Dori..Fine,its a poor analogy. But you get the point. There are plenty of risks in life,and,speaking for myself,if there was something I had always wanted to do I would not let an isolated incident deny me that chance.

Compare it with scuba,hiking the Grand Canyon,sailing to Bermuda. I'm sure seeing Hawaii from a helicopter is gorgeaous and a very thrilling ride. It would be worth the risk for me.

Good question. My husband started yelling at me last night while the news was on that a helicopter had gone down. We booked our February trip a couple of weeks ago for two weeks in Kauai. We had tried this past winter to take a helicopter ride in the USVI, but were unable to find another couple to go up with us and it was rather steep for just the two of us to pay. We had planned on making reservations for a ride prior to going this winter,in hopes of finding another couple to go with. We thought it sounded like a very enjoyable activity, but we will see what the future brings and what our fear level is like as we get closer.

I just don't like heights and I try to look at flying as a means of transporting me to somewhere wonderful. The helicopter thing would never be my type of thing and I'd rather spend all that money on a really memorable meal or a different excursion. I really sense that the odds would be against me in a helicopter. Just my thing but to each his own.

Just for all you seafaring types out there: We have small children do haven't done the helicopter tours, but took a Captain Andy's cruise from the southern part of Kauai 2 years ago. Beautiful scenery, but one of the motors died on the way back to port. It soon got dark, and we all had to move to one side of the boat to kind of counterbalance the remaining motor. Old Gilligan's Island episodes went through our heads, and it was scary when a large freighter passed us with our little lighting in the pitch black night. We finally limped into port. I guess if this had been a helicopter tour I wouldn't be here to write this post.

On the lighter side (I certainly do not want to belittle the pain of the people involved in the copter crash), Rita Rudner offered the following:

"One time I was going to get a helicopter ride. I was thrilled. But you know the first thing they ask you? Your weight. And I just sat there looking at the other passengers thinking: 'If they're lying as much as I just did this thing's going down!!'"

Last thing, this one a bit more serious:

Posters who point out that these accidents, while newsworthy, are still rare (in fact, their rarity MAKES them newsworthy) are 100% correct. It still makes you nervous the next day, but a quick risk assessment will calm you. I feel SAFER after such things happen-- people are just more careful.

I had to fly with my SigO the day after the Boeing 737 crash in Sudan-- and one leg was on a (much newer) 737. I didn't say a word until the day AFTER we returned home.

While not wishing to make light of a tragedy, I can't help but be reminded of a comment I once read about helicopters:

They don't really fly... they just beat the air into submission.

Ken

KITV site video said the passengers were two couples; one celebrating their 25th anniversary, the other much younger. Pilot was a retired USN Lt Cmndr.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../br/br02p.html

My problem is that I live there and see the reports and tears on the news. I would not enjoy a flight as I would be fearful the whole time. I'm also the type who is nervous on the road. It just depends on your comfort level. And I hate for people to not know the info. My husband who flys small planes between the islands says that with a small plane you can glide it down and ditch it in the water etc. a helicopter has a malfunction and just goes down. Also I live on the Koolaus and see how quickly the wind gusts change or swirls around. If I was younger and without a child I may make a different choice. The Napali boat ride is a must!

My husband said they found the lady hanging on to the side of the mountain. Poor lady had a strong will to live.

I wonder if it was mechanical problem & too low to autorotate or something, apparently landed on a bit of a ledge and did not scatter over wide area which suggests it didn't just fly into the wall at 130mph or so.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../br/br02p.html

islandmom, are you back home now? Also, how about going to another thread and telling me about Branson...did you go to Big Cedar and Dogwood Canyon???

Hi, my gma died last night. I'll be in Okla another week or more. There are some festivals here I may be able to catch. I posted on the bottom of the thread on Branson and a three year old. Since I was with a group that likes to lay by the pool we didn't get out much.

Terrible tragedy! I was in Kauii last October and tried to make a reservation on one of the Harter heli's! I was told there was an extra per pound charge if your weight was over 200 pounds!! What a line of crap. The clerk told me I would have to pay for an extra seat!

I, for one, can't relax enough to be in the helicopters. My first, and only, and last helicopter ride was over the Grand Canyon about 12 years ago. We did a South Pacific cruise 4-5 years ago, and while on Maui, my husband insisted on a helicopter tour. I couldn't do it--so instead, I went snorkeling alone to Molokini (sp?) and he did the helicopter tour. I watched the video later, which was beautiful, but my husband acknowledged that I wouldn't have been comfortable on the flight as it was cloudy and raining near many of the waterfalls. I don't think at this point he would go again, either. It was tough separating from him for each of us to do our own thing, but I knew this was something he truly wanted to do but something I knew I could live without!

parsavant
It's quite simple, there is a maximum load for any aircraft, on a big one it averages out but for something like a five seater Jet Ranger each person's weight becomes a more significant part of the allowable total. Simple as that !

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