Getting to Victoria for a recent media trip couldn’t have been easier. I headed to the island from downtown Vancouver in just over half an hour with Helijet. I boarded a 12-seater Sikorsky S-76, enjoying both a smooth take off and landing.
Helijet’s fleet of 13 medium and large helicopters, as well as two medically-equipped Learjets, is maintained, flown, and administered by a dedicated crew of over 100 employees.
While the ferry offers welcoming fresh sea air, heading up above the Lower Mainland mountains and over the islands is breathtaking.
I was able to score a window seat for both outbound and return flights, getting in some great photo opportunities. Helijet flies regularly out of both Vancouver Harbour and YVR Airport (picking up passengers 15 minutes earlier than Vancouver Harbour’s flights).
From time to time, I’ve noticed last-minute deals via Helijet’s Twitter feed, so if you’re flexible, there’s a chance to save pretty big, shaving off a considerable amount of time for island enjoyment, compared to the ferry.
Another bonus is the courtesy shuttle on both ends of the trip. I was quickly transported to Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific within minutes of touching down. Back in Vancouver, the shuttle brought me one block away from my bus stop home.
Helijet also offers charted service with heliport bases in Richmond, Vancouver, Victoria, Prince Rupert and Sandspit (Haida Gwaii).
[Landing in Victoria]
A huge thanks to the Helijet team for allowing me to experience this easy and unique way of getting from point A to B in a flash!
My Helijet return flight was courtesy of Helijet International. All photos © 2013 Ariane Colenbrander.
