What is a helicopter tour with Corporate Helicopters San Diego like? — featuring Keith P (wkrp2005) (Corporate Helicopters)
In this video: Helo Ride - Corporate Helicopters, San Diego.
Keith P (wkrp2005) · 7 years ago
How much does a flight with Corporate Helicopters cost?
The video does not specify pricing. Contact Corporate Helicopters directly for current rates, as they typically vary by tour length, group size, and demand. Tours fill quickly during peak travel seasons, so book as early as possible to secure your preferred date and time.
What this video answers
How much does a flight with Corporate Helicopters cost?
Can children fly on this tour?
What should I bring or wear on the tour?
Is the helicopter ride bumpy or uncomfortable?
What makes this tour different from other San Diego flights?
Overview of This San Diego Helicopter Tour with Corporate Helicopters
This helicopter tour, operated by Corporate Helicopters in San Diego, California, takes passengers on a low-level coastal and urban flight lasting approximately 16 minutes. The video captures a complete tour route flown in a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, piloted by Terry, departing from San Diego's airport and following the shoreline west over some of Southern California's most recognizable landmarks. The tour covers everything from military installations and university campuses to celebrity neighborhoods, upscale beach communities, and San Diego's famous amusement parks—all viewed from just 500 to 1,000 feet above ground level.
This experience suits anyone seeking a memorable aerial perspective of San Diego without a full-day commitment. Whether you're a first-time visitor wanting to see the entire city layout, a local rediscovering familiar spots from above, or someone checking a bucket-list adventure off their list, this tour delivers dramatic views and frequent landmarks pointed out by an informed pilot. Families with children, couples celebrating a special occasion, or solo travelers looking for an adrenaline boost will all find value here.
Key Moments
Key Sights and Moments on the Tour Route
Miramar Marine Corps Air Base and the Top Gun filming location, with active F-18 Hornets in the pattern overhead
Sea World and Fiesta Island viewed from directly above, showing the theme park's layout and surrounding residential areas
La Jolla's upscale beaches, including the Marine Room restaurant with bulletproof windows and nearby celebrity homes with private observatories
Torrey Pines Golf Course and glider launch site on the northern coastal stretch
Windansea Beach and Bird Rock tidal formations, showing dramatic coastal geology from a unique vantage point
Ocean Beach Pier and Belmont Park's vintage Big Dipper roller coaster at the tour's southern endpoint
What to Expect Before and During Your Flight
Flight duration: approximately 16 minutes of airtime, plus ground briefing and safety checks
Altitude: The helicopter maintains 500–1,000 feet above ground level for close-up views while staying within San Diego Class Bravo airspace restrictions
Headset communication: Passengers receive individual headsets with volume controls so they can hear the pilot's narration clearly despite engine noise
Aircraft type: Bell 206 Jet Ranger, a nimble single-engine helicopter ideal for low-level sightseeing
Visibility: Best on clear days; the video was shot in good conditions with excellent ground-to-sky contrast
Physical sensations: Expect mild vibration and movement typical of helicopter flight, especially during turns and altitude changes
Frequently Asked Questions About Corporate Helicopters Tours
How much does a flight with Corporate Helicopters cost?
The video does not specify pricing. Contact Corporate Helicopters directly for current rates, as they typically vary by tour length, group size, and demand. Tours fill quickly during peak travel seasons, so book as early as possible to secure your preferred date and time.
Can children fly on this tour?
Yes. The video shows a father and son completing the full tour together, with the child engaging throughout. Verify age and weight restrictions with the operator when booking, as these apply to all passengers.
What should I bring or wear on the tour?
The video does not address clothing or packing. Generally, wear comfortable, secure clothing and closed-toe shoes. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a camera or phone to capture the views. Avoid loose items that could fall into the aircraft's mechanics.
Is the helicopter ride bumpy or uncomfortable?
The video captures some minor vibration and movement, which passengers describe as "shaky" at takeoff and during maneuvers. This is normal for helicopters at low altitude. Most passengers find the experience thrilling rather than distressing, though those prone to motion sickness should discuss options with the operator beforehand.
What makes this tour different from other San Diego flights?
Corporate Helicopters operates at exceptionally low altitudes (500–1,000 feet), offering intimate views of landmarks, neighborhoods, and coastal formations that fixed-wing tours cannot match. The pilot's live commentary identifies specific sites, military aircraft, hotels, and historical locations in real time, turning the flight into an informed tour rather than a silent sightseeing pass.
This video is genuinely helpful if you're considering a helicopter tour in San Diego. It gives you an honest, unfiltered view of what a real flight looks like—the actual altitude, the vibration, the real-time pilot commentary, and the landmarks you'll see—without glossing over the technical aspects or overpromising Hollywood-style cinematography.
What impressed me most was how the pilot weaves local knowledge throughout: pointing out the Top Gun connection at Miramar, naming specific neighborhoods and businesses as visual anchors, and adjusting the route on the fly based on passenger interest. The video captures authentic passenger reactions too, making it easy to imagine yourself in those seats. If you're a bucket-list traveler or someone who wants to experience San Diego's geography and architecture from a perspective you simply cannot get from the ground, this tour is absolutely worth booking.
Years on the front lines of helicopter tour coordination — not as a travel blogger, but as the person responsible for making every guest experience go right. Managed 2,000+ cruise guests weekly as Shore Excursions staff aboard the Pride of America in Hawaii
Personally coordinated with helicopter tour operators to confirm age, weight, and safety requirements.
This GoPro video is from a helicopter tour from Corporate Helicopters in San Diego, CA. Pilot Terry was fantastic! Loved every minute of the ride.
#corporatehelicopters
Video transcript for “Helo Ride - Corporate Helicopters, San Diego.” Accessibility
A full written transcript of this video, provided for accessibility. Select any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.
how does Shakey's I thought it would be it's like a swing did you hear me right I let it bounce alright guys hear me okay you also have a little volume control over here if yours is not loud enough or too loud the constellation cygnus better testing one
two three okay my gonna be gosh I should the victor is 1 7 1 0 0 special observation wind variable at 3 this will be 1 0 1,800 scattered temperature one five two point zero Niner altimeter three zero two one io that's one way to a tried to progeny planning and the parting room leads to a
carefully left and hereafter this weather nation they're not very long after thirties in the way about the contact is bigger in here the ATC or him in here I hear you guys it's fine are you here you're here me talking oh nothing at all there you go I bet now
you can hear I know I just have all I mean yeah sorry I didn't have a plugged in all the way awesome thank you alright I'm good now here we go oh I guess we get that it's getting shaky it is [Music]
okay Logan all right yes did you have school today I'll have to stay home this beats going to school huh yep Turpin
diner Montgomery tire was unapproved our children rode 2703 tied up our risk score banana there we go dr. Zira Polly my one helicopter departure from the mid for tram hope you watch counter Oh God all right beard it isn't it is kind of weird huh it's fun and away we go oh yeah this is cool hey
I told you all right blows here this the 163 freeway if you look over the ride all those buildings way over there Miramar Marine Corps Air Base used to be the Naval Air Base where they filmed the movie Top Gun with Tom Cruise many years ago there's a couple f-18s in the pattern downtown San Diego or left we'll
see that in just a little bit 805 freeway here below us buildings right over there that's Mesa College one of our junior community colleges eight-thirty real quick quick question yes I talk to Calvin in the office about flopping off the Torrey Pines oh that's right that's uh sir you guys want to
orbit around Ocean Beach yeah right I forgot about that glad you remind me I forgot to lift okay appreciate it they are excuse me Point Loma off in the distance over there they should be a water park over here where we have Sea World Fiesta Island how much below us here houses and
swimming pools it's the Claremont area oh we do have home depot and be flop to you shopper for the ladies we have Marshalls Kohl's or Target if you prefer unless your Nordstrom's kind of gal we can hook you up that's right now we're about a thousand feet above sea level we're 680 feet
above ground level and we're flying at 104 miles an hour 104 miles now 108 Wow does anyone feel like that yeah Frye do you see the hotel area over there what it should be or you're all right so are
we celebrating anything special just us on the bucket list to do I'm sorry thinking I say are we celebrating anything special or just on the bucket list to do just on the bucket list trying to expose my son to some pretty cool stuff all right good that means I don't have to sing my why people think that all
[Applause] right there's the 52 freeway runs east and west throughout the city interstate 5 up here in front of us running north and south from border to border straight ahead we have the cross and the War Memorial up on Mount Soledad anything particular you want it over by Ocean
Beach here just yeah we've walked along the beach the pier a lot so it's just kind of a landmark that they're familiar with okay but nothing in particular no all right real quick over there Anthony Oh coastal driving on the copper core four Niner bell 206 Jeff Rangers beam let me doorbell off the five san diego's
[Applause] Shores over here well at least go up to the golf course and then cut in a little sooner I think we'll be all right okay we go over a little bit oh well that's all they're having a tournament our thing so no no that was before okay that was back in February they had the big
tournament okay I have you look to the right now you can see let me kind of straighten it up I think quite clearly to the right you can see the 12,000 foot 500 mile long runway of Arab are hardly a piece of concrete of those two miles long would make for a nice drag strip such I guess it is for f-18 Hornets
another various military aircraft white building here for me archers architecture that's it's kind of cool they light it up at nighttime all nice and bright and white so it's really beautiful at nighttime well then we see the high-rise condos just on the other side that's the university town center
shopping center always like point out ladies case needs a little shopping we could drop you off you would have to jump but we could get a little lower it's slower for inside so Jerry by those Brown buildings yes on the north the blood northeast corner of UCSD or
University of California at San Diego building there in the center with the trees around it that's the 10th Geisel library and you probably know Ted Geisel better as dr. Seuss now the tall concrete building here at the black glass facing us that's the school of engineering and you can tell all the
engineers hang out there because they're the only ones crazy enough to design and build a house hanging off the front of the building right there about five stories I've got that pale blue oh it's got some window chimney beautiful front yard just would want to step out into the backyard that could be a problem for
you especially at nighttime right Brian there's Torrey Pines client report you just about make out an asphalt runway they actually still launch full-size gliders from out there not just pretty much pair cells hang gliders occasional ultralight I got flies in the powered parachute around every now and then
ramble they blow me on the right that's general atomic their defense contractor over here to the right sir popular structure freeways the five 8:05 merge traffic movie night sharing your party lunch hour commute um scary Terry or keep s 95 eye on the sky traffic reporter alright we're just on the other
side of the hill we don't go that far north normally even for this tour but just on the other side of the hill is the Del Mar racetrack where we have thoroughbred horse racing twice a year and also the San Diego County Fair during the summer or is that a native still call it the Del Mar fair pass any
inclusive traveling on the copper corporate nine or repeat Torrey Pines Golf Course one thousand feet we're westbound on the shoreline will be turning southbound on the shoreline 500 feet San Diego coast on coastal traffic that's eight nine eight one five 2500 officer at Del Mar racetrack the
neighborhood's off Teddy's place that's over Gillespie 3,800 he found Danny we know he's a white blue Archer just thirty million dollar I'm sorry if you
saw the movie Iron Man that really cool Ahoskie live in is this one right out here oh cool the White House back there at the green tree behind he make out a little silver dome on top but he has his own private telescope an observatory at his house around the corner used to be a by Doug Manchester who used to own the
Manchester high-end hotel they say there's a ten-car garage underneath the house I don't know they don't invite me to their parties so I don't know now down here on the show I can see a building and a metal railing going up the cliff little white box at the top a white box is an elevator that goes from
the house up above to the party house down below right appears good fear Scripps Institution of Oceanography building there on the hill that's the Birch Aquarium senio coastal driving on the copper core open an or a bell 206 Jet Ranger theme script spear southbound on the shoreline five
be final call gonna run point in the class Bravo San Diego coast off all right Red Roof buildings down here that's La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club the building at the far end with the skylights on the roof in the window space the ocean that's the marine room it's a restaurant those windows are
actually made out of bulletproof glass because the wave shoes come up break them all the time got all the ocean kayakers out here cruising around right over there straight ahead that's a little Hoya caves and I think building
here on the ill that's the la Valencia hotel some girl I flew once goes it's Mindy Kardashian stay when they came to town thinking who cares man see over on YouTube I don't need to see her apparently her grandmother used to live here and Counting out a children's toy store right now there's a children's
pool and we'll see you all looks like we got a few little sea lions laying on the beach working on their springtime suntan's we've been there right Yeah right over there that little patch of grass it's called wedding circle it's actually more football shape a lot of people get married in that patch of
grass looks like we might have a wedding going on here today I come around the south side La Jolla now this is Windansea beach [Applause]
so traffic sits right down there's the surfer shack it was built during World War two it blows down all the time they find some new palm problems to fix it up every now and then as we come around this point now we come to a community called Bird Rock it's between La Jolla Civic Beach its neighbor dropping this
rock you see out here in the water at the bird sit on top I make nice and white during low tide it's getting kind of close but it's not complete low tide yet you walk on after the rock on dry ground it's completely dry putting the rock in the cliffs on super high tide that rocks almost completely covered
over with water that's how different the tides are here [Applause] have retired good morning I look up a corporate diner with you about two miles north the crystal clear we like low level on the shoreline down to Ocean Beach tours of the OBPA will come back north mountain top a corporate manual
inverter additional class Traverse this offshore southbound meadow below 500 Limor adults means three zero to one so complete at the Ocean Beach Pier and ready for your East on turn all right Rafael 504th prior to [Applause] we see three-point and all that tourmaline we're always over there
tourmaline round pairs crystal bearing rentals little cottages for the weekend of the week whatever your budget can afford somebody said you're better to have a really big budget bill on the way two years to get one right over there's the catamaran Hotel as we passed the catamaran Otel we will magically Pacific
Beach Skyhawk requesting the offshore southbound Seguin the cost night so we're now seven three seven hotel you keep traffic over the crystal pier south down the levels a helicopter remain outside seven class bravo airspace your foot when you have traffic in sight all right coming up off Belmont Park with a
Big Dipper roller coaster not too high not too fast but old wooden rickety and scary just the same yeah it is not driving visual tension topless 588 limericks our number two traffic short final runway 87 a continue expect your landing clearance short final expect that tell us 588
continuing United 18:06 contacts okay departure today today there's no South Mission Beach here as we cross the jetties we get into Ocean Beach and the original dark beach where you can bring your dogs and let it run leash free in the surf
[Applause] and ope parrots closed at the moment about a month and a half ago we had a huge storm out here and knocked off all kinds of pieces of the railing so they're rebuilding the railing so until they get a rebuild it is closed Sunset
Cliffs up the straight-ahead up there oops [Applause] too high and start yelling at me here any second
right if you look it up to the right there's the airport yeah guys hot [Applause] there's our hotel over there oh it there's SeaWorld yep yeah we're gonna go by there and just something will make one more orbit here and it will be a little lower this time got a little higher there I can't believe she didn't
start yelling at me 25 if you expedite down the Bravo HMS on a brotherly no delay and contact ground one two three four Niner good day Bravo a grass also that's why not 25 games 92 29 Revo Southwest 588 runway two-seven clear plant fertilize you don't think Avenue Alaska 11:43 limber Travis four and a
half mile final runway two-seven - and wait be powder Freddy for the media United 229 number traffic holding position reduce on approach speed runway two-seven clear to land wind is two-niner-zero at 8:20 land - seven we're slowing United - Trina Copa now we're now ready to go northbound and
then we'll do eastbound nor the SeaWorld in the Delta crossing corporate men are sponsoring approved winable squawk zero two six three over flight X we dealt out of over a thousand all right walking throw two six three five eighty turn Laphroaig no delay on the Bravo contact round 1 2 3 4 90 day graph of carpeting
Alaska 1143 traffic to my final wince - 9:07 runway two-seven clear for immediate takeoff cessna 737sk on key cleared through center class bravo airspace offshore north over on the
right we have sea world-class sport not portable last 11:43 contacts ok departure when I said was 49 the 24 disregard traffic in position speed your discretion what 934 toes [Applause]
I know there's a San Diego sports arena or the I pay you I will use a qualm Peron Ronald the name is um different every month please call the Valley View Center oh no way they just renamed it a month ago and now it's called Pechanga that's Colby swapmeet going on out in the parking lot up there on the left on
the oh that's USD or University of San Diego that's a Catholic University over there's Riverwalk golf course I think inside a three mile final descending out of 1300 Boeing 737 that's up three seven in sight maintaining visual separation program corporate minor program prior to you North downturn wants you over the
downtown Riverwalk off course over there just on the other side probably shopping centers on the other side of that fish shopping you get your shop on while you're here that's a nuke nope no no no right down here on the left is Presidio park and mission de alcalá right below us now on
the left is old town over on the right yellow boys at the red roofs on top that's MCRD or the Marine Corps Recruit Depot where the new Marines gonna be trained or as my son-in-law the drill instructor likes to say where the maggots come to March the maggots are out there marching right now I guarantee
you they're all getting screamed at he just come home he couldn't even talk it supposed to be all I'm screaming flew into San Diego this is weird as we still call it heaven if you fly right over the approach end of the runway they land underneath us and that's the Coronado
Bay Bridge out in front of us that's Coronado which is actually not an island it's more like a peninsula because it is connected via the Silver Strand all the way down to the Mexican border CBN 71 that's the Roosevelt I believe CBC 41 USS Midway World War two aircraft carrier now a floating museum also got
the Disney cruise ship in port ready and the condos just to the right of the condos the red rose warning building over there that's the Hotel del Coronado when I get where many favors sit States movie stars presidents Marilyn Monroe Bobby El Chapo and other criminals who knows right to our left that's our
Phillips Exeter driver bill there you have it soon a small final without delay when we compare our two slotted head screwdriver buildings right here hang on a second cessna 737sk leaving San Diego Convention Center where we have common and other green convention also Petco Park Petco we got southwestern about a
two-mile finally passed back to the government corporate diner maintain visual separation with that traffic behind the Giants the first first
opening day win right for a while probably out right on their big silver dome on top it's our public library underneath the dome it's a beautiful atrium where they have weddings a social event 94 freeway or Rainey's found out to hobble 5 freeway here running southbound to the Mexican border
building painted red hat buildings that's my alma mater down here San Diego City College where my wife works no 550 500 characters a five mile fire and leaf right oh there's the air space museum few 70s hold on second got the trap inside maintaining separation all right Roger proof anyway Air Space Museum right
there just the left of it so 163 freeway going underneath the Laurel Street bridge you looked left now you got a cool view Lindbergh Field you didn't get when you were landing you were looking out the little side windows doing about 180 miles an hour hoping they'd stop in time right down to your white building
with the benches in front of it that's the Oregon pavilion there's a beautiful 4505 Morgan's really a freak on there's all the way down pictures to the riser clock tower prowling over there is the Old Globe Theater looks just like the one in London England and over on the left now
where you see all the trees is the world-famous San Diego Zoo not all the animals out here in the parking lot look for place to park he netted over know the rights of fellow drone where they do bicycle racing that's part of barley field where they also have the archery range and the frisbee golf course to
tall buildings to the left over there that's Mercy Hospital UCSD hospital that's the Hillcrest area a community in San Diego straight ahead this is called North Park two main thoroughfares run through San Diego east and west one is down here we see the blue building that's University Avenue still ones up
here by the water tower that's El Cajon Boulevard hang on for the frequencies a lot dontcha contact them information with the game whiskey [Music] let me get sufficient whiskey 175 days ago when the reserves there at 3:00 visibility one zero you crabs that 1807 or one seven two point zero Niner
altimeter three zero and two one iOS are linked to a red fresh and youthful any imparting runways to a right into a left as of this weather right now you're leaving some quest for space through north and a half mile radar service terminated scruffy is our contact Montgomery tireless for traffic
in there downwind 1500 - oh you know 555 contacts okay alright Tampa things over there that's SDSU or San Diego State University our other major university in town Fernando with you just out of prob with the 1805 impediments were communicating and we have whiskey corporal venner Montgomery car traffic
tunnel up to eight left is a charity of 1400 landing him in for trampled at Ron risk wins two sixes zero had five additional traffic turning the left cross and is also another Cherokee for traffic alright at both those traffic is the site maintaining visual separation over there all right I would be remiss
if I didn't point out of the storage you can't get out it's like a one-way trip to that store if you want to take a picture this right down here Qualcomm Stadium now SBCC EUCOM stadium originally Jack Murphy Stadium that was built over 50 years ago that's gonna be a big pile of concrete rubble as they
turn down and build a smaller stadium forgery as will be holding in position 15 freeway here running northbound of the Temecula recite for additional traffic it's for one o'clock and about a mile far-sighted stadium helicopter 1100 reporter June sight regular traffic for Juliet corporate I know we got him again
is he gonna even extend his downwind and nine affirmative hiding it from Charlie so right over there the tambul is that the pink rose on top that's Rady Children's Hospital two world-class Children's Hospital until also the Mary birch birthing center for the context yeah not an airplane here gonna pass over behind
us Montgomery tower there is I think you body just soften it up to your left or the right hip oh yeah all right do me a big favor if you would please keep your seatbelts on until the rotor blades come to a complete write-off iqleem AC just leave on until I tell you to take them off for your safety I appreciate it
[Applause] police helicopters over there they could get me all right shall we do the Harrison Ford land on the taxiway by accident right let's not and say we did wait laughs ready for straight out the park I'm sorry just to understand how the captain of the Millennium Falcon han Solo lands on a taxiway said they
wouldn't be worth it once County forward yeah although he did make a really nice crash landing about four years ago in a golf course okay Santa Monica he definitely had the force with him on that ready for straight out departure fantastic
Montgomery Tower Cherokee 282 Hotel Papa 3600 just west of La Jolla hey Piper chilly for knowing to eat lots very touch-and-go I go through that for Julia HOH oh it's all Papa Montgomery chart verify information always Kissin intentions information whiskey to hotel
Papa great name yelled the guy is smart okay okay chill it's all Papa Montgomery cha-cha Papa has whiskey protects against tree Georgia I love traffic sorry to eat lot left traffic to eight left so to hotel Papa oh that's got to be one
of my smoothest landings ever on this bar Wow beautiful you've done this before I take it now straighten it up just a little bit alright alright so again keep those seat belts on for me if you would please they call plane only survived great uncle burl
bring up on see what so bad was it Oh yep I knew you'd like it guys want to crack your windows a little bit here with little air flowing through how long you've been flying clinic today a week certificate from Xbox for 20 bucks game with call of duty so I
learned to fly the Black Hawk hang off flying shooting blowing up stuff I'm expert planning not so much that's what the reset buttons all right all right there actually has to be one of my smoothest landings here not to break my arm Bama but no no I'm right on the card it gets kind of scary yeah yeah yeah
because the wind kind of just shifts you around and you're actually on the cart no way yeah oh yeah you're in the middle you can't see oh yeah sat it down right on the card Wow sometimes it's kind of bumpy is above it's great a few times I've had to like look let's try that again gonna be saying all this a
record-low around a little bit with more does yeah it does it can get kind of hairy it's like perfectly well I guess how else you gonna get it up there right yeah that's well yeah I mean that's how we get it in and out of the hangar we have a little tractor thing we pull this around so well that was fantastic
well good I'm glad you guys had a good time enjoyed yourself good right yeah glad you're up press thumbs up there's Nick get your dad up here one of these days you're okay oh yeah like every dissipation whiskey 175 fries ago
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