On our last trip to Orlando, somebody had a great idea of taking a helicopter ride, sadly I thought that person was me, but what a thrill my first time ever up in helicopter.
Our chosen tour was from a company on International Drive called Train Land International, yes they do model of trains and have train-sets laid out. At the menu board they have various trips with varying times and flight paths, we choose a fifteen minute journey that included seeing most of the parks from the air and flying over Gatorland and then returning back.
Once you have paid you taken into the briefing room where you are given details of the mission (well maybe a lounge with a TV while you wait and a chat about what to look for), also you are given important safety information about approaching the helicopter.
When its your turn you are escorted outside with a member of the flight crew and we watched as the helicopter swooped in low and fast over the heliport, as I saw this the colour drain from my face, but it did looked thrilling.
As we approached the helicopter, my friend (some friend he turned out to be…having already toured New York by helicopter), headed for the back the helicopter and sat in the back making me sit in the front, the helicopter had a glass bottom which improved the visibility greatly. We were strapped in and ready to go. We heard the engines roar and then we were in the air, however my stomach was still on the ground and joined us a few seconds later, it was pure exhilaration. We then climbed into the sky and began our tour. At Gatorland we banked around the park twice seeing the alligators, with the glass bottom of the helicopter I was able to look down directly into the park, and on to Orlando.
When we returned to the heliport, again the pilot flew the craft on the same path as we had watched earlier, but after the thrill of take-off and the flight this did not feel as thrilling inside, as it looked from the outside.
The only disappoint to the whole trip was the fact you could not speak to the pilot, I suppose it’s good as you can hear the air traffic controllers talking to the pilots, giving them information on wind speed and directions, however they do give loads of information on where you and what to look out for.
This is a memory that will last with me forever, I’m hoping the kids will go up on our next trip to Orlando.