bobbycreager943 Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Question for all you tour pilots our there Do the pilots have to narrate the tour? Or is there some sort of recording that plays through the ship? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootcamp Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Question for all you tour pilots our there Do the pilots have to narrate the tour? Or is there some sort of recording that plays through the ship? I was a tour pilot for two years in an R44. My boss pulled the headsets out of the helicopter because it "took too long" to put them on passengers. I took my door off for some passive ventilation. Needless to say, I wasn't narrating anything during the flight. It wouldn't have mattered much anyway, most of my passengers didn't speak English. I would point out interesting sights though (dolphins, fireworks, nearby laser shows, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RtrCFI Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 I did tours over New York City for a while. Most operators there narrated the tours themselves. It got pretty busy sometimes with the air-air frequencies, especially considering all the heliport landing/departing traffic was on the same freq. Throw in LGA tower and the traffic alerts, and it gave me a headache. The tour narration became the first thing to go. It seldom mattered, as most of the pax didn't speak English. The last post wasn't kidding about trying to get headsets on passengers. I have never seen such confusion over an otherwise facile event. Good for a few laughs though. I saw earcups turned inside out, and a buddy of mine saw the headband across the face like a football helmet. HA! I took a tour in Vegas with Pappillon several years back, and they had a tape with some corny mood music. It made me feel cheap all over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHelicopterPilot Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 For tours in the Grand Canyon most operators will have the pilot do the narration. Some companies have it set up on a mp3 or other audio method so the pilot doesn't have to do it. JD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lelebebbel Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 The last post wasn't kidding about trying to get headsets on passengers. I have never seen such confusion over an otherwise facile event. Good for a few laughs though. I saw earcups turned inside out, and a buddy of mine saw the headband across the face like a football helmet. HA! Headsets and passengers = constant hysteria! I never knew there were so many ways to put them on wrong. And don't even get me started on the R44 doors.. One passenger actually managed to crack a back door, that is 10 minutes after he was shown how the handle works, and told that he wouldn't have to operate it because the ground crew would do that. To the original question: When we fly tours here, the driver does the talking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DynamicallyUnstable Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 We narrate our own tours at Maverick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubby Posted April 16, 2010 Report Share Posted April 16, 2010 (edited) At our company we have to give narration along with all the other flight duties. Being in Los Angeles this can be quite difficult at times. Most passenger understand when you stop talking and have to making radio calls. Some of them even find it pretty awesome; especially if you point out a 737 on approach talking to the tower. It was difficult to pickup at first but now I can tell them about everything on the tour without even looking at the land marks. Edited April 16, 2010 by Cubby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotorME Posted April 16, 2010 Report Share Posted April 16, 2010 I narrate the tours over Los Angeles. I point out homes and landmarks and I try to be as informed and well dressed as possible. What I did not realize when I got into the tour business was how good the tips can be. Often times I make more in tips than on the flight itself. So, it pays to talk, and be informative and even funny at times. And..FYI..keep all turns standard rate..and noone will throw up on you. Crank in those 180 turns at 30 degree bank or more and be prepared to pull out the air sickness bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbycreager943 Posted April 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2010 I narrate the tours over Los Angeles. I point out homes and landmarks and I try to be as informed and well dressed as possible. What I did not realize when I got into the tour business was how good the tips can be. Often times I make more in tips than on the flight itself. So, it pays to talk, and be informative and even funny at times. And..FYI..keep all turns standard rate..and noone will throw up on you. Crank in those 180 turns at 30 degree bank or more and be prepared to pull out the air sickness bag!hahahahahaha that would be horrible to have someone yack in the bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubby Posted April 16, 2010 Report Share Posted April 16, 2010 hahahahahaha that would be horrible to have someone yack in the bird Oh you don't EVEN know how much it sucks. Had a women on Valentines day vomit in the back right as we are on approach (less than 100ft). I can't hand her the air sick bag and her husband hands her his sweater to vomit in and she goes for the vent in the door. Just over 100 hours on that bird and she ruined it... all over the inside and outside.. almost made me go as well! Uncle Bunny where do you fly out of? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHelicopterPilot Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 Oh you don't EVEN know how much it sucks. Had a women on Valentines day vomit in the back right as we are on approach (less than 100ft). I can't hand her the air sick bag and her husband hands her his sweater to vomit in and she goes for the vent in the door. Just over 100 hours on that bird and she ruined it... all over the inside and outside.. almost made me go as well! Uncle Bunny where do you fly out of? That is why many pilots brief passengers on where the bags are. Also, the bags are kept within a short reach for each passenger. Some passengers then even take one and just hold it during the flight just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbycreager943 Posted April 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 That is why many pilots brief passengers on where the bags are. Also, the bags are kept within a short reach for each passenger. Some passengers then even take one and just hold it during the flight just in case.Weird, i did not know that many people got air sick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHelicopterPilot Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Doesn't happen to often but I assure you that you will be glad you told them where the bags are located. In Vegas-Grand Canyon it's not uncommon to have turbulance on the entire flight. JD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DynamicallyUnstable Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Doesn't happen to often but I assure you that you will be glad you told them where the bags are located. In Vegas-Grand Canyon it's not uncommon to have turbulance on the entire flight. JD Yeah, not to beat a dead horse but I have been very lucky with not having pax get sick much (thanks Chin) but today I had this poor lady use 6...YES SIX bags!! UGH, started at the dam and never stopped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbycreager943 Posted April 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Hope you got some good tips from that flight!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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