(Reprinted from Thornhill Month, April 1999)
By SEAN B. PASTERNAK
Thornhill's Julia Henderson and Kevin Smith entered Ontario's tourism industry in the fall of 1997 doing something that was - quite literally - head and shoulders above the competition.
Pilots by trade, Henderson and Smith began The Helicopter Company from their headquarters at Toronto City Centre Airport (Toronto Islands). By creating unique and innovative partnerships with other tourist attractions - including many in York Region - The Helicopter Company has made headlines across the province.
"We work really well with partners," says Henderson, a former student at Thornlea Secondary School. "We're able to cross-promote each other and have some amazing things happen."
For example, one of their more popular adventures is a `romantic interlude' to Maple's Southbrook Farms winery. A combination of breathtaking scenery and sipping fine wine make for a spectacular experience, says Henderson. "For Hallowe'en, you saw their huge pumpkin patch down below, and they even had pumpkins lined up around the gateway," she recalls. "The kids really loved that."
In fact, there are over 50 such destinations The Helicopter Company have been authorized to land at, including the Hard Rock Cafe on Yonge Street, specialized Niagara-on-the-Lake tours, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg and the Ontario Science Centre. As well, they have made themselves available for numerous fundraising activities, including the Yellow Brick House in Aurora. Their now-famous JetRanger will even be appearing at the City of Vaughan's Canada Day celebrations this year to take families on flights. "We want families to be able to afford it," Henderson says of their pricing policies, especially for special events. "We want people to be able to involve themselves."
In addition, Henderson and Smith offer more than just sightseeing with their chopper. Executives, for example, can enjoy a day of golf or fishing before being whisked off to Pearson to catch a flight. Adventurous shutterbugs can take part in the `photographer's dream', a chance to take aerial photographs above the locale of your choosing. They will even drop you off at a secluded picnic site and pick you up after - the possibilities are endless.
"We're really creative at putting something together," says Henderson.
One of the most `creative' tours, to say the least, would have to be their `Battle Stations' package. You're first flown to a base in St. Catherines. There, an instructor prepares you on the finer points of tactical combat before co-piloting a kind of dogfight over Niagara Falls. Combat consists of laser guns which fire at opposing helicopters - something like a game of laser tag with attitude (or is that altitude?).
Packages start at $75 per person (minimum 2 passengers) to $1800 - it all depends on which experience you take part in.
On any given weekend throughout the year, the company's single helicopter will conduct thousands of flights. "Our ground crew is excellent at scheduling," Henderson says. This past Valentine's Day weekend, they were booked solidly from sunset on Friday to sunset on Sunday.
Why do people have such an attraction to helicopters? "It's probably because most people have never done it before," Henderson explains.
"There's this great anticipation - you can't feel the sensation of a vertical lift anywhere else."
Still, safety has always been a top priority for the company's clients - no hotdogging or wild rides are permitted here. "We're professionals," Henderson says. "Let's put it this way: we fly with the same respect for our passengers that we would want them to have if they were the pilots flying us."
To find out more about taking flight, call The Helicopter Company at (416) 203-3280 or visit their website at www.TheHelicopterCompany.com
