Getting there quickly and comfortably by helicopter
Fast, safe and comfortable – this is how you fly around Poland by helicopter by air. In this article, I am introducing you to the Polish general aviation sector.
For a long time I have been wanting to write about helicopters and the possibilities they offer. It is a fast, safe and very comfortable mean of transport, thanks to which the road to the destination is pleasant and full of (only good) impressions. In Poland, the number of cars is growing disproportionately fast when compared to the number of new expressways. And this often means that instead of speeding to the destination on a smooth highway, we wait for hours in traffic and the journey time is very long.
The best solution for such situations is air transport, and specifically helicopter transport.
Helicopters in the civil aviation service
It may come as a surprise to you, but the first idea for a helicopter was … Leonardo da Vinci’s. However, the first flight of the helicopter took place only several hundred years later, in 1907. The designer of this flying machine was a certain Paul Cornu, a French bicycle manufacturer. Yet we had to wait for another 29 years for a helicopter that would not only rise above the ground, but would also be able to steer itself.
Initially, these machines were used mainly in the military, but over time they transited to other services, and finally they ended up in civil aviation, where they usually serve as air taxis for people with very big wallets or as a private mean of transport for people who are very well off.
Why is a helicopter better than a private jet?
This is obviously a slightly perverse question, because as always, the answer depends on the distance you want to travel. However, for short distances they are second to none. They’re very fast, don’t need a runway, and can land pretty much anywhere.
What’s more, practically everyone who loves to fly can obtain a helicopter pilot’s license and combine business with pleasure, i.e. a hobby with moving around quickly. However, it is not a cheap hobby – an hour of helicopter flight costs up to 1,500 PLN, and the cost of obtaining a license is approx. 70,000 PLN.
According to the data of the Civil Aviation Authority already in 2016 195 private helicopters were registered in Poland and this number is growing rapidly. The popularity of the so-called general aviation is on the rise. This, in turn, translates into the creation of companies that provide air services to people who want to benefit from this form of transport, but do not want to own a helicopter.
Sky Poland: a top general aviation company in Poland
I decided to write about Sky Poland not because it is my friend’s company 😉 but to show you what services are provided by this type of business. Their offer is primarily helicopter rental, business flights, air taxi and sightseeing flights. The fleet is modern yet the pilots are experienced. As it is a service for well-off people, comfort is paramount: all machines are equipped with the highest quality aviation headsets, air conditioning and a CD / MP3 radio. Importantly, the services are available 24/7.
Finally, I would like to inform you that together with my business partner we are getting prepped to provide such services. We plan to start soon – stay tuned!
