When Is It Available

• Weekdays and weekends throughout they year
• Specific days are subject to availability and weather conditions at your chosen location

What Can I Expect

Our nationwide range of 30-minute helicopter lessons departing from a whole host of locations! These brilliant rides are totally flexible, as it's up to you where you decide to take your lesson.

The airfields may vary, but each experience starts in the same way - with a pre-flight safety briefing. Listen carefully, as you may well hear your pilot instructor say the words "And this is the T-bar shaped stick that controls which way the chopper goes" - pretty essential stuff!

Once you are comfortably strapped in, the instructor will perform the last run of checks. If you've never been in a heli before, you might be struck by how noisy it is and your first take off is sure to be an eye opener. You slowly rise up vertically for a few metres, then as you feel the chopper lean forward, you accelerate off into forward flight.

After gaining cruising height and speed, your pilot will introduce you to each of the three basic helicopter controls (including that all important cyclic we mentioned earlier!), demonstrating their use and effect. And remember, these are 30-minute helicopter lessons, so you will actually be at the controls!

You will learn about pitching the nose of the helicopter up or down, or rolling from left or right. You'll grip what is known as the collective, which you move up and down to make the helicopter do likewise. Your feet will be on the rudder pedals, controlling the direction in which the helicopter is pointing. There's a lot to think about when it comes to handling a helicopter!

If there's one thing you'll be certain of after your flight, it'll be that helicopters are not easy to handle. But it's great fun, especially with the reassuring presence of an experienced, qualified instructor next to you. Of course, they all have full dual controls - and with patient instruction, most people are able to achieve a degree of control within the 30-minute duration.

If you'd like a more in-depth lesson than offered on these nationwide 30-minute helicopter lessons, then try our Nationwide 60 Minute Helicopter Flights , where the lesson flights are longer and you'll be able to gain more experience.

Suitable For

• Minimum age 14
• Under 18s must be accompanied on the airfield by an adult
• Height restrictions: minimum 4ft 6ins, maximum 6ft ins
• Weight restrictions: maximum 16 stone (15 stone at Doncaster - Robin Hood Airport and 17 stone at Nottingham - Heliport)

Spectators

• Spectators are always welcome to watch from a designated area and watch take off and landing

Anything Else

• Most venues provide viewing areas, refreshments and toilets however facilities vary depending on location