|
Maverick Helicopters is a Las Vegas-based air tour company that runs excursions to the West Rim and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Recently I had the pleasure of flying them to the West Rim from Vegas. Here's a review of my trip: Maverick is a premium provider of chopper tours. They pride themselves on quality and customer service. I examined them on a couple of reputable travel forums. Customers unanimously praised their experience. Undoubtedly a good sign. Maverick Helicopters has many excellent trips to select from, ranging from canyon sunset flights and river-rafting adventures to Skywalk tickets and Valley of Fire flyovers. I booked an all-inclusive excursion known as the Wind Dancer. It travels to the bottom of the canyon. One thing that separates Maverick from the crowd is the site of its terminal. It's ideally located on the south end of the Las Vegas strip. Transport from hotel to the heliport usually takes minutes. Plus, by virtue of its location, all Maverick heli tours include flying over The Strip. The company's fleet of choppers is comprised entirely of EcoStar 130 aircraft. The EcoStar's cabin is 25 percent larger than the average chopper's. The additional space translates into theater-style seats and lots of leg-and-elbow room. In addition, it comes with a 180-degree wraparound windshield and a Fenestron tail rotor that minimizes sound. Travellers get their own headsets. This allows you to connect to the digital communication system and tune in to a trip narration or talk with the pilot and the other guests. The trip over was outstanding. Grand Canyon West is a 45-minute trip from Maverick Helicopter's terminal. The flight plan goes directly above Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the brand new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Helis soar at a lower elevation than airplanes so the bird's eye view you get of the Dam is magnificent. Our West Rim approach was spectacular. I saw the Grand Canyon glass walkway glimmering under the desert sun. The 4,000-foot descent takes you through three periods of geological time before landing. Maverick's dirt helipad was near the mythical Colorado River. It's humbling to think that this river single-handedly produced the Grand Canyon. I pulled out of my reverie and joined up with the rest of the group for a Champagne toast. Our pilot agreed to guide us around the base (we were also free to explore on our own). I chose to head out with him. I'm glad I did. Otherwise I would have had my head caught in my guidebook. Maverick also offers a helicopter trip that lets you extend a bottom landing with a smooth-water rafting trip down the Colorado River. The return flight is fantastic. We re-visited Lake Mead and Hoover Dam and then deviated northward and strafed the Valley of Fire. This area is comprised of vibrant orange sandstone. It's a unique spot and I've never quite seen anything like it. One traveler said it reminded him of Moab, Utah. Our return took us over the Las Vegas Strip. This is another one of those Maverick benefits. We hovered over the sky line. To my left, I saw the Wynn, Planet Hollywood, Paris, the MGM Grand, and more. On the ground, I decided to buy my tour on DVD. The product quality is excellent and makes the perfect souvenir. Select Maverick Helicopters if you are looking for a top quality Grand Canyon helicopter tour from Las Vegas. The client service is 5-star. The aircraft are state-of-the-art. And the quality of the tour is without peer. Save money by booking their tours on-line. I did and I know for certain that I cut off 20%. A Vegas vacation is not complete without a West Rim helicopter tour. So do it in style. Do it with Maverick. Mr. Plunket is a travel journalist who writes about all things Grand Canyon. He recommends readers check out this site for specials on Maverick helicopter tours to the canyon.
Related Articles -
maverick helicopters, grand canyon, las vegas, vegas, flights, tours, trips, vacation, west rim, national park,
| 
