Private helicopter charter cost

[BR36]

We were looking at the various prices to get from Leeds to Falmouth for two adults and two toddlers, estimate for fuel and an overnight stop over by car I thought around £200, charter flight form LBA is £171 return, train is £458 return (!) and we jokingly thought a private helicopter would be cheaper than a train, how far away from reality are we I wonder?

[helicrazi]

Be surprised if there's change out of 5k for a return trip for 4 pax

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Actually closer to 7 grand.

And that's going easy on things according to my Ops Manager.

SND

[nigelh]

Would be 4 hrs in the 109 @ £1000 per hour plus vat plus cost of a pilot for 2 days .....

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Would be 4 hrs in the 109 @ £1000 per hour plus vat plus cost of a pilot for 2 days .....

You're a cheap date! 109S closer to £1600 per hour. You UK registered and AOC?

SND

[helicrazi]

Now I'm curious, hypothetically if said customer wanted an R66, enough seats for the job, what is one of them per hour? £600 + vat? 5 hour trip? £3600 for the trip?

Edited: I've just been informed an R66 is £1k inc Vat per hour, things have moved on from my day!!!

[Bravo73]

You UK registered and AOC?

Of course, not.

N reg 109C on lease.

[nigelh]

Mk2 actually . And only do blocks of hrs at that rate . I think the new 505 will be around £800 so no such thing as cheap turbine flying nowadays !!

[RMK]

Now I'm curious, hypothetically if said customer wanted an R66, enough seats for the job, what is one of them per hour? £600 + vat? 5 hour trip? £3600 for the trip?

Edited: I've just been informed an R66 is £1k inc Vat per hour, things have moved on from my day!!!

Not counting the cost of pilot and positioning (if needed), R66 SFH is around £535 +VAT = £642/hr. Should you have a pilot friend to fly you at cost share, that would be £513/hr as extreme best cost (you paying 80%). So even with a pilot "mate" you're still over £2500 for a trip of 5 hours.

Helicopters are a nice way to travel, but never the inexpensive alternative.

[Bravo73]

Mk2 actually . And only do blocks of hrs at that rate . I think the new 505 will be around £800 so no such thing as cheap turbine flying nowadays !!

And what’s even better, PPRuNe allow him to advertise on here for free.

An AOC wouldn’t get similar privileges. 🤦*♂️

[BR36]

Wow, thanks for all your replies (and for not ridiculing my hypothetical question). Looks like it will have to be drive or fixed wing then:)

[nigelh]

Don't be so chippy Bravo . I don't need to advertise !! If AOC,s were simpler and cheaper the companies could all reduce their prices and get more people flying and use more helicopters and employ more pilots . I predicted about 20 years ago that nearly all commercial flying in the UK would be lease flying ...... And guess what ?!! The red tape for AOC,s will only get worse . But that's slightly off topic ......!!!!

[krypton_john]

Don't be so chippy Bravo . I don't need to advertise !! If AOC,s were simpler and cheaper the companies could all reduce their prices and get more people flying and use more helicopters and employ more pilots . I predicted about 20 years ago that nearly all commercial flying in the UK would be lease flying ...... And guess what ?!! The red tape for AOC,s will only get worse . But that's slightly off topic ......!!!!

Nigelh does seem to cop a lot of negativity here. Buggered if I know why - is it the "tall poppy syndrome"?

[nigelh]

Don’t worry Krypton.....it’s fun winding up all the institutionalised pilots on here !! I tore up my CAA license years ago and now just have medical and check ride every two years and never do a type rating !!! The FAA system is so much better than our system where the stuffed shirts really believe that writing something in triplicate makes it safer !! I actually feel sorry for the aoc guys most of whom hate all the meaningless red tape . They just want sensible rules that everyone should abide by .