Thread: Heli Costs

Originally Posted by ZQLewis

If heading to Fox & Franz I would put suggest

Mike Glynn of
Welcome to Mountain Helicopters - scenic flights over Mt Cook, Mt Tasman, Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, New Zealand

I did an hour with him last September. Was impressed with attention to detail, safety briefing etc, weights all noted (rifle, pack and people), fuel load etc all reported by radio before take off.
If you want to get anal (but remember most Helicopter pilots by the nature of the terrain have the odd incident) google the company name

The 500ME is cheaper than the larger squirrels and will land in tighter spots.
Re Costs I have an idea the 500's were at about $18-1900 per hour and don't forget that a 15 minute flight in and pick up 3 days later is 1 hour's charge out as the pilot has to fly that 15 minutes 4 times.
The larger squirrels at $22-2500 per hour.
Zane

ps check the load limits as well. Particularly think about weight of meat, skin and heads you want to bring out.

Nah.... for example we flew into a spot up past top butler on the coast, flying md500, flew from harihari so James Scott had to fly up there first from his base in Franz, pick us up, fly us in, then flew back and picked up other two hunters (went in two loads four of us altogether with heaps of gear) then picked us up 10 days later in a squirrel (flew us out in one trip) and fly the squirrel back to franz again. Cost us 300 each total