o Vent - you pay your money and you take your chances with the wx - but got great views of the lava. I flew up front and it was an absolute blast. Doors-off is the way to go!