Blue Hawaiian

[jab]

Hi all
I have a couple of friends who are going to Hawaii on honeymoon and would like to take a flight to see the "Grand Canyon" on Kauai. They were told that there are flight safety issues, which I dont necessarily agree with, but would like an independent opinion.
Is Blue Hawaiian a good company to fly with and what other operators fly in Kauai? BH is the only one I have any knowledge of so I am throwing that name out, not because of favoritism.
Any ppruners flying in Hawaii or with good info?
Thanks

[rotorboy]

Saftey of Flight??

I am confused... not that it is hard

Interisland. 500's door;'s off, only company on the island that can land on thier tours. They have a lease at an inholdin gin the park, lunch at the waterfall thing...

Thye are the favorite in the guide book


I would do the 500 doors off over an astar.... (probably casue I dont get to fly the loach anymore and spend my days in the 350)

rb

[Heliport]

These pictures might help your friends decide.

Click

[Gordy]

For a quick safety review you can check with the NTSB, some companies have more accidents than others---Even Blue has had their share. It is my opinion that that should not preclude you flying with a particular company. All the operators out of Lihue are good. However, it is the pilot who make or breaks the tour the tour, not the company. I left Hawaii over a year ago now, but my choices would be----Gary at Island, Mike at Blue, Uncle Bill at Safari, Jodi at Air Kauai, or how about flying with Gerry in the Ultralight of "Birds In Paradise"---I finally flew with him before I left and had a blast.

[MyData]

The Kauai flights are pretty impressive, the canyon, cliffs, waterfalls etc.

Mt Wai'ale'ale - in the photos linked to by Heliport - is unforgettable and the scale of it has to be seen to be believed. It is the remants of a crater with its own microclimate. By the time the moisture condenses into cloud it hasn't cleared the crater and it falls as rain. On a good day you can fly in and descend through 100s of feet. We did that following another tourist helicopter on the way down - it really is that huge.

If your friends have time and funds, they should have a day trip to the big island and go on an unforgettable helicopter tour there. Seeing the craters and flowing lava is incredible. Watching the lava flow out into the sea and create plumes of steam is awe inspiring.

[rotor67]

Jab,

Try Air Kaui in Kauai(at Lihue Airport), they fly A-Stars. http://www.airkauai.com My wife and I real good time. She chimed in that I was helicopter pilot, and the pilot put us up front. If you book it online it's $212 per person(just about an hour tour).

Good luck-
Rob

[jab]

Hi again

Thanks to all for the informative replies, I am going to show them to the mates and they can decide what they want to do. Personal tips like these can make all the difference so I appreciate the time you took to post.

Speaking of volcanoes, today I was dropping water on a fire inside the crater of an old volcano at about 6500 feet, tricky winds but very interesting flying.

Keep the shiny side up!

[Capt Hollywood]

Jab.........

OK jab, I'll ask. Why would you actually be trying to put out a fire on the inside of an old volcano? I'm assuming the volcano is inactive but I still can't imagine what would be inside a volcanic crater that would be worth bombing.

Ch

[jab]

The extinct/dormant volcano is in Oregon and there is lot of natural forest all over the place, including in the crater. There is also a lake at the bottom, very pretty area. Main reason for bombing it is to stop the fire spreading towards inhabited areas, the rest of the fire is mostly already under contol. Need any more info?

I will try post pics sometime.

[Capt Hollywood]

No more info needed but some pics would be great jab. May be planning a honeymoon to that part of the world at the end of the year!

Ch