Content:
- A short trip through the history of helicopters
- Specifics of helicopter flights
- Where in the Czech Republic can you fly in a helicopter?
- Types of experiential helicopter flights
- What kind of helicopter can you fly in?
- How does a helicopter flight take place
- How much does a helicopter flight cost
- For whom a helicopter flight is (un)suitable
- Risks of helicopter flight
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enA short tour through the history of helicopters
A helicopter or helicopter (derived from the Greek words helix meaning propeller and pteron meaning wing) is a type of rotorcraft that flies in the sky for a relatively short period of time.
Although the principle of helicopter flight has been known for a long time and you can find it on toys from ancient China, the first documented helicopter would not have been found until 1908. It was made by a French bicycle dealer, Paul Cornu. He focused on the concept of the helicopter that Leonardo da Vinci had already depicted in his drawings. But the machine was not yet laterally controllable and flew only a few dozen centimetres above the ground.
The first fully functional helicopter is now considered to be the German Focke-Wulf Fw 61, which was produced in only 2 pieces. Helicopters were then developed mainly in the USA and the USSR, where the machines were given a compensating rotor and thus functioned like today's helicopters.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enSpecifics of helicopter flights
Why choose a helicopter instead of a plane? We can't say that one experience is better, they are just different. So it's all about what suits you better. Either way, you'll enjoy the adventure and breathtaking views.
And now for the differences. While an airplane needs a longer space to take off and land, a helicopter makes do with just a small runway because it is able to move vertically. An airplane is faster, but has limited vertical maneuvering capability, which you can enjoy in a helicopter. Oh, and the helicopter can also reverse or stand still. The freedom of movement is significantly greater.
The helicopter flight is overall more playful and if you appreciate the technical side of the experience, you will definitely enjoy the helicopter more.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWhere in the Czech Republic can I fly in a helicopter?
You can enjoy helicopter flights in a number of regions across the Czech Republic. Sightseeing flights await you in České Budějovice, Olomouc and Brno. In Hradec Králové, for example, you can also enjoy the specialty of a flight in more unusual machines, while in Znojmo and Skutec you can enjoy a tandem parachute jump. And that it requires adrenaline in the form of acrobatics? Then head to the village of Sazená near Prague.
You can often find sightseeing flights at various aviation days, where you have a unique chance to take advantage of the opportunity to fly immediately without waiting for a date.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enThe range of helicopter flights is wide, what will you choose first?
Experiential helicopter flights offer fun for every nature. Lovers of views, romantics and even aerial combat and aerobatics enthusiasts will find something for themselves. Each experience has its own specifics, so choose the one that makes the most of your flight.
Sightseeing helicopter flights over cities and monuments
Sightseeing helicopter flights are a complete evergreen, suitable for children, adults and active seniors. From a height of several hundred metres, you can see cities with their most interesting architectural monuments, as well as the surrounding countryside. No lookout tower can offer such views. Not to mention the fact that here you can enjoy yourself without hundreds of metres of altitude in your legs.
TIP: Adrop offers helicopter sightseeing flights in 17 different cities. Take a look at the map and choose the place that would be most appealing to you from a bird's eye view. Flights can be taken from as little as 5 minutes, making it a relatively affordable experience for the general public.
An adrenaline-filled helicopter flight for the adventurous
If a classic sightseeing flight seems like a yawn to you, we recommend taking an adrenaline helicopter flight, where plenty of acrobatics await you. You won't want to miss the high-speed flight, sharp turns, 360-degree turns and backwards flight. An unforgettable experience and a safe course is always ensured by an experienced pilot who will adapt the programme to what you can bear.
A romantic helicopter flight as an unforgettable date
When you fly in a helicopter at sunset, with your loved one by your side and a glass of chilled prosecco in your hand, you're in for a romantic experience. And that's exactly what a romantic helicopter flight is for - it offers you the chance to have a truly unforgettable date, or celebrate an anniversary the way it should be celebrated.
And that you're looking for a novel way to propose? Pack a ring in your pocket and let's get down to business. The likelihood of rejection at a few hundred metres above the ground drops dramatically.
Plus, you can enjoy this aerial romance virtually anywhere in the country. All you have to do is find the nearest airport where the experience takes place.
Helicopter piloting test
Are you thinking about getting a pilot's licence or are you just tempted by the adrenaline rush of piloting a helicopter with your own hands? If so, you need to take advantage of the helicopter test pilot option, where you take control of the machine into your own hands and fly for half an hour under the supervision of a professional pilot.
A treat in the form of aerial combat
In the Czech Republic you will also find a rarity in the form of an authentically simulated air battle from the cockpit of an AH-1 Cobra helicopter against a MiG-15 fighter. Here you will experience the adrenaline rush of technically skilled piloting at ground altitudes that are typical for attacks on ground targets. When you add to that the fact that the helicopter can move around 300 km/h, you will know that this experience is truly unforgettable.
Skills training on a helicopter flight simulator
If you'd like to test your helicopter flight on the ground first, try piloting a helicopter in a flight simulator where you can enjoy the aerial fun in complete safety. In the simulator, you can choose to take off and land at a number of airports around the world, which look absolutely realistic thanks to high-quality projections.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWhich helicopter can you fly in?
The helicopter flight experience offers several leading helicopters to sit in. Which one will win it for you?
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Robinson R22: A two-seat, light single-engine, American-made helicopter that has been in production since the 1970s. It can fly at speeds up to 189 km/h and climb at 6.1 m/s. Due to its light weight, it has low fuel consumption, making flights relatively inexpensive. You can enjoy a private sightseeing flight in it or even try piloting it.
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Robinson R44: The younger brother of the R22 is already a four-seater and has been in series production since 1993. The R44 is one of the most popular training helicopters for future pilots, so you can not only take it for a spin, but you can also pilot it. The maximum speed of this machine reaches up to 240 km/h, while the normal cruising speed is 200 km/h.
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Bell 206B: The American helicopter started production in 1967 and can accommodate a crew of 5 (1 pilot + 4 passengers). It is heavier than the previous two machines, but can still fly at 200 km/h (maximum speed is 240 km/h). However, the higher weight also means higher fuel consumption, so tickets tend to be more expensive, but the total cost is shared between more people.
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Enstrom 480B: This helicopter is used by police forces in the US and other countries. It can fit 5 people including the pilot, but there is less room in the back seats, so it is more likely to seat smaller airmen comfortably. You'll be impressed by the Rolls-Royce jet engine, which gives this heavy machine a top speed of 231 km/h. You can enjoy a flight in an Enstrom helicopter for up to an hour!
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Mil Mi-8: While other helicopters are around 10 m long, this machine is an impressive 25 m long and weighs almost 7 tonnes, which is 6 tonnes more than previous machines. It would be quite expensive to make sightseeing flights in it, not to mention that the view it provides is not quite optimal. However, it can accommodate over 20 passengers and offers a great opportunity for unconventional tandem parachute jumps from a helicopter.
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Bell AH-1 Cobra: This American two-seater helicopter is a real treat. It is a combat machine designed to provide direct support to ground troops and to destroy enemy manpower and combat equipment. It would be a shame to fly it just for a treat, so you can enjoy it in action during manoeuvres close to the ground and then try your hand at flying it during a familiarisation flight.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enHow the helicopter flies
The course of the helicopter flight depends on the experience you choose. It is therefore always worth reading the description to get an idea of what you are getting into. In any case, you need to buy a ticket first, make an appointment and arrive at the airport on time.
There will be a short safety briefing before the flight, then you just need to follow the pilot's instructions and enjoy the flight. During the flight, you must wear your seatbelt and not interfere with the pilot's compartment unless he specifically allows you to do so. And it's definitely a good idea to keep any loose items, such as cell phones or cameras, secured as well.
For experiences with piloting opportunities, then look forward to engaging in pre-flight training where you'll learn how to communicate with the control tower, master the basics of meteorology, and take control in the air. Upon your return, you'll have a flight briefing where you and your pilot will discuss how you did.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enHow much does a helicopter flight cost?
The cost of a helicopter flight depends on a number of variables. It depends on whether you fly alone with just the pilot or share the price with more passengers. It also depends on the length of the flight and the machine you choose. It will be cheaper to take a classic sightseeing flight than to fly the helicopter.
On Adrop you can find a classic sightseeing helicopter flight from 1 490 CZK, while the most expensive fun is the opportunity to experience an aerial duel from the cockpit of an AH-1 Cobra helicopter and a MiG-15 fighter, for which you will pay a bit more, from 0 CZK.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWho is a helicopter flight suitable for and who should avoid it?
Helicopter flights are for adventurers who are not afraid of heights and want to experience something new. Different types of flights have different conditions. For example, even children accompanied by their parents can enjoy a classic helicopter flight, while pilots as young as 16 can try their hand at flying!
Each machine also has different weight restrictions, so make sure you read the specifics of the flight before you buy to make sure you meet everything you need.
And who would rather find a different experience?
We certainly wouldn't recommend helicopter flying to someone with a strong fear of flying, there are plenty of cool experiences on the ground too and no need to force yourself. However, if you are just a little scared and want to overcome your fear, there is nothing to stop you from flying.
Also, if you are normally sick of transport, a helicopter flight won't be the right thing to do. It's definitely a good idea to discuss with your doctor the suitability of flying if you suffer from more serious illnesses. In particular, such an aerobatic flight will be nothing for people with heart and circulatory conditions.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enRisks of helicopter flight
Helicopter flights are not as safe as balloon flights, for example, where there is virtually zero risk of an accident. However, even in this case it is minimal because helicopters are only flown by professional pilots and undergo regular servicing. This eliminates the two biggest risks - human factors and technical faults - which are behind the vast majority of accidents. If you observe the weight limit and safety precautions, you certainly don't have to worry about the experience any more than you would about walking around town.
So how do you see it, enjoy a helicopter flight yourself, or use the voucher to make a dream come true for a loved one?
