See Big Bear from a unique vantage point—above it!—during new sightseeing tours offered by Helicopter Big Bear.

    Soar over the lake, hover just above skiers and snowboarders at the resorts, and get a birds-eye view of Holcomb Valley, where Southern California’s largest gold rush unfolded. All while flying in climate-controlled comfort aboard a Robinson R44 helicopter with longtime pilot Roy Harding at the controls, departing daily out of Big Bear Airport. The helicopter seats up to four, pilot plus three passengers, and is equipped with emergency pop-out floats on the skids in the event of a water landing, nice to know as it zips above the lake.

    Make no mistake, this is a sightseeing tour, not amusement park ride. “We fly straight and level, with no plunges or somersaults,” Harding said. “We want guests to keep their stomach inside their stomach. I’ve never had someone get sick and I’ve been flying passengers since 1997.”

    During the “Big Bear Loop” passengers fly down the lake’s north shore, right above the Solar Observatory and out over the dam. On the way back each flight buzzes Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, getting so close to the slopes passengers can see the expressions of skiers and snowboarders below.

    “On one flight we were so close a passenger could actually make out a smiley face on a skier’s hat,” Harding said. Each 20-minute Big Bear Loop flight costs just $95 per person (two passenger minimum), making the tour an affordable way to knock “helicopter flight” off one’s bucket list.

    For $30 more per passenger the flight is expanded to include zipping past Mt. San Gorgonio, at 11,502 ft. the highest point in the Southland, out over the high desert and even around Lake Arrowhead. “It really does serve up a lot more tour for only a few dollars more,” Harding said.

    Guests communicate with the pilot and each other throughout on the helicopter’s intercom system. Harding narrates each tour live, pointing out landmarks along the way and answering questions. He knows what tourists want to see, since years ago he was a Big Bear weekender himself with a cabin before moving to Oklahoma for the past 18 years.

    “Usually folks want to know how fast we’re going or how high up we are,” he said. “It varies throughout the flight. Sometimes we’re a thousand feet in the sky and other times just a few dozen feet up. “People who have never been in a helicopter are usually surprised at how quiet and stable the aircraft is,” he added. “They picture lots of vibration and noise and it isn’t like that. One customer said he flew over the Grand Canyon and the pilot just pushed a button and played a tour spiel. I don’t do that because passengers have their own questions and every flight is different. I promote an open line of communication and like to chit chat.”

    While most of his customers are couples looking for a unique experience—and there’s a romantic element to flying in a helicopter too—Harding said those looking to buy Big Bear real estate also benefit from the experience. “There’s no better way to see all the nooks and crannies of Big Bear,” he said. “Buyers can broaden their horizon of areas to look for who otherwise wouldn’t have gotten off the boulevard.”

    Call Helicopter Big Bear at (909) 585-1200 or www.HelicopterBigBear.com.