AdventureInHawaii.com | Jack Harter Doors Off

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter

Doors Off Hughes 500 - an unforgettable, thrilling experience

Zooming along the cathedral spires of the Na Pali Coast

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter Waimea Canyon

Stunning beauty of Kauai helicopter tours

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter Jurassic Falls

World famous Jurassic Falls can only be seen by by flying there

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter coral reef view from above

A unique birds eye view of south shore coastal reef

Waimea Canyon - Colorful volcanic rock carved by wind and rain

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter Waipoo Falls in Waimea Canyon

Deep in the heart of the canyon is Waipoo Falls

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter Na Pali Coast

Na Pali Coast - look down on the world's most beautiful shoreline

Look out at the towering spires soaring toward the clouds

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter open ceiling cave

Na Pali sea cave - the roof collapsed to reveal this hidden chamber

Jack Harter Helicopters door off Hughes 500 helicopter waterfalls

Waterfalls - all shapes and sizes ... too many to name or count

Fly into the verdant heart of Kauai's ancient volcano

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The most respected name in helicopter tourism over the years, Jack Harter created the helicopter tourism industry on Kauai way back in 1962. Jack invites you to escape the ordinary; to leave the byways of man and immerse yourself in the wilderness grandeur of the Garden Isle. His company offers tours in two different models of aircraft, both feature two-way communication with the pilot.

The Jack Harter Doors Off Tour is flown in the four passenger Hughes 500 for an exhilarating air tourism experience. Imagine yourself zooming along the spires of the Na Pali Coast with the wind blowing in your hair and looking straight down to the ocean below! This doors off helicopter is not for everyone, but if you are adventurous or are a photographer concerned about the window causing reflections in your photos, this might be the best tour for you.

General Information

Schedule: This tour is offered 7 days a week

Highlights: A circle island tour featuring Jurassic Falls, Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali Coast, Hanalei Valley, Waialeale Crater, and Wailua Falls. Exact tour routes and sites seen on each tour can vary based upon weather conditions.

Reservations: A credit card is required to confirm all reservations but the tour is paid at the time of checkin; nothing is charged in advance.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours before the start of the event. If the pilot feels a quality tour cannot be conducted due to weather condition, you will be contacted to reschedule for another day. If you can’t reschedule, there is no charge for the cancelled tour.

Check In: 4231 Ahukini Rd., Lihue, HI 96766 (1/2 mile from the Lihue Airport on Hwy 570) Click to view map

Pick Up: Cruise ship dock pick-up is available at no charge (see our notes to cruise ship passengers below).

Duration: 60 minutes

Equipment: Hughes 500 – This helicopter is equipped with a quick release safety harness that is required by the FAA for all doors off flights.

Restrictions: Passengers weighing over 250 pounds or couples whose combined weight exceeds 400 pounds must purchase an extra seat. No loose objects are permitted in the helicopter. Cameras must have a strong wrist or neck strap. Minimum age is 10.

What to Wear: Long pants and jackets are recommended since this helicopter is not climate controlled.

Important Note: Jack Harter only flies with a completely full helicopter. If they do not sell all the seats on your tour, they will move you to a different flight time. If you decide to fly with Jack Harter we suggest that you reserve the tour for the first full day in Kauai … if your flight time or date needs to be changed you’ll have time to reschedule it for later in your vacation.

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Doors Off Hughes 500

Fly into the verdant heart of Kauai's ancient volcano

Cruise Ship Passengers

Jack Harter Helicopters is available for cruise ship passengers and will even pick you up at the harbor! We recommend doing your helicopter tour on the morning of your second day in port if you are on an NCL ship, but it can be booked for either day 1 or day 2.

These helicopter tours are a MUCH BETTER DEAL than the ones arranged by the cruise lines. They list their helicopter tours as a “three hour event” but that includes the transportation to and from the helicopter company and time spent waiting for other people to do their tour. The actual flight time you get for the same amount of money is only 40 minutes or so, compared to a full one hour tour with Jack Harter. PLUS we only offer helicopters with superior visibility. Longer flights and you’ll see better … book your helicopter tour with us!

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Activity Tips

Kevin Ditamore – Owner / Manager

It never ceases to amaze me that people spend thousands of dollars to come to Hawaii, but think it is too expensive to spend another $200 to REALLY see the islands from a helicopter. There is so much beauty that you cannot see any other way. Do yourself a favor and SPLURGE! You will thank me. I have flown with many helicopter companies and done flights over all the islands of Hawaii (except Niihau and Oahu). I don’t think anyone who works in this industry would question the fact that Kauai is the most beautiful of the Hawaiian islands to fly over … and is probably the most beautiful island in the world.

With Jack Harter’s A-star tour you get polished narration, climate control, and an on-board sound system that sets the mood for your tour. The doors off tours with Jack Harter are a wind-blown experience, and the temperature varies throughout the tour depending on your current altitude. No mood music on doors off tours … you do wear headphones to listen to the pilot’s narration and there is an intercom system so you can ask the pilot questions. This intercom doesn’t work well in the back seat though … it is windier back there.

Flying with the doors off is certainly thrilling … but it isn’t for everyone. Jack Harter is unique in that they offer the opportunity to fly a luxurious air tour in their A-star helicopter or an adrenaline rush in their “no doors” Hughes 500 helicopter tour. What kind of an experience are you after?

Best time of day to fly? I think mid-morning provides the best lighting and least cloud cover. Kauai gets LOTS of rain … the summit of Mt. Waiale’ale is one of the WETTEST places on the face of the earth. That’s why this island is so beautifully carved and has so many waterfalls. Days that there are NO clouds are very rare. Typically the helicopters are able to fly back into the valleys while remaining safely below the cloud layer.

Wear dark shirts when you fly in a helicopter. It cuts down on the glare of the windows and improves the quality of photographs. GET A POLARIZING FILTER … it will help remove those little ghostly glares on the windows so your camera can focus on the waterfall. One of these filters will also improve pictures that you take of the ocean and sky. You’ll see a lot more blue.

A word about body weights … almost all helicopter companies in Hawaii have a 250 pound weight limit per seat. For larger passengers who exceed the weight limit it is necessary for the helicopter companies to leave a seat vacant so that there is adequate room for the larger passenger (and adjacent passengers). Some companies charge 50% extra for this “comfort seat” and others charge a full rate for the extra seat (which doubles the cost of the fare for a passenger over 250 pounds). Jack Harter charges 100% of the normal rate for this extra seat. They also charge extra in cases where the combined weight of 2 passengers exceeds 400 pounds.

What about kids? The cost of a seat is the same whether the passenger is an adult or a child. “Doors off” tours have a minimum age of 10.

Which tour is best for you? If you have trouble deciding which tour is the best for you after reading through this page, give our office a call and one of our friendly and helpful staff will be happy to talk you through your options!

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