Six companies at Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan currently offer scenic airplane or helicopter rides over the canyon. With more than 600,000 people taking air tours over the canyon every year, the flights, which generate a great deal of noise in parts of the park, have become a politically charged issue. The use of quieter technology that would allow for more flights is being considered.
They also raise safety concerns. A total of 41 people, more than half of them sightseers, have died in seven plane and helicopter crashes in and around Grand Canyon since 1991. This includes six people who died in a helicopter crash in August 2001. Another fatal crash occurred in 2003.
For many vacationers, however, the question is not whether to fly, but whether to take an airplane or a helicopter. The airplane flights, by and large, last longer and cost less. Most airplane tours remain airborne (ideally) for 40 to 60 minutes, at costs ranging from $90 to $100 per person; most helicopter tours fly for 30 minutes, at costs of $110 to $120. The planes also cover more ground, crossing the canyon near Hermits Rest and returning along the East Rim, near Desert View. The helicopter tours, meanwhile, usually fly out and back in the same corridor near Hermits Rest. (Some do go for the full loop.) The helicopters cruise lower -- just above the rim. And while they're not immune to an occasional bump, they tend to be smoother. (Tip: Whether you take an airplane or helicopter, your flight will be smoother if you go early in the day.)
During my helicopter ride, cinematic scores played over headphones, setting an epic tone that didn't quite jibe with the canyon. The flight afforded stunning aerial views of the topography, but precluded smelling or touching it. It was also a bit stomach-churning. It didn't help that I was pinned in the helicopter's middle seat between two large, sweaty strangers. The IMAX movie often achieves similar effects -- without disturbing the wilderness.
The following companies offer air tours originating from Tusayan: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters (tel. 800/528-2418; www.papillon.com); Air Grand Canyon (tel. 800/247-4726 or 928/638-2686; www.airgrandcanyon.com); AirStar Helicopters (tel. 866/689-8687; www.airstar.com); Grand Canyon Airlines (tel. 866/235-9422; www.grandcanyonairlines.com); and Scenic Airlines (tel. 800/634-6801; www.scenic.com).
