The realities of Washington DC Helicopter Tours and Helicopter Rides: Yes, we fly in the Washington DC FRZ

Have you found that when you search for Washington DC Helicopter Tours, you find results that look a little…   “iffy?”

Maybe there is an 800 phone number that goes to a call center to book, or what looked like a tour offering turns out to be an intro flight lesson outside of DC. More than likely, the website will be pretty slick, and the company headquarters somewhere out of the Washington DC area. 

Another clue are the photographs, which feature helicopters in the desert, or Miami, or anywhere other than Washington DC.  You’re dealing with a flight re-seller.  They know that lots of people search for Washington DC helicopter tours, and want in on the action.  When you call them, they call us, book one of our flights, and you pay their profit.

Needless to say, there is a hefty fee they add on to our tour prices, and it won’t be for Washington DC helicopter rides 

We’re shocked to have nice people walk into our office and find they have paid hundreds more for their ride than we charge!  Resellers are in the business of re-selling you something they found on the internet, since they can’t actually arrange a Washington DC helicopter tour – and those aren’t pilots answering the phone…  If a website makes you think that you’re about to book a Washington DC helicopter tour, BEWARE.

Washington DC Helicopter Tours and Helicopter Rides for sightseeing are not generally approved by the TSA 

9/11 has certainly changed the flight environment, and there is now what is called the Flight Restricted Zone, or FRZ. Our pilots are vetted to fly in the DC FRZ. True, we do fly into the DC FRZ, and have had the good fortune to see the Monuments very close up on aerial photography and aerial videography flights, but we do it for outfits like Time Magazine and Nike. It is a labor intensive, time consuming process to file the necessary waivers to fly into the FRZ, but we’d be delighted to do it for you, IF you have a compelling need that the FAA and TSA will approve… While we can sympathize with the guy who wants to propose to his girlfriend over the DC Mall (and yes, we get that call often), the nice folks with the FAA and NTSB are not quite as sympathetic.

May we suggest you take in some of the stunning sights nearby?  Come chase sailboats into the Chesapeake Bay with us. Or hover over Ravens and Orioles Stadiums for a “bird’s eye view.” Looking for a little romance? We feel ‘ya! Our City Lights tour gets rave reviews. We know you’ll be thrilled by the experience! And yeah, the photos you’ll find on our website are actually us, with views you’ll see on our daily schedule of flights.

In addition to our regular lineup of Baltimore Tours and Annapolis Tours, we offer helicopter flight lessons, helicopter SIM training, aerial photography services and aerial survey services in the Washington DC area.

Stadiums, Fort McHenry, the Inner Harbor…

We’ve got things to do in Baltimore for sports fans, with the very best ‘seats’ for great views in Orioles and Raven’s Stadiums! See it all in our unique Baltimore tours, from historic neighborhoods and iconic Baltimore attractions and landmarks, to the area’s beautiful marinas and waterways. Come soar through the skyscrapers in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and over Fort McHenry with us!

Sail the skies of the Chesapeake Bay

Tour the US Naval Academy from it’s most stunning vantage point, or shout “#GoNavy!” as we circle Navy Stadium. Take in the bustle of City Dock and get a grand view of the historic town, or take a flight over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, with spectacular view of the sailboats below.

There is something in the air!

We’ve got lots of special Baltimore events and Annapolis Seasonal events tours in the works – watch this space for a sneak peek of our upcoming special events tours. Got an event you’d like to see from a new perspective? Just give us a call.