Wings Over Kauai?
 

Has anyone ever used this airplane tour company in Kauai? http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/

I'm considering booking this for our family vacation in June. It's much less expensive than the popular helicopter rides, and we're already comfortable in the type of airplane used since I fly one myself! You never know if the pilot might need a helping hand.....

So does this really mean no one here has ever flown on a scenic flight of Kauai in a small airplane? Anyone...anyone...?

Bueller???

I like to trike, which is not up your alley...birdsinparadise.com

Good luck

I'm surprised no one has responded to your inquiry about fixed wing air tours. I have only taken the helicopter tour on Kauai and it was awesome. To really appreciate the grandeur of the scenery, I think low and slow is the way to go. I doubt if the plane would compare favorably with the helicopter.

I lived on Kauai for the last 6 years and never heard of Wings Over Kauai.

I am a resident of north shore Kaua`i and have seen the plane flying over Hanalei Bay occasionally -- but don't personally know anyone who has flown on it...

Since no one seems to know anything about this subject, I will post my experience if we should end up flying in the plane. BTW, for those of you who are not familiar with flying in a Cessna 172, you can fly pretty "Low & slow" in it, however you can't "Hover" like in a copter.....

"Wings Over Kauai" was awesome, and the price was right on! The airplane is a Cessna 172, a high-wing, single-engine airplane. The model airplane is great for sightseeing, and has an excellent safety record. "Wings Over Kauai" is a family-run operation, and they are VERY friendly and personable. Bruce, the pilot, does a wonderful job flying and narrating. He is open to personalizing your route to fly over what interests you the most. I still would like to tour Kauai in a helicopter (next time), however, the airplane ride is definitely a good alternative! Not only is it a very good value, but it is a "Tamer" ride than a helicopter for those that would prefer that. I found out the reason many people on this forum haven't heard of the operation is that it's only about a year old, and is a very small family company.

I would highly recommend "Wings Over Kauai" (airplane "Flightseeing).

http://wingsoverkauai.com/

Is the red biplane still flying there too ?

Yes~I saw it parked right next to the "Wings Over Kauai" Cessna. It has "Snoopy" painted on it.

We used Wings Over Kauai about a week ago and thought it was terrific. It's a LOT less expensive than the helitours, the pilot (Bruce) is very friendly and knowledgeable, and the ride is very smooth. Views from the plane are great, as all the seats are window seats.

One additional note that will be highly relevant to anyone who is nervous about flying-- planes are safer than copters, because planes can glide to a landing in the unlikely event of loss of power. I'm not suggesting that helicopters crash frequently, but you'll have more peace of mind with Wings Over Kauai if that is a concern for you.

schiang68, helicopters can autorotate to a landing in case of engine failure...a maneuver every chopper pilot must demonstrate on his or her private pilot checkride and, in the case of air taxi pilots, every six months.

The original post was from 2004!

When we went back in the summer of 2005 they were a new business, and that's why not many people knew about them. I would highly recommend them, and yes, the C-172 that they fly is generally much safer than any helicopter (I know this from personal experience as a private, instrument-rated pilot). I would GUESS that there is a higher percentage of successful no-power landings in a Cessna than in a helicopter auto-rotating...but that is just my guess. To further my hunch on the safety of helicopters, there were 2 back-to-back helicopter crashes with fatalities on Kauai just before our last trip in April '07. Coincidentally, some of the victims were from where we live in California. Sad.

First off, I've never been in a helicopter, nor have I been to Kauai (or any other Hawaian island)... YET :-)

BUT, I have been in a 6-passenger Dehavilland Float plane in Alaska (to Anan Bear Observation Ctr) and the ride was nothing short of MAGICAL! I can not imagine the viewing and experience of Kauai - and it's breathtaking sites, to be any less awe-inspiring as in a helicopter (maybe I am worng - but just my guess).

Lisa