Helicopter or Hot Air Balloon flight ?

Helicopter or Hot Air Balloon flight ?

Author
Discussion

halfpenny43

Original Poster:

1,015 posts

235 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Wasn't sure if to post this here or in the Holidays & Travel section - but will start here.

Am off to Southern California next week for work and have the chance of either a sunset scenic helicopter flight or hot air balloon flight.

Having never flown in either - am wondering which to choose for an "experience" ?

Cheers
1/2p

55palfers

5,893 posts

163 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
Helicopter.

It has engines.

halfpenny43

Original Poster:

1,015 posts

235 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
55palfers said:
Helicopter.

It has engines.
Ha ha ha - I like the logic smile

Geneve

3,857 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Helicopter - from an experienced operator with a good communicative pilot - and ask to sit up front.

Hot air balloons are fun, but quite a lot of faffing about, and the landing seems to be a controlled crash.

Dogwatch

6,222 posts

221 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
I expect the weather is more stable in California but if you are pushed for time then a chopper it is. My balloon flight (several years ago, went past Dunsfold but no sign of Top Gear filming) followed several occasions when the flight had to be called off simply because the wind speed was too high. Ballooning requires the lightest of winds, or complete calm, which doesn't always appear when you want it.

Once you take off a balloon flight is a wonderful experience, though I would agree with the "controlled crash" landing!

K50 DEL

9,227 posts

227 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Having done both (the helicopter more times than I care to count) I'd say the hot air balloon every time.
It's a fabulous way to travel, slow and relaxing for sure but that gives you more time to take it all in.

I bought my trip for my Mum, Sister and I as a Birthday present nearly a decade ago and we still talk about how good it was.

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace so you'll be able to see more of the California sunset whereas a helicopter is noisy and vibrates and is, to me at least, a bonkers way to travel through the sky.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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K50 DEL said:
Having done both (the helicopter more times than I care to count) I'd say the hot air balloon every time.
It's a fabulous way to travel, slow and relaxing for sure but that gives you more time to take it all in.

I bought my trip for my Mum, Sister and I as a Birthday present nearly a decade ago and we still talk about how good it was.
Absolutely, have done sight-seeing in both many times, but the balloon is a whole different experience, with far more time to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, chasing Giraffe at tree-height in a helicopter piloted by a mad 21yo Saffa somewhere in South Eastern Africa was mad fun (and highly illegal), but it was over almost before it had begun. A balloon ride at the edge of the Atlas at dawn was much more of an experience, lasted over an hour, very serene and massively enjoyable.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Yep, done both, helicopter was good, but I (and the Mrs and kids) LOVED the balloon. It is an amazing way to "travel".

Saleen836

11,061 posts

208 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Balloon for me also, my friend has his own that I have taken a trip in a few times and a couple of weeks ago he took a friend of mine here from Mexico up for a flight, they hit a height over just over 1 mile and the views across the Wiltshire countrysde were amazing I was informed.

aeropilot

34,299 posts

226 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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halfpenny43 said:
Am off to Southern California next week for work and have the chance of either a sunset scenic helicopter flight or hot air balloon flight.
Is the balloon flight a sunset trip as well?

And where abouts over SoCal would either be, same location or different.

For me it would be about what your likely to see with either which would sway my decision one way or other.

I've done a hour helo sightseeing trip in Hawaii and that was fantastic, got to see more interesting stuff in an hour from the air than almost by any other means.

48k

12,981 posts

147 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
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Riley Blue said:
I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace .
Helicopters can hover - you can't get slower than that. laugh

halfpenny43

Original Poster:

1,015 posts

235 months

Thursday 27th July 2017
quotequote all
Thanks all for the words of wisdom smile

Yes this would be SoCal - just north of San Diego. Am leaning towards the helicopter trip as it includes lunch in a winery in Temecula biggrin


Geneve

3,857 posts

218 months

Friday 28th July 2017
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Riley Blue said:
I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace so you'll be able to see more of the California sunset whereas a helicopter is noisy and vibrates and is, to me at least, a bonkers way to travel through the sky.
Depends on the helicopter. Some military and utility use helicopters may be a bit more agricultural, but a nice single/twin turbine in pax spec. - Squirrel, EC130, even Jet Ranger or R66, - should be very comfortable. Noise cancelling headsets and it's as quiet and smooth as a car. R44 is a bit more crude, but cheaper.

aeropilot

34,299 posts

226 months

Friday 28th July 2017
quotequote all
Geneve said:
Riley Blue said:
I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace so you'll be able to see more of the California sunset whereas a helicopter is noisy and vibrates and is, to me at least, a bonkers way to travel through the sky.
Depends on the helicopter. Some military and utility use helicopters may be a bit more agricultural, but a nice single/twin turbine in pax spec. - Squirrel, EC130, even Jet Ranger or R66, - should be very comfortable. Noise cancelling headsets and it's as quiet and smooth as a car. R44 is a bit more crude, but cheaper.
Yep, the EC120 we flew in over Hawaii was remarkably smooth and vibration free and far from noisy - very impressive.


Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Friday 28th July 2017
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Geneve said:
Riley Blue said:
I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace so you'll be able to see more of the California sunset whereas a helicopter is noisy and vibrates and is, to me at least, a bonkers way to travel through the sky.
Depends on the helicopter. Some military and utility use helicopters may be a bit more agricultural, but a nice single/twin turbine in pax spec. - Squirrel, EC130, even Jet Ranger or R66, - should be very comfortable. Noise cancelling headsets and it's as quiet and smooth as a car. R44 is a bit more crude, but cheaper.
Yep, the EC120 we flew in over Hawaii was remarkably smooth and vibration free and far from noisy - very impressive.
My flight was in an 'old banger' some time ago, the vibration was the worst, far more than I expected - and I drive a 54 year old car so I'm used to plenty of rattles, squeaks and 'body motion'...

aeropilot

34,299 posts

226 months

Friday 28th July 2017
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
aeropilot said:
Geneve said:
Riley Blue said:
I've never been on a hot air balloon trip but have flown in a helicopter and I'd go for the balloon. You'll get more time aloft, at a slower pace so you'll be able to see more of the California sunset whereas a helicopter is noisy and vibrates and is, to me at least, a bonkers way to travel through the sky.
Depends on the helicopter. Some military and utility use helicopters may be a bit more agricultural, but a nice single/twin turbine in pax spec. - Squirrel, EC130, even Jet Ranger or R66, - should be very comfortable. Noise cancelling headsets and it's as quiet and smooth as a car. R44 is a bit more crude, but cheaper.
Yep, the EC120 we flew in over Hawaii was remarkably smooth and vibration free and far from noisy - very impressive.
My flight was in an 'old banger' some time ago, the vibration was the worst, far more than I expected - and I drive a 54 year old car so I'm used to plenty of rattles, squeaks and 'body motion'...
Sounds fun.....what was it?

As for vibration, I've flown in a WW2 B-25 bomber - boy did that thing shake and vibrate and blast your ear drums!

I'd love a flight in a old Bell 47 helo...... biggrin


Yipper

5,964 posts

89 months

Friday 28th July 2017
quotequote all
Balloon. All day long. Far more of an experience than a chopper. You're basically hanging off the edge of a picnic basket.

Ray Luxury-Yacht

8,910 posts

215 months

Saturday 29th July 2017
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Heli all day long - I assume that as you're on PH you're a petrolhead, right?

In the past I've been fortunate enough to have had quite a few hours as a passenger in a Bell Jet Ranger heli. It's brilliant, it never got boring, helis are a petrolhead's nirvana I reckon!

If you choose a heli, then I would suggest that it's imperitive that you have a turbine powered aircraft. Why? Well, to me, one of the most delightful things to witness is the start-up sequence of a turbine engine which will facilitate your upcoming flight.

Make sure you're wearing the headphones - you hear the electric starter motor turning, and see the rotor blades begin to sweep slowly. You will also hear the electronic igniters chirping away, until the pilot switches the fuel on and the turbine catches with a bit of a 'whoomph!'

Then the turbine accelerates to humungous RPM with the rotors spinning up with it. The whole aircraft vibrates and becomes alive!

And then you've got the take-off and flight to look forward to. biggrin


Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Saturday 29th July 2017
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
[
Sounds fun.....what was it?

As for vibration, I've flown in a WW2 B-25 bomber - boy did that thing shake and vibrate and blast your ear drums!

I'd love a flight in a old Bell 47 helo...... biggrin
It was half a lifetime ago and I can't remember what it was. The constant 'juddering' throughout the flight was quite disconcerting. In a car, on the ground, I can live with it - a couple of thousand feet up I'd rather not,....