Air tour/flight schools in tourist areas

[Monpilot]

Pinstripe's post about using a flight school for an air tour of NYC's Hudson River thereby saving money vs the expensive 15 minute tours offered to tourists started me thinking about other places.

I'm thinking of traveling to either Hawaii, Greece, Spain, or turkey next year and figure contacting local flight schools would be a relatively inexpensive way to see the sights (imagine the acropolis from 1000' or the Bosporus straight and blue mosque from birds eye or overflying granada etc).

Honolulu flight schools are easy to find and I have some google hits on schools in Madrid. But Athens and Istanbul are a little more difficult. Probably because I can't do a search in the local language.

Does anyone else use local flight schools for sightseeing?

And anyone have any leads for schools in Athens and Istanbul?

 

[Dean]

That's what I am getting ready to do next week. I am in L.A. and called a local Sport Pilot Center and scheduled a flight with them. Flying a new LSA for less money than a 40 year old Cessna and burns half the fuel. And a hour cost way less than a 15 minute tour flight.

 

[Brad Z]

Outside the US, seeing major tourist sites from the air might not be as easy as it is here. Many countries have severe restrictions on airspace, and going for a jaunt over the city isn't a simple task. That said, both places you mentioned would be amazing to see from the air.

 

[VWGhiaBob]

When you travel around the world, you'll find that we have it REALLY good here. Some other countries have "usage" fees for using ATC. In Europe, fuel costs double what it does here. And recently, I decided to try flying in Sydney, Australia. The hourly cost was over double the US price...$400 / hr. for a beat up 172 with an instructor. No way!

This taught me an important lesson about how good we have it here!

 

[Monpilot]

Flying with a cfi in an exotic location may no be as much of a cost savings vs an air tour when compared to taking one in New York but hopefully I can find out.

Flying in Europe generally may be more expensive bu maybe a tourist air tour would also be more expensive and using a flight school may be a savings. Or maybe with the bad economies there taking a helicopter tour may be less expensive.

I have some research to do.

As for flying LA, I'd imagine with all the traffic and frequency changes that sightseeing may not be possible. Post how it goes!



Just found a helicopter tour of athens at $350 euros per person. Surely a. C172 would be less.

 

[jbarrass]

I've done it in many parts of Asia and you are correct it is a wonderful way to see the area. It may or may not be cheaper but it is a much more enjoyable flight. It's worth the search....

Fuel overseas is truly expensive, horribly expensive.

Contrary to general wisdom I haven't found the airspace restrictions too hard to deal with (but I live in the DC SFRA which warps my perspective I suppose). In Asia (and I think most of Europe) you just need a flight plan and have to talk to someone.

 

[asgcpa]

LA try California Flight Center at Long Beach. Honalulu try Moore Air. Blue Hawaii offers great helicopter tours in Hawaii.

 

[Monpilot]

I contacted the Greek chapter of aopa about flying in Athens and was put in touch with an aopa member who offered to give me an hour instruction with a choice of two routes in a 172. I was surprised to learn that Athens international is a class d airport although the training flight would actually be from one of two nearby airports.

So for anyone going somewhere cool, try the local aopa.