safari helicopter review

Safari Helicopters

Review Highlights

“ I am scared of flying, but I tell you it was smooth and calm and Kyle was an incredibly relaxing pilot. ” in 12 reviews

“ Richard) narrated for most of the journey telling us about the volcano and life in general on the island. ” in 24 reviews

“ Luckily for me flying over the crater while listening to John Williams Indiana Jones score was priceless. ” in 7 reviews

Location & Hours

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2220 Kekuanaoa St

Commuter Terminal Hilo Airport

Hilo, HI 96720

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About the Business

Business owner information

Business Owner

When you gaze out from a helicopter soaring over the largely uninhabited island of Kauai, you'll have the chance to soak in breathtaking views of lush greenery, weaving ridgelines, and cerulean sea. While you glide over gushing natural waterfalls to and vast expanses of mangrove trees, an experienced pilot from Safari Helicopters will explain the rich historical and geographical background of the island. For a truly unforgettable experience in Hilo or Lihue, HI, this helicopter tour can't be beaten. Known as the "Garden Isle," the professionals from Safari Helicopters chose the island of Kauai for its chartered tours due to its unique topography and stunning sights. As a coveted, mostly untouched natural wonder, this area has served as the jaw-dropping set for a number of Hollywood favorites. Now, tourists get a chance to explore the area from the most interesting angle possible. When you take a helicopter tour with this company, you'll get the opportunity to see incredible sights like Mount Waialeale, the Na Pali Coastline, and Waimea Canyon. When you take the Refuge Eco Tour, the helicopter flight will land on remote, private land owned by missionary descendants. Thanks to its high-caliber helicopter tours, Safari Helicopters has received a 2016 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, a Hawaii Magazine Readers' Choice Award, and was named one of the best tourist attractions in Kauai by The Garden Island... …

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Overall rating

103 reviews

We felt safe during the ride. It was amazing to see through the big island by helicopter. It was amazing to see into the volcano. The staff are amazing. The pilot was open for questions during the flight. I learned a lot. Highly recommended!

Oct 28, 2022

Aloha Melinda, Mahalo for the phenomenal review! We are thrilled that you enjoyed this experience with us. Safari Helicopters appreciate you and your Ohana for choosing us as your tour provider. Best of luck for your new adventure!

This was my first helicopter ride, and it was a great experience. I had been in warned that I might have some motion sickness, which has been an issue flying in small planes and riding in cars on winding roads. But that was not the case at all with Safari Helicopters. Sam, our pilot, expertly flew the helicopter, warning us before every turn, when there could be some bumps (there weren't), and did a great job providing tons of info about the island, and answering all our questions. Unfortunately, the weather conditions wouldn't permit us to see the active lava, but we were warned about this ahead of time. We still decided to take the flight, and I'm so glad we did!

What a wonderful experience with Safari! Cookie, Samantha and Sam were a great team providing pre trip info, pre trip training, and in flight info. We felt safe and enjoyed the ride from beginning to end. Cookie greeted us as we approached the building. Informed us of how long before our pre flight meeting was happening. Greeted us using our surnames, it was quite impressive. She gathered us for the pre trip meeting, talked of the safety aspects to be aware of, which included the life vest, walking procedure out to the helicopter, all about the safety!! She then proceeds to walk us out to the helicopter in a specific order for safety. We were first in line, not knowing how that meant where we were going to get to sit inside the helicopter. She directed my wife and I to follow her over to the copter from our staging point about 20 feet in front of the copter. She opens the door and has us sit in the front row next to the pilot! How Cool!!! Cookie helps us with our seat belts and Sam helps us with the headsets. There is a button, think Jeopardy button that we have to push in order to talk to Sam. She says hello to make sure we hear her and we reply back to her Hello! It takes a minute to load all of the passengers, 6 of us and Sam our pilot. Sam goes through a few reminders of the safety concerns, how the emergency handles on the doors work, where the fire extinguishers were, and then we started up. What a smooth lift off and rise through the airport to clear the air space. It was my first ride in a helicopter and it will not be my last! I was impressed at how smooth our ride was, even the turns so that each side of the copter could see the sights. We made quite a few very tight turns for viewing and she always informed us prior to making the move so no one was surprised. Hats off to Sam for her amazing flying skill and knowledge that she shared with us about the Island and National Park. She even added some history in the mix that we appreciated. Thanks Safari Helicopters!

See all photos from Darwin L. for Safari Helicopters

Aloha Darwin, Thank you for your splendid review. We are delighted that you had a pleasant experience flying with us. Safari Helicopters appreciate you and your wife for choosing us as your tour provider. We wish you best of luck for your next adventure!

We booked a private ride for the family to get the helicopter all to ourselves and we had a fantastic time! Our pilot, Sam, was very professional and a very steady pilot and warns us ahead of time if things will be choppy etc. We appreciate that since two of us tend to suffer from motion sickness, but she truly made it as enjoyable. We did book the first flight of the morning to also ensure less winds. We got to see into the volcano from the air and it was really spectacular. It was our kids' first time in a helicopter and we were celebrating a birthday and it was worth every pretty penny we splurged on this experience. We took lots of pictures, and the staff got a group picture of us in front of the helicopter after the ride as well. We had a wonderful time, felt completely safe, and highly recommend them to anyone who visits the Big Island!

The pilot was nice, but was a little disappointed with the company. We were supposed to go to a volcano, and it had just erupted two weeks prior. However, once we get to the place, we go through the briefing, and then they told the entire group that we need to figure out whether we want to go on the tour or not, the reason they asked this question was because it was cloudy, and the helicopter cannot go over the volcano anymore. We asked them: well what else can we see? To which they responded that we will be going to see some waterfalls, the 2018 eruption, among other things. We were not really interested in going anymore, because our main interest was to go see the volcano. And when we were about to cancel and get our full refund, they told us that it has to be a group decision, and if we say no, then the other group cannot go on their trip either. Out of pity for the other group, we decided to go on the trip. And we did see some good views, which is why I gave it two stars, and the pilot was very sweet (5/5), however, we did not even see any waterfalls. We only saw the 2018 eruption and the summit that cause that eruption. I mean, makes sense why its so cheap. The time that it took from the airport to the volcano national park took up half the time, and we were really only over the summit for 15 minutes - and the summit we were there for 3-5 minutes. They told us that they need 4 people to fly. The other group had 3 people. We couldn't let the other group not be able to go on their tour because we didn't want to go. It was very pressured and forced to say yes. Couldnt they have let some weight on the helicopter or something? I have never heard of this 4 people mandatory rule. Saying this, it makes me want to give them 1 star. They didnt have what we wanted to see, then lied about what we would see, and made us feel pressured to say yes. 2 stars because pilot was nice - chewy (5/5), and what we did get to see was nice

What an amazing experience. If you can afford this, you must do this. To properly see the volcano, lava & the birds eye view this is the ONLY way to go. You truly cannot appreciate this unless you do it. Cookie was awesome checking us in & giving us the low down; all with Hawaiian charm & hospitality! Then Sam was an amazing pilot! Very sensitive to making everyone comfortable & safe. I can't say enough fine things about her, except she was our favorite helicopter tour pilot we have ever had & we have had a few. Many Maholos!

Feb 27, 2023

Aloha D S, Thank you very much for the 5 star review! We are so happy to share this experience with you & to hear how much you enjoyed your tour with our Pilot Sam!

This company is only interested in filling flights. They will not call you ahead to cancel when they know they cant fly. Wadted time and taxi fare both ways, no flight. I get the safety issue, but when they have cancelled the ones before you, no excuse. Dont waste your time or money on these people.

Aloha, Thank you for your review. As a Helicopter company we are not only interested in filling flights, the goal is also to fly. The weather is ever changing on the Hawaiian Islands. With that being said, our Pilots run hourly weather reports to avoid canceling days at a time when we don't have to. Typically when we cancel a flight, we do our best to rebook you, or refund you if said dates don't work. We understand that canceling this experience is disappointing, & apologize for the inconvenience this brought to you on your trip. Best of luck to you on your future adventures, Safari Helicopters

Drive nearly 2 hours for a private tour just to get there and then canceling. Pay the little extra and go with blue Hawaiian tours

Aloha Hector, We at Safari Helicopters apologize for the cancelation & understand your disappointment & frustration. The weather on the Hawaiian Islands is ever changing. With that being said, your safety is our number one priority. We will not compromise your safety, nor the safety of our Pilots for any amount of money. We are happy to hear you were able to share the experience with your family & wish you the best on your future adventures! Mahalo, Safari Helicopters

Never posted a review to Yelp before but felt like we needed to make others aware of this experience. Unless you book the entire plane, Safari will likely refuse your reservation - for us it was an hour before we were set to board and after we'd already driven across the island. We booked a helicopter ride online, I received a call about an hour after letting me know that since we only had 2 people, they might not be able to take us unless more people booked. Despite that the info about needing more than two people was never stated on the website, we understood and just told them to confirm with us later that day if we would be able to go or not. I never received a call back, but I did receive a second email confirming our booking with information about when and where to meet. I called the company back later that afternoon and left a voicemail just asking for a final confirmation that we were, in fact, good to go as we would be driving from Kona to Hilo. The next morning, I received a call back letting me know that yes, we were booked and the agent gave me a time and directions on where to meet. We hit the road and were about 45 min away from Hilo when I got a call from a pretty rude employee telling me that since there were only 2 people, they couldn't take us. I told her about the conversation I had with the other employee just an hour earlier and she said she'd have to have her boss call me. Murphy called me a few minutes later, after I explained the situation, he halfway apologized and basically told me that he wasn't willing to do anything for us to make up for the situation. His final words on the call were "you're not going to get what you want." At the end of the day, the correct thing to do would have been to let us come on the flight regardless of the fact that they would have preferred to have more people on the flight. So, moral of the story is that this is unless you're willing to book the entire plane, they're going to wait until the last minute and then cancel your reservation. For us it was within 2 hours of takeoff time. We've talked to a few other helicopter companies who have been organized and accommodating! I would recommend saving yourself the headache and going with another company.

Business Manager

Jun 6, 2021

Aloha, you are correct a new employee incorrectly notified you that you were confirmed for the tour, however per our conversation and your own admission we called you back 10 min after that initial call and corrected that mistake. We were upfront with you from the very beginning, and we have no intention of deceiving our customers. There are times that tours need to be rescheduled due to insufficient participation, however this is very rare. We are always upfront with our customers and give them clear information. In your case you were given a correction within 10 min and that did not suffice with you. We apologize again for the inconvenience this caused you, however bullying others on the phone or in person is not tolerated here. We love to take our guests up and show them around, it gives us no pleasure to cancel a tour. We hope the rest of your holiday was pleasant and a success and wish you the best in the future.

We could not have asked for a better experience! We booked two days early for at 10:20 am flight since we were driving in from about an hour away. Stephanie called about an hour after booking saying that we were the only people booked for that time, and they don't go unless the flight is fully booked (makes sense given the cost to operate a helicopter). She politely asked if we could switch to the 9:20 flight. She was very appreciative when we agreed and offered us the two front seats as a thank you. I was super excited as my only hesitation in booking a helicopter tour was some reviews saying the experience totally depends on the seats you get. We got on the helicopter, and our pilot Sam was a pro. She was very communicative about when we might feel turbulence, when she was going to be making a hard bank, or when she had to switch to another channel to talk to air traffic control or other helicopter pilots. We felt totally safe in her hands. And my earlier hesitations would've been unfounded even if we weren't sitting in the front. She would bank right for a loop to make sure one side got to see a site, and then bank left for a loop to make sure the other side didn't feel slighted. I was really impressed with Sam's knowledge of Hawaiian history, custom, and mythology as well as vulcanology, seismology, and climatology. I wish I'd brought a recorder to take notes. Overall, an amazing experience! I would recommend doing the flight early in the trip. As we hiked in Volcano National Park or saw other sites later in our trip, it gave us a richer perspective having seen the views from the top.

Stephanie M.

May 16, 2021

Mahalo nui Nihal and Nisha for this phenomenal review and rating! We are so very pleased that you enjoyed the experience!Me ke aloha pumehana(with warm regard) Stephanie

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Deluxe Waterfall Safari

Olokele Canyon Helicopter Tour including Canyon Landing Kauai

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Safari Helicopters - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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Safari Helicopters

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When you're going to take to the skies, you want the very best pilots; the very best machines; the very best tour destinations. Safari Helicopters delivers on all three, offering guests a one-of-a-kind visit over Hawaii's landscapes.

Hawaii truly is a tropical paradise; a place of lush, verdant mountains, turquoise blue waters, dramatic sea cliffs, and beaches of every shade of sand. There are so many different ways to explore these islands, with no one way being truly better than the other. That said, different types of exploration do provide for different types of viewing and experiences, and one experience that every person who steps onto Hawaii should try at least is once is a helicopter tour, such as those tours offered by Safari Helicopters.

With headquarters in Lihue on the island of Kauai, Safari Helicopters has a lot that sets them apart from other helicopter outfitters. First off, there are the helicopters. Safari Helicopters was the first to fly the incredibly powerful and technically advanced A-STAR 350-B2-7 helicopters. Their fleet of helicopters features “mega windows” that offer passengers an almost panoramic view as they soar over the island. These machines also boast unique skylight windows installed in the ceilings. Especially helpful for the rear passengers, these ceiling windows enable visitors to look straight up at the rock formations when flying inside the Mt. Waialeale Crater. 

But helicopter upgrades are only one part of the charm of Safari Helicopters. Booking a tour with this outfit is also about getting access to some of the best helicopter pilots and guides on the island. This group primarily employs trained military veterans who more than know their way around these big machines with a long list of flight experience. When on a tour, your friendly, engaging pilot will interact with you via Bose noise-canceling headphones, informing you about the upcoming sights and answering any questions you might have. 

Finally, there are the sights — the primary reason to go on any Hawaiian helicopter tour. Safari Helicopters does have an outfit on the Big Island, but this review is primarily for those tours offered in Kauai. Kauai, known as the “Garden Isle,” offers sky-borne visitors some truly stunning vistas to soak in. Your Safari Helicopters pilot won’t just take you around the island as any other helicopter outfit would, but, when you take the canyon tour, this company will also actually land you in a remote, private location for a truly comprehensive experience of helicoptering in and throughout the wilds of Kauai.

So, more about the specifics of the tours. Safari Helicopters offers two core tours for their guests to choose from:

Deluxe Waterfall Tour This 60-minute tour takes passengers on a tour of over 100 miles of stunning Kauai landscapes. You’ll get up close to some of the island’s most beloved waterfalls, dive through the Waimea Canyon, and recognize classic site locations for some of Hollywood’s biggest films, such as Jurassic Park. 

Canyon Landing Safari This is a unique helicopter tour that combines flight with hikes. The Canyon Landing Safari Tour takes passengers on a tour around the island of Kauai but then lands at a private location on a cliff overlooking Olokele Canyon. 

Insider Tips: -Avoid booking your helicopter tour on the last (or even second-to-last) day of your trip to Kauai. This is due to the high chance of unpredictable rain most months that can cause your tour to get canceled and rescheduled. Booking this tour early in the week makes it easier for that to get arranged.  -While the group does have some smaller Bose noise cancellation headsets, it is best to either bring more form-fitted ear protection for children (especially for those two and younger) or call to double-confirm they have the right-sized headset for your child. -Note that in almost every case, you will not be able to choose your seat arrangement in the helicopter. The seating layout is dictated according to FAA mandated Weight and Balance guidelines. This also means to expect being asked the weight of your party when booking a tour. This helps to ensure the correct amount and weight of passengers are allocated in seats. If you’re not sure about how this will play out, call and ask for more information or consider upgrading to a private flight for just your family or party. 

Safari Helicopters

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Deluxe Waterfall Safari

Olokele Canyon Helicopter Tour including Canyon Landing Kauai

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Safari Helicopters - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

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New Safari - Safari 500

• Thread starter Sandstream
• Start date Aug 11, 2018
• Aug 11, 2018

I’’m happy (and somewhat surprised) to see that the new Safari 500 is in production. What do you think about it? My understanding is that the new 500 is a 400 with a new shell. I think it’s great looking. The engine is a Titan 370-series. Form what I’’ve read (mostly on Van’s Air Force community) this engine seems to be solid. Looking at the Safari 400 safety record it seems that the recent years accidents are related to the tail rotor area. Has this problem been throughly looked into and taken care of?  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A1P0TbVlA0  

Barney Bahle

Junior member.

• Aug 14, 2018

I hate to say it but I don't think any of the helicopter guys frequent this site anymore. Wish I knew where they went. Personally I prefer the looks of the 400 over the 500. I suppose I'm Ol' fashioned that way. Doesn't really matter tho, they're both well above my price range.  

• Aug 18, 2018

Barney, I've wondered the same thing, guess there just were not that many by comparison, used to watch Brian's progress with great interest but he has stopped posting on his build. There have been a number of accidents as well but more then anything I suspect mean spirited and/or nonconstructive criticism has played the larger role as the real deterrent, people get gun shy. Hopefully not so but that's my guess. EDIT: I like the old school look as well :smile:, that is the style I am working on now.  

• Aug 25, 2018

Do you know if there is a owners group or builders forum for the Safari? Safari seems to be a popular kit, must be a lot of builders out there.  

I don't know of any current, even the Safari builders forum is silent, there are still a few older build logs that are interesting to look at. http://www.mykitlog.com/Rick  

Say what you will about Rotorway, at least there is an active owners forum. There may only be a handful of the group that's familiar with the Scorpion but when I have questions I can get answers. May not always like the answer but their honest and experience based, rather than the old "I heard somewhere" answers. Mine may not be hovering without the help of and what I learned thru reading ROG. It is a shame the Safari (Helicom, Baby Ball) crowd can't do the same. I would love to know more about them than "I hear the tail rotors like to fall off." Oh, and by the way, last time I talked to Brian he was having some trouble with his main gearbox. Been a while now and I don't know that he's been motivated enough to address the issue.  

I like the Rotorway, but like the openness of the Helicom (in my case)/Safari style, nice for preflight inspections and general nosing around looking for any issues. The nay-sayers I'm familiar with, for legitimate reason or not seem to have a personal grudge going on. They all have and/or had their problems including certified, none seem to step up and admit fault, who in the world could blame them for that when you think about it. I just don't believe any of them deliberately sell kits with known to be unsafe parts. Hate to hear that about Brians ship, goodness knows how hard he has worked to make it as perfect as possible.  

Supreme Allied Gyro CFI

Barney Bahle;n1136775 said: I hate to say it but I don't think any of the helicopter guys frequent this site anymore. Wish I knew where they went. Click to expand...

• Sep 16, 2018

Ken_Shea;n1137315 said: Hate to hear that about Bryans ship, goodness knows how hard he has worked to make it as perfect as possible. Click to expand...

• Sep 20, 2018

Glad to hear you're back at it Bryan. Hope you get it all sorted out. If all goes well my Scorpion will get it AW cert within the next month. Fingers crossed.  

• Sep 21, 2018

Ken_Shea;n1137315 said: I like the Rotorway, but like the openness of the Helicom (in my case)/Safari style, nice for preflight inspections and general nosing around looking for any issues. The nay-sayers I'm familiar with, for legitimate reason or not seem to have a personal grudge going on. They all have and/or had their problems including certified, none seem to step up and admit fault, who in the world could blame them for that when you think about it. I just don't believe any of them deliberately sell kits with known to be unsafe parts. Hate to hear that about Brians ship, goodness knows how hard he has worked to make it as perfect as possible. Click to expand...

I built a Helicom Commuter II in the early 70's, T/R drive shaft was a center-less ground shaft then, today they simply use a standard section of 4130 tubing, I have wondered if that may cause high frequency vibration. I have seen the pics with the lack of radius issue, should never had been an issue but at least it is now a corrected issue. They enlarged the radius on the main spindle as well. Yeah, the speed is not impressive at all. Your Rotorway does an easy 100mph doesn't it?  

Barney Bahle;n1138541 said: Glad to hear you're back at it Bryan. Hope you get it all sorted out. If all goes well my Scorpion will get it AW cert within the next month. Fingers crossed. Click to expand...

• Sep 22, 2018

I don't want to hijack the thread but thanks Bryan. So did the spindle issue go all the way back to the original Helicom or did it appear later? If it started with the titanium spindles when did they come into play?  

• Sep 23, 2018

Ken_Shea;n1138569 said: I built a Helicom Commuter II in the early 70's, T/R drive shaft was a center-less ground shaft then, today they simply use a standard section of 4130 tubing, I have wondered if that may cause high frequency vibration. I have seen the pics with the lack of radius issue, should never had been an issue but at least it is now a corrected issue. They enlarged the radius on the main spindle as well. Yeah, the speed is not impressive at all. Your Rotorway does an easy 100mph doesn't it? Click to expand...

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Safari 600: A well-proven helicopter to build yourself

Posted By: redback February 27, 2019

COURTESY: KiwiFlyer Magazine

Magazine of the New Zealand Aviation Community

SOURCE: Issue 50 – 2017 #1

SUBSCRIBE: http://www.kiwiflyer.co.nz/

CREDITS: Michael Norton – Editor | Publisher KiwiFlyer Magazine

Flight Review

There’s a new, NZ, version of the Safari helicopter about town. And it’s much nicer to fly. About three years ago, KiwiFlyer sampled the previous edition of Bruce Belfield’s home-built Safari helicopter for a feature article in Issue 33.

For a variety of reasons, supported by second and third opinions, we concluded it was probably the pick of the rotary home-builts available in the recreational aviation market. If there was a niggle at that time, it was our perception of a heavy control feel – which we likened to an R44 with the hydraulics off.

You adjusted to it after a while, but the initial flight for pilots current in certified light helicopters would probably involve a degree of over-controlling in response to the friction and feedback present within the Safari’s systems of then. And now? Very much better.

That’s not just KiwiFlyer’s view after a brief sortie around Bruce’s patch at Te Awamutu either. Other CPLs who have tried the new version concur.

There are 12 CHR Safari helicopters on the New Zealand register. Produced as a kit-set by Florida company CHR International, the Safari has the outward appearance of a scaled down Bell 47. Indeed when first developed by Canadian Home Rotors, the aircraft was named the Baby Belle.

It was later changed to Safari and subsequently in 2009 CHR International acquired the business and moved it to Florida. Testament to the design of the Safari is the number of hours commonly flown on them. Several of the New Zealand examples have many hundreds of hours on their HOBBS.

All too often home-built helicopters change hands with very few hours on the clock, in main due to their owner/builders discovering that flying them wasn’t quite the good experience they were expecting.

LEFT: Brand new Safari 400 being test flown by Bruce. RIGHT: Main rotor blades are composite, made in the US.

That’s not the case with the Safari helicopter, whose owners frequently talk of adventures into mountains and bush on hunting, fishing and holiday trips. One of the confidence inspiring aspects of the Safari is its rugged and traditional design.

The helicopter air frame is of welded steel, the engine is a Lycoming, and everything is on show for inspection. There’s also plenty of room for two people in the cabin, a decent useful load and good power reserves.

Bruce Belfield became a distributor for the helicopter company after acquiring his kit in 1998, forming South Pacific Home Rotors in 2002. A fitter/turner and machinist by trade, his skills were a perfect match for the amateur-built aircraft category the Safari fits in to.

Those skills have also been put to good use for subsequent owner/builders with numerous improvements to the design originating from Bruce’s workshop and now distributed to owners around the world as well as the United States factory.

Safari 600 Specifications and Performance

Powered by a Lycoming O-360, the standard factory Safari 400 will cruise at 74kts, with a VNE of 87kts or 100mph. A typical ship weighs around 1000lbs empty and with a MAUW of 1650lbs, useful load is in the order of 650lbs. Climb performance is 1000 feet per minute to a ceiling of 10,000 feet.

The twin fuel tanks hold a total of 106 liters. IGE hover limits are quoted as 7000 feet and OGE as 5000 feet. The 26ft diameter main rotor is of composite construction and the tail rotor with a 4 foot diameter is made from strong and light weight titanium.

South Pacific Home Rotors

Bruce Belfield’s original Safari 400 was the first-of-type to fly in New Zealand, back in the year 2000 when it also deservedly gathered up several home-building awards from the local sport aviation scene.

Over the years since, Bruce has worked extensively to support other builders in New Zealand as well as to make numerous improvements to the helicopter’s design and flight characteristics, several of which have been incorporated by the factory into their standard kit – one example being titanium tail rotor blades.

LEFT: Everywhere you look, craftsmanship is outstanding. RIGHT: Proud new owner Colin Wade, with Bruce.

Another improvement first fitted to the helicopter by Bruce and then adopted by the factory has been an electronic governor system. Yet another is his Kiwi-Pod luggage system.

Now his latest personal Safari incorporates so many ‘Bruce version’ improvements that it has become a step change from the standard factory offering. Bruce has thus unofficially ‘named’ it the Safari 600. More on that later.

Throughout the course of his work on the Safari, Bruce has acquired an international reputation as the go-to person for ‘setting up’ the helicopter. In that regard he’s recently returned from a few weeks in Costa Rica working for an owner there, and he often travels to Australia to support owners in Sydney.

Several of Bruce’s ‘enhancements’ are in regular demand by other new and existing owners throughout the world, his exhaust and inlet manifold systems being a common example.Bruce has also regularly attended Oshkosh and Sun & Fun as a guest of the factory to meet prospective customers and act as a factory demonstration pilot for them.

Safari 600 Helicopter Kit Options

The Safari helicopter kit fits into the amateur-built category, so if you do take the option to build it yourself from a basic kit, the 51% rule means that you can also maintain it yourself afterwards.

The most popular option in Australasia is the ‘Down Under’ Starter Kit, comprising a majority of the basic components, but leaving it to the owner to sort their own engine, cabin fit-out and instruments.

In the kit are: Fabricated cabin frame and tail boom, tail rotor driveshaft, fuel tanks, basic control package, engine/rotor tachometer, rotor head and blades, main transmission, a conversion kit to mount the aircraft certified engine vertically, and tail rotor assembly and blades.

The next option up is the Safari 400 kit which includes the O-360 engine, shroud and exhaust, welded fuselage with sheet metal installed, powder coated frame and mounted bubble, leather seats and carpet, instruments and pod, governor, trim and frictions, and all the necessary small parts and raw materials to complete your aircraft.

A ready-to fly option is also available which Bruce can build for you at his Te Awamutu base, where he has support available from Central Aero Engineering at Hamilton for any engineering supervision required.

Bruce says that most of his New Zealand customers typically acquire a starter kit including frame and bubble. Then they source the engine and instruments from a timed-out R22 (or a wrecked one). Although the fabrication required to complete a kit is all uncomplicated, there is a lot of it to do.

No welding is required in the Down Under kit . Bruce also says that all parts supplied are very accurately produced and fit together as they should, thanks to extensive investment in jigging and CNC production at the factory.

He says that an honest assessment of the time required to complete a Down Under kit is 1000 hours, this including the ‘thinking’ time and being easily achievable by a builder with basic skills.Any parts can be requested ready-made from the factory or via Bruce and he says there is a long list of options to make the job easier if desired.

New Zealand customers of course have a major advantage to hand in that Bruce is here with a demonstration aircraft, a wealth of hands-on experience for building, setting up, and flying the type, and the capability to assist the build process from start to finish.

The Safari 600

Bruce’s latest edition of the Safari helicopter build is not an official factory version, but if customers wish then he can fabricate the same modifications for their aircraft.

In addition to the list of ‘Bruce’ improvements that have become standard (or nearly so) Safari fitment, the ‘600’ has an extensively reworked control system. Working closely with Paul Waterhouse at Central Aero Engineering, Bruce has made numerous small changes that together accrue towards making flying the aircraft an altogether better experience.

Paul currently maintains five Safaris on behalf of their owners and says, “it wasn’t a secret that the control characteristics haven’t been perfect. The cyclic and collective forces were quite heavy and prone to leading new Safari pilots towards over-controlling.”

Paul and Bruce did “a lot of analysis and staring at other two-bladed rotor heads,” an exercise that culminated in changes to pitch link arm alignment and various other components – particularly also with a view to managing friction in the control system. In Paul’s words, “it’s pretty close to right now” .

Paul also says, “I’ve got no hesitation at all to fly in one.” Paul’s latter statement is qualified by him adding that there are very few home-built helicopters that achieve an acceptable standard for him to fly in.

Other design changes include canting the main rotor transmission forward slightly, an all-titanium tailboom – for strength and weight savings, new pedal linkages which are more positive in action, a widening of the internal frame leading to more cabin room, angling the cabin floor to be flat at cruise speed, a transmission oil cooler which now provides for an indefinite hover time, and a new collective actuator system which operates in descent at <18” MAP to help prevent the collective wanting to rise (a previous Safari niggle).

Compared to the standard model, the Safari 600 is 50 lb lighter. Bruce says that one-up, it climbs easily at 1200 fpm.

Flight Experience

As well as a brief fly of the Safari 600 ourselves, KiwiFlyer also spoke with local commercial pilot Nick Lane (4 years and approaching 1000 hours on his CPL), who is familiar with both the Safari 400 and new 600 versions.

A pre-flight is straight forward, with virtually everything you might want to inspect being clearly on show right in front of you. Climbing aboard is equally straight forward so long as you remember to put your head in the bubble and follow with your body – it simply won’t work the other way around unless you’re less than four feet tall.

Seats are very comfortable, there’s a heap of elbow room, and leg room is equally generous. I’m a touch over 6 foot and have always found the pedal position in Robinson R22s or Hughes H300s right on my comfort limit – and occasionally beyond it, resulting in cramping muscles which aren’t conducive to hovering a helicopter in a gusty crosswind. Not so in the Safari.

Bruce’s floor and pedal modifications suited me very well.Checks are all standard practice and the venerable Lycoming roars into life. As an aside I did also observe Bruce flying from the ground – and this is a noticeably quiet helicopter.

The noise footprint is unlikely to ever bother neighbors.Bruce flew a circuit to reacquaint me, then it was my turn. Three years ago, that was a bit of a humbling experience and I’ll admit it took me the best part of an hour to get to grips with the aircraft.

The difference this time was significant. In the same way that others who have flown the ‘600’ have found, a few minutes was enough. That’s mainly because the controls are much lighter and better balanced now. It’s a lot more like flying an R22 than previously.

Vibration levels and stick shake all seemed low too, suggesting a well ‘sorted’ machine. We depart for a local scenic and I also notice how much nicer the aircraft feels to just ‘fly around in’ .

Bruce says that’s due to the helicopter mast adjustments and also in part to his tilted floor. Flying ‘on the numbers’ is easy and in the light breeze we’re flying in, Bruce can readily trim the helicopter for hands-off flight if he wishes.

Confirming my perceptions in a later discussion, Nick Lane observed that it ‘wants’ to fly at 60 kts now instead of 40 kts previously whereupon it always felt like you were forcing it to go faster.

Nick says in his view the controls are “much improved” and although, like many aircraft it has its idiosyncrasies, “once you’ve got a feel for it, it flies nicely.” He says to Bruce, via our discussion, “The way it is now is good. Leave it alone.”

In Nick’s view, and mine, someone with R22 experience and Robinson Safety Course currency, would transition to the Safari 600 quite well. Being in the experimental category, pilots require a PPL(H) to fly the Safari.

Most owners either have a license or acquire one in an R22 whilst building their aircraft. However Bruce says that pending a willing Flight Examiner (currently in the pipeline), it will be possible to undertake all one’s training in the Safari if desired.

For more information on this kit helicopter

One final testament to these aircraft, worthy of mention, is that full-cover insurance is now available with a reasonable excess and premium equal to or better than what most R22 helicopter owners would receive.

To find out more, contact Bruce Belfield at South Pacific Home Rotors on 027 696 5159 or 07 871 5699, by email: [email protected] or visit www.safarinz.com

The factory website is www.safarihelicopter.com

New owner profile: Colin Wade

Our visit to Te Awamutu coincided with an opportunity to meet new Safari owner Colin Wade, who was enjoying some time in his brand new helicopter with Bruce. A Cirrus SR20 owner/pilot, Colin is yet to commence his PPL(H) and plans to use the Safari for his training. We asked Colin about the motivation behind his new acquisition.

It was quickly obvious he is a passionate aviator, first flying with Max Clear and Bantams at Te Kowhai, before stepping up to a Sky Arrow, then Pioneer 300 and then a PPL in his Cirrus which he regularly flies between Te Kowhai, Pauanui and Great Barrier.

Colin has long been an aviation enthusiast and this year will attend Oshkosh for the 15th time, traveling (as always) on a Gaye Pardy tour which he and wife Sue have often helped run for Gaye.

It was at Oshkosh that Colin first met Bruce (when he was demonstrating the factory machine there). Colin says he went for a couple of flights and was hooked, telling Bruce to call him when he got home.

Bruce later landed his Safari at Colin’s front door and the deal was done, with Colin observing that Bruce’s workmanship was exceptionally good and confidence inspiring (KiwiFlyer agrees). Colin’s aircraft has been built up by Bruce and Colin over the last 18 months and has just had the mandatory 40 hours of test flying finished off by Bruce.

Colin says the Safari suited him very well with its manageable maintenance costs, decent useful load and power in reserve, and that he’s looking forward to a lot of local flying and being able to drop in on rural friends.

Congratulations on the aircraft Colin. It looks outstanding.

LEFT: All Safaris are fitted with NZ made titanium blades. MIDDLE: Bruce is experimenting with the adjustable airfoil. RIGHT: Very nicely designed and fabricated panel.

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Hawaii is home to some of the most beautiful sights on Earth- sculpted ridgelines, deep valleys, plunging waterfalls, bubbling lava flows, and more.

However, many of these amazing sights cannot be readily accessed by land or by sea- the terrain is simply too harsh, remote, or impassable. That’s where our friends at Safari Helicopters come in.  For nearly three decades, Safari Helicopters has been introducing visitors to some of Hawaii’s most iconic and breathtaking sights- and revealing her “secret” history, beauty, and geology to the world. Their Kauai and Big Island Helicopter tours are truly one-of-a-kind adventures. 

— article continued below —

Safari Helicopter's Kauai Helicopter Tours

Kauai’s inaccessible wonders are yours to admire and explore on these spectacular Garden Isle helicopter adventures. 

Fly past "Jurassic Falls" in Kauai

One hour, one hundred miles, and more sights than you can imagine!

• Depart from Lihue Airport & fly into the Hanapepe Valley where you’ll circle the Manawaipuna Waterfall, aptly dubbed “The Jurassic Park Waterfall”
• On to Olokele Canyon & the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”- Waimea Canyon- to admire Waialae Falls & more
• Soar over Kokee State Park & right into some of the NaPali Coastline’s famous valleys
• Head to the gorgeous North Shore to take in Hanalei Bay, Lumahai Beach, Namolokama Mountain and her waterfall
• Dip down into the Hanalei Valley’s tropical rainforest & admire the waterfalls
• Tour the summit crater of Mt. Waialeale- the wettest spot on Earth & a geological marvel
• Round out the adventure with Wailua Falls, straight out of  Fantasy Island
• Duration: ~60 minutes
• Departs from: Lihue Airport

Everything offered in the Deluxe Waterfall Safari PLUS an exclusive tour of a remote botanical preserve.

• Land at the Kauai Wildlife Refuge- property of well-known environmentalist & Niihau co-owner Keith Robinson
• The refuge overlooks Olokele Canyon, featured in many famous movies
• Learn about the Robinson family’s conservation efforts- you may even get to meet Keith in person!
• Depart from Lihue Airport & fly into the Hanapepe Valley where you’ll circle the Manawaipuna Waterfall, aptly dubbed “The  Jurassic Park  Waterfall”
• On to Olokele Canyon & the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”- Waimea Canyon- to admire Waialae Falls & more
• Soar over Kokee State Park & right into some of the NaPali Coastline’s famous valleys
• Dip down into the Hanalei Valley’s tropical rainforest & admire the waterfalls here
• Tour the summit crater of Mt. Waialeale- the wettest spot on Earth & a geological marvel not to be missed
• Visit Wailua Falls, straight out of  Fantasy Island
• Duration ~90 minutes

**Please note: Safari helicopters is the only company legally permitted to provide a remote landing eco-tour on Kauai.**

Safari Helicopter's Big Island Helicopter Tours

If you think the Big Island’s inhospitable lava flows and fields make exploring impossible, think again. Safari Helicopters makes the Orchid Isle yours to discover.

The ocean cliffs on the Big Island

Tour Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and see one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and more.

• Depart from Hilo and spot Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea
• Head to the Big Island’s most active volcanic areas & watch the Big Island grow right before your eyes!
• Unbelievable and rare sights- lava lakes, craters, fiery skylights
• You may even get to see lava meet the ocean in an incredible show of extremes!
• Soar over lava tree forests- trees nearly swallowed up by lava
• Witness the devastation as you soar over entire neighborhoods consumed by lava
• Duration: ~40-45 minutes
• Departs from: Hilo Airport helipad

​ **Please note the National Park Service restricts all aerial tours over Kilauea Crater.**

Explore everything on the Volcano Safari PLUS head to the impressive waterfalls on the upper Wailuku River and soar over the Hilo Bayfront.

• Depart from Hilo and spot Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea
• Head to the Big Island’s most active volcanic areas & watch the Big Island grow right before your eyes!
• Soar over incredible waterfalls
• Take in the views of the Hilo Bayfront from above
• Duration: ~50-60 minutes
• **Please note the National Park Service restricts all aerial tours over Kilauea Crater.**

Why Choose Safari Helicopters?

Safety First

• Safari Helicopters exceeds FAA safety standards
• The best helicopter in Hawaii: state-of-the-art Safari A-STARs
• Pilots fly well under full power, so if extra lift is needed it’s available
• Meticulous equipment maintenance
• Recipient of the highest rating ever awarded by the Hawaii Helicopter Operator’s Association
• “Smooth, smart, and level”: Safari Helicopter’s motto

Trusted & Experienced

• All Safari Helicopters & pilots are FAA Certified
• All pilots have extensive flight experience around the globe
• The company has done a wide range of commercial, military, & volunteer work
• Extensive range of certifications
• Recipient of many prestigious awards based on visitors’ choice
• Featured in a number of movies, books, & magazines
• Locally-owned
• Safari Helicopters was the first company in Hawaii to fly the A-STAR 350 B2-7 helicopter, one of the most luxurious touring helicopters available
• Unparalleled panoramic window viewing
• First to use a two-way communication system with special noise-cancelling headsets
• First helicopter operator in Hawaii to offer air-conditioned tours
• Your very own adventure will be recorded- waterfalls, canyons, everything!

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ARE YOU READY TO FLY YOUR CUSTOM PERSONAL HELICOPTER?

Let safari helicopter make it happen while we have been out of the spotlight recently, we're still in the helicopter business we've been focused on repairs to helicopters that have had a bad day with their pilot, upgrading older machines, and charting our future course. so.....don't believe everything you see on the internet safari is alive and well and looking forward to the inclusion of helicopters in the light sport category, safari brings the quality of certified to the price point of experimental. the classic simplicity of the safari 400 or the sleek lines of the new safari 500 whichever you choose, your new safari will be powered by a real aircraft engine and the proven quality of the safari drive train and controls..

CAN I GET MY HELICOPTER LICENSE IN MY SAFARI?

Yes find out about pilot flight training here.

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Safari 500 at Sun 'n Fun

At Sun ‘n Fun I had the opportunity to meet with Bobby and Delane Baker, the owners of Safari Helicopters . The Safari Helicopter line has a long history dating back to 1954–started by Harold “Pop” Emigh and the original Commuter which evolved into the Commuter II. The rights were bought by Murray Sweet and production was taken to Canada under the ‘Canadian Home Rotors’ brand name. A machinist by trade Murray made many evolutionary improvements to the helicopter and took it to Oshkosh in 1995. Due to the visual similarities with a Bell-47 the type became known as the “Baby Belle” but was later renamed the Safari.

In 2001 production was moved to Florida where Bobby Baker, an A&P became involved. Bobby traded work on the helicopters for flight training. In 2009 Canadian Home Rotors wanted to end their involvement at which time Bobby and Delane bought the company. Upon taking over they began an extensive evaluation of the state of the helicopter and improvement program. Their focus was to improve the quality and safety of the design. One example is the tracing of raw materials through production into serialization of components. Improving production tolerances allow parts to be interchangeable. Another example is the work that has been done on improving the safety culture of the company by encouraging open reporting of problems and being open to suggestions for improvement.

The driveline of the Safari resembles larger helicopters. Transmission housings are cast, x-rayed and then machined. Main and tail rotor transmission spindles are machined from billet titanium in-house to exacting tolerances. The rotor blades are composite with an aluminum spar and a brass rod to add inertia. The blades are finished with gelcoat and then balanced as a set. The Safari is powered by a Lycoming (or clone) that runs at 2750 RPM which is reduced by the transmission to 500 RPM at the main rotor. A nice feature for a helicopter in this class is a main rotor governor (a stepper motor that adjusts the throttle position to keep the main rotor speed constant.

Big news for Safari Helicopters is the development of its new model 500. Based on the dynamic components of the current model it introduces a new fuselage and tailboom designed in SolidWorks. This is designed to improve performance and aesthetics through better aerodynamics and reduced weight. External engineering support has been used to analyze the new structure for strength and vibration.

Bobby was kept busy flying builders and prospective customers during operating hours from the ultralight grass strip. I was happy to be able to experience the Safari in a short 5-minute flight. The first thing you notice in a Safari is the expansive field of view. With doors off, there are essentially no obstructions, which makes flight at lower levels very enjoyable. There was plenty of leg and head room for my 6′ frame.

A central instrument panel has room for all necessary VFR instruments. Hovering in ground effect required around 24″ MAP, leaving sufficient margin for a relatively brisk takeoff acceleration. Once in level flight a power setting of 19″ MAP resulted in 60 mph indicated. When moving the collective the governor made small corresponding changes in throttle position to keep the rotor RPM constant, with no pilot inputs required. The Safari does not have hydraulically boosted controls, but it is fitted with a cyclic trim system to allow the pilot to relieve forces. The concept, forces and control vibration were like an MD 500.

Overall it was an enjoyable flight and the Safari presented as a very well manufactured small kit helicopter in a market with relatively few offerings. If you are in the market for a solid 2 place kit helicopter the Safari should definitely be on your short list.

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I have private endorsement for fixed wing, and fly regularly, would give my soul to fly chopper. To bad I don’t have the Money tree required to pursue this love.

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VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & WATERFALLS SAFARI

Temporary sale $299.

• Aprox. 55 Minute Tour
• National Park Points of Interest.
• Private Tour:  $1,700  (Better Value Per Seat)
• Lava activity may vary from pictures shown. Check with USGS for current activity at [ https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo ]

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Have a group of 12 or more? We offer discount rates for groups so feel free to contact us or click book to receive these special rates !

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Big Island HELICOPTER TOURS

Take a flight to the World’s most active volcano. The Big Island has been erupting almost continuously since 1983, pouring red-hot molten earth into the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.

All Hawaiian volcanoes are produced by a plume of lava known as the Hawaiian magmatic hot spot. This plume of lava rises up from deep within Earth’s mantle and burns through the seafloor crust to form volcanic mountains that eventually rise above the surface of the sea to form Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawaiian Islands are actually just the summits of these massive volcanoes that grew up from the ocean floor as much as 18,000 feet below the water’s surface.

The Big Island is the youngest Hawaiian Island, less than a half a million years old, and its two major volcanoes are Mauna Loa (which includes Kilauea Volcano) and Mauna Kea. These massive volcanoes are a sight to behold from the vantage point of a helicopter (when clouds do not interfere). Mauna Kea rises to 13,796 feet above sea level. Mauna Kea is considered the tallest mountain on Earth if measured from base to summit, towering up more than 6 miles from the ocean bottom.

The volcanic activity of the Hawaiian hot spot continues today on the Big Island at Kiluaea Volcano, and the East Rift Zone. Safari Helicopters tours survey the diverse array of volcanic formations throughout the whole area where this activity has recently occurred and also where it is happening right now!

The aptly named Chain of Craters Road descends 3,700 feet from the summit of Kilauea Volcano to the sea, and has repeatedly been blocked by lava flows with more than 9 miles of the road covered since 1986. The Pu’u O’O Vent flows off and on into the ocean (fluctuating between Chain of Crater Rd and Kalapan Black Sands Beach) and at times sends up plumes of volcanic gas and smoke. From a helicopter this is a most impressive sight to behold.

There are four main districts in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; However we mainly tour the East Rift Zone, Which is sub-categorized into 3 different zones:  The Upper East Rift Zone, the Middle East Rift Zone, and the Lower East Rift Zone.  Typically we tour along the coastline to the Lower East Rift Zone where the most recent eruption event happened in Leilani Estates, to show the devastation and new black-sand beach.  Next, we head upslope to the Middle East Rift Zone to explore the Pu’u O’o Vent.  Finally, weather permitting, we move to the Upper East Rift Zone along several craters including Napau and Mauna Ulu to Halemaumau Crater at the summit of the world famous Kilauea Volcano.

Expect to be absolutely amazed at the incredible sights you will see from a Hawaii volcano helicopter tour. There are so many unique land formations and visible volcano history before your eyes that it is difficult to encapsulate it all in words.

What are you waiting for? Let's go fly!

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Safari Helicopters Guide - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)