Hields Aviation

Overview

Arrive in style at your favourite venue; take the quickest route to a sporting event; or simply get from A to B avoiding the traffic jams.

We can provide helicopter transport for business trips, sporting events, wedding venues and corporate events. Helicopter charter allows a door to door service from most locations, even from your back garden if it’s big enough.

Why not take a guided tour of historic York and surrounding countryside from the air. We can take you on a tour of famous landmarks, your home town, or even fly your own route plan of favourite locations.

There are endless possibilities for helicopter use so contact us with your idea or journey for a quote. You only pay for the time the helicopter is in the air.

Explore the links on the right to view our services in more detail.

Tours & Sight Seeing

After many hours flying all over the UK we know where all the best sight seeing locations are for pleasure flying.

We can arrange fantastic scenic flights or tours, examples such as:

• York Minister
• Selby Abbey
• Bolton Abbey
• The Yorkshire Dales
• The Yorkshire Moors
• East coast resorts, Scarborough, Bridlington, Whitby
• West coast resorts, Blackpool, Morecambe
• The Humber bridge
• The Lake District
• The Derbyshire Peak District
• Stanage Edge Rocks
• The Welsh mountains

Not limited to the above, please contact us with your ideas.

Business Trips

To be competitive, today’s management team cannot be restricted by the inflexibility of airline schedules or the unreliability of road and rail travel. With helicopter charter you are able to set your own schedule. Helicopter charters can be changed or rescheduled, at short notice and can even be altered en-route if required. Please contact us with your requirements.

With a helicopter charter your business schedule becomes our flight schedule. Helicopter charters allow you to avoid the long drives, ‘the leaves on the line’, or the early check-in to nationwide destinations. Have a private meeting on board your own helicopter since the only passengers on the aircraft are your own staff or invited guests. You will find helicopter charter offer security, safety, flexibility and a door-to-door convenience. With your own helicopter you would spend less time on the road which would result in fewer overnights. Helicopter charter means more sales calls, site visits, more time to manage your business and ultimately more time to spend with your family.

All helicopter charters are quoted on an individual basis and we will endeavour to select the most cost effective option for you.

Sporting Events or A to B Heli Taxi

We can arrange a helicopter to transport you and your friends or business clients to the sporting event of your choice, such as:

• Formula 1 Grand Prix
• Cheltenham Races
• Royal Ascot
• York Races

Alternatively we can provide simple A to B air taxi for those difficult to get to places or simply to avoid the traffic. Remember we travel straight as the crow flies and typically at 115 mph, getting you there quicker than any other transport.

Corporate Days

Looking for a corporate idea with a difference?

There are many uses for helicopters in the corporate world and the following are only a few of the options available:

• Impress higher management with a flight over your company’s headquarters and/or depots
• As an incentive to boost the attendance at the launch of a new product or the opening of a new business location, invite clients to take a helicopter flight
• Entertain your overseas guests with a spectacular trip over the local countryside
• A door to door service for a unique business lunch!
• A spectacular shuttle into a sporting event like Royal Ascot
• Market a new site from the air to prospective clients
• Team Building days - helicopter flying lessons, treasure hunts and challenges
• Use as part of your staff rewards / incentives scheme.

In the corporate world, a shuttle into a sporting event for a greater number of clients, or transit by helicopter for a reduced number of clients to a destination further a-field is an excellent way to entertain guests. Whatever the occasion, we specialise in organising complete schedules for clients, to ensure the whole operation runs smoothly.

FAQs

Are there any age limits?

There’s no upper age limit and as long as you are reasonably fit & well. Flight training can begin at 14 years old but solo flights cannot be undertaken before the age of 16 years. You need to be 17 years old to gain a pilot’s licence.

Are there any height or weight limits?

As long as you can reach the pedals if you flight training then height isn’t a big problem. Ideally in the Robinson R22 you will probably need to be under 6’4” (1.9m) and no heavier than 17 stone (108kg). The Robinson R44 can accommodate taller and heavier persons but no heavier than 21 stone (134kg) per seat. For the 4 seat Robinson R44 helicopter the average weight per person for 3 passengers and pilot would be about 14 stone (about 200kg).

Is it safe?

Our instructors and commercial pilots are trained to CAA standards, and are fully CAA licenced & approved. They undergo annual safety checks and medicals for fitness to fly as well as having many 100’s, and often 1000’s of hours experience. Our AOC licence from the CAA commits us to very stringent safe working methods of operation and our aircraft undergo regular compulsory safety checks and maintenance. The maintenance has to be done at an approved maintenance organisation. Should an engine failure happen then pilots are trained to glide the aircraft to a safe landing called an auto-rotation. So you can see we take safety very seriously, ensuring that pilots and aircraft are fit for purpose. Sherburn Airfield is a CAA licenced airfield; pilot training must be undertaken from a licenced airfield.

How many hours does it take to get a pilot’s licence?

The CAA minimum is 45 hours. The UK average is about 65 hours however at Hields Aviation the typical time taken to obtain your licence is about 55 hours.

Exams worry me, are they difficult?

All the written subjects use multi-choice tests where the pass mark is 75%. As long as you have read & understood the course books and completed sample questions then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pass the tests first time. You can study for as long as you need to and then take a particular test. Our experienced instructors are always willing to assist your studying, and are happy to answer questions.

Do I need to pass a medical?

You only need to be reasonably fit and healthy to be a passenger. For obvious reasons a pilot needs to pass some basic medical checks. A Class 2 medical is required for a private pilots licence and a Class 1 medical is required for an instructor or commercial pilots licence. Certain conditions like epilepsy or anything causing blackouts would unfortunately bar you from becoming a pilot. However we can put you in contact with CAA approved doctors in your local area who can issue medical certificates. If in doubt then please consult your GP in the first instance for advice.

How long is my licence valid for?

Your pilots licence needs to be validated every year for each type of helicopter that you are rated on. You need to fly a minimum of 2 hours on each type per year. You need to keep your medical certificate current – the period between checks being dependent on your age and licence type.

How do I get started for a pilots licence?

The best way to experience helicopters is to book a trial lesson with us. We’ll brief you about the helicopter and you’ll experience the controls one by one to learn their effects. If you like the thrilling experience, and we are sure you will, then it’s just matter of booking lessons on the formal course and doing them as regularly as you wish.

How much does it cost?

The following are typical examples prices only and the final cost can be much cheaper depending on how much time you book.

All prices are subject to VAT

Landing fees at some venues are chargeable

Can the helicopter land anywhere I want it to?

We can land almost anywhere, with some common sense and legal limitations. The CAA is most concerned about safety. They prohibit landing on any area where the landing would represent a "hazard" to persons or property on the ground. However, if you have the property owner's permission, the area is large enough and unobstructed, and has a clear approach, then we can land almost anywhere. Permission is usually required in writing and some venues, such as sporting events, require special permission.

How low can you fly?

It’s about what you are flying over really. Over people & property you should not be any lower than 500 feet. Over a major urban area the basic rule is no lower than 1000 feet but you may need to be higher as the guidance states you need to be able to glide safely to a suitable landing site if the engine fails. Below 500 feet and it’s more about the safety limitations of the aircraft for other than taking off or landing. We’ll explain all this is accordance with your flight.

Are young children allowed on pleasure flights?

Generally anyone can be a passenger on a pleasure flight. Young children should be accompanied by an adult.

• Overview
• Tours and Sightseeing
• Business Trips
• Sporting Events or A to B Heli Taxi
• Corporate Days
• Photo Gallery
• FAQs