Boston Helicopter Tours for Groupon Customers

with East Coast Aero Club, updated March 2011

Thank you for buying a tour through Groupon. We will be scheduling tours whenever we think that the weather might be nice. When existing tour blocks are full and/or past, we look at the long-term weather forecast and add another date (we also check the Red Sox schedule as we are basically prohibited from flying anywhere near Boston during the game or before and after). For flying in mid-May, for example, we would add blocks to the schedule in early May.

Step 1, Alternative 1 - Schedule Private Tour

Our helicopter has three passenger seats and costs about $400 per hour to run. As explained on the Groupon site, we need to fill all three seats in order to survive on $99 per passenger (this is why our standard price is $199). If you happen to have purchased three Groupons or if you are willing to buy an extra ticket at $99 when you show up (for a real or imaginary friend), we're happy to organize a private tour at your convenience, weather and Red Sox permitting. If you're a couple and don't want to fly on separate flights, this is the way to be guaranteed that you'll fly together.

To book, call the East Coast Aero Club front desk at 781-274-6322 with passenger weights (total should be under 525 lbs), a phone number, and preferred times. Check the Red Sox schedule before calling to make sure that your requested times don't overlap with a home game (+/- one hour). Remember to bring your printed Groupons (with barcode) at the time of the flight.

If you're holding just one or two Groupons and don't want to buy any additional tickets, read on...

Step 1, Alternative 2 - Schedule in a Block

Using the scheduler above (click here to open in a new window), find a time that works for you, click the time slot, the adjacent magnifying glass icon, or the "sign in" option at the top. Create an account with your best email address (we'll use that to contact you if we need to reschedule the tours due to weather). Then pick the time slot again. Click on "new reservation" and enter your weight (limited to 220 lbs.), which we need in order to load the helicopters properly. If you purchased multiple Groupons and would like to use them during the same time period, set the "number of passengers" to something other than 1.

Once you've filled out all the fields click the "Create Reservation" button. At this point your spot(s) will be reserved. Feel free to show up at any time during the period that you've reserved, e.g., if the slot is from 5-6:30 pm, we'll be happy to see you at 5, 6, or 6:15. The actual flight is about 30 minutes in length.

Need to reschedule? Sign into the SuperSaaS scheduler (above). Click on "Agenda" to see your upcoming reservations. Click the rightmost icon (looks like a notepad). Click again on a notepad icon. Click on the "Delete Reservation" button. Then pick a new more convenient slot and re-register. If you can't figure SuperSaaS out, don't worry. Just sign in and make a new reservation for a new time.

Step 2 - Watch the Weather

If rain or winds of more than 20 mph are forecast, we'll probably need to cancel tours for that day. When a tour is canceled, we'll contact you at the email address that you provided when reserving. Please return to this page to reschedule.

Step 3 - Print out your Groupon

Print out one Groupon per passenger, each with unique serial number and barcode; these will be your tickets for the flight.

You will probably be getting in and out of the helicopter while the blades are spinning. You'll get a safety briefing prior, but you may find it helpful to read our passenger safety card in advance.

Step 4 - Fly

Hanscom Field in Bedford (Google Map) is one mile northwest of the intersection of Route 2 and Route 128 (Interstate 95). Take exit 30B to route 2A West and follow signs for Hanscom Field/Civil Air Terminal, which will be on the right. Continue straight down the access road and park in the lot on your left. Walk into the Civil Air Terminal and turn right. East Coast Aero Club is on the first floor, down the hall on the left (after the rental car counters and cafe). Hanscom Field should be in your car's GPS system, but you can also type in the street address: 200 Hanscom Drive, Bedford, MA 01730.

If you've scheduled into a block and aren't in a group of three, please be prepared to split up for 30 minutes. For example, if three couples show up, that's six people and the helicopter has three passenger seats. So we will do two flights into Boston, each with three customers. Inevitably this means that one out of the three couples needs to fly separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring my camera?: Please do!
What are some good activities and sights near the airport?: Please see our standard tours page
Is there an age limit?: We welcome children of any age (under two years of age, the child can fly free on an adult's lap).
What's the nicest time of day to fly?: Mornings are typically the smoothest. Evening flights are also smooth and the lights of downtown Boston are beautiful.
Can I buy an extra ticket?: Additional tour tickets are available from the East Coast Aero Club front desk for $99 each (Groupon customer special); Visa/MC accepted.