The Daily Helicopter; Commuting has never been so easy!
What is the best way to get from your country estate in to the city, whether that’s getting into London, New York, Los Angeles, or Monaco?
I know from experience that my clients are usually chartering a helicopter in order to make the trip in the shortest time possible. This will give them the advantage of avoiding wasting their time in airports. When you fly private, you arrive 15-30 minutes before takeoff with the helicopter. You are usually transferred with your luggage within minutes. A helipad or an airfield is usually chosen very close to your destination. When a helicopter charter is used for leisure, such as flying to a sports event or concert, it is often used to avoid traffic as well as to arrive in style. Anyone who flies regularly by helicopter takes their time and comfort very seriously.
Helictopers are also fantastic when you have multiple locations to visit that are a little far apart. For example, my client flew into London from Milan for one day during which he had several business-critical meetings in different destinations located outside London. For them, a helicopter was the perfect solution to achieve all their meetings without any delay and in a timely manner. A helicopter is able to land on the nearest field or helipad so a client could jump out for a couple of hours and then be straight in the air for the next meeting.
With chartering a helicopter, the client typically wants to avoid traffic and cut their travel time to a minimum. Helicopters are great for zipping into and around London, where most clients choose to hire a helicopter from the airport they arrive at and fly into central London to avoid traffic. The flight time is an astonishing quick 20-25 minutes, and you and your luggage will be picked up straight from the aircraft versus if you choose the car transfer, it will be at least one-hour plus. There are more options available if the client lives or is staying outside London, as helicopters can land on private fields or sports grounds, subject to a permit from the owners.
We know that a helicopter is a great option, but which one do you go for? Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) is a great place to start, but particularly the ACH 135.
The first fact to point out is that the ACH 135 is the most successful lightweight helicopter from Airbus, and is known for its endurance, compact build, low sound levels, reliability, versatility, and cost-competitiveness. The ACH135 comes with the lowest running and maintenance costs of any other twin-engine helicopter, making it the most cost-effective option in its class. It can do different missions and land almost anywhere, especially in hot or difficult conditions. Plus, it can carry more payloads over a longer distance than other helicopters like it.
The ACH135 has set the industry standard for the perfect balance of performance, manoeuvrability, and comfort, providing an unrivalled travel experience for passengers. It is one of the best looking helicopters on the market. With a range of 646 km, if you were using the helicopter from London, you have access to the majority of the country, meaning getting from one meeting to another is effortless and with a cruising speed of over 130 knots, you’ll always be on time for that important meeting. With space for six passengers, it is great if you need to go in a group or as a family.
Frederic Lemos, Head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters, said, “With approximately 300 helicopter-capable yachts worldwide, there are increasing requirements for more reliable, compact and versatile helicopters capable of transporting passengers and cargo in all environments.”
The ACH135 is not only the quietest twin-engine helicopter, but its sound footprint is also much lower than that of other rotorcraft in the same category, making it the perfect choice for those who want to enjoy a peaceful ride. This is of utmost importance to customers who frequently fly in and out of cities, or who frequently fly over densely populated areas.
The ACH 135 features several important improvements over its predecessor, including advanced situational awareness, more user-friendly flight management controls, and enhanced safety features. With features that have been highly praised by pilots, such as an auto hover ‘pause’ button (which is ideal to give the pilot time when faced with low visibility or a busy environment), a ‘go-around’ button (which will make the aircraft automatically fly around and reposition itself on the best landing approach at the push of a button), and automated engine management (which provides a smooth and safe flight even if one of the two engines fails).
In fact, the ACH135 is authorised to fly in the United States’ Grand Canyon, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, renowned for its majestic natural beauty, which also has some of the country’s most stringent noise limitations.
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