Flying in a helicopter



If you're looking for a different, exciting and above all, seriously cool plan, a helicopter ride will deliver in spades. But if it's your first time, it's best to go armed with some prior knowledge so you can chat with the pilot about everything that interests you during the flight. Playing the know-it-all in this case will seriously impress.
  1. How long can a helicopter fly autonomously?
  2. What speed does a helicopter fly at?
  3. What's the maximum altitude a helicopter can reach?
  4. What's the maximum weight a helicopter can carry?
  5. Do weather conditions affect helicopter flights?
  6. Can a helicopter land anywhere?
Remember all these answers and you'll go on your adventure prepared to understand aerodynamics or how physics influences helicopter flights. Who knows? You might even fancy training as a pilot and flying one yourself.


Flight between the clouds in a helicopter



1. First thing to know is there are many helicopter types, each with different functions. Forestry, military... but those used for leisure flights have much more specific characteristics, starting with their flight time limit. Physically, a helicopter's speed limit is 460 km/h, with the world record being 463 km/h.

2. Helicopters typically reach speeds between 186 and 245 km/h.

3. While the record for highest altitude reached by a helicopter is 12,442 metres in 1972 (with second place at 8,850m in 2005), the truth is a helicopter - especially leisure models - can't reach those heights. The average is about 2 km altitude.

4. Still talking about light helicopters. These can carry between 800 and 1,200 kg.

5. In normal weather conditions, atmospheric situations like fog or wind gusts usually don't pose problems for helicopter flights. But it's always a factor the pilot in command must assess. If the expert considers the fog too dense (affecting visibility) or winds too strong (potentially interfering with rotor function), your "cloud ride" might be postponed to the next available date.

6. Unless it's an emergency landing, helicopters land at heliports. As they perform vertical manoeuvres (unlike planes), they don't need as much space. Having sufficient diameter to manoeuvre is enough for a successful landing.


Two-propeller helicopter at the heliport



Now you know more about how helicopters work and what their flights are like, we're sure your curiosity is well and truly piqued - and your next adventure will be aboard one of these giants. Brilliant! We know it's an excellent decision, which is why here are all the helicopter flights you can take in Spain.