The following information is provided to assist you with understanding all of the rules and regulations placed on flight operations by the FAA, TSA, company policies, and sound practices in order to make your flight experience as safe and entertaining as possible.

Please read before booking and call if you have any questions.

Locations and pricing:

  • All flights begin and end at the Watsonville or Hayward airport independently unless arranged separately with an agent. If you are scheduled to depart from the Watsonville airport you will return to the Watsonville airport.

  • Prices may be stated as per passenger or per flight.

  • We require at least 2 paid passengers minimum on each flight in order to dispatch the flight for departure. Single passengers can be placed with other groups depending on availability and approval.

Passenger weight restrictions:

Due to the nature of aircraft, weight can be a limiting factor. Please advise your booking agent of any passenger that is more than 200 lbs. If we are unable to accommodate a passenger due to weight restrictions, and we have been informed more than 72 hours in advance, a full refund of any purchased ticket will be issued.
At this time, we are not able to carry any passengers over 300 lbs. due to FAA regulations in any of our aircraft. If passengers arrive to the reservation and are over the weight limit, no refund will be issued.

Aircraft Passenger limitations:

           Helicopter- Max combined passenger weight (3 people) is 575 pounds for tours under 1 hour and 500 for tours of 1 hour like the Big Sur tour.
Airbus H130 - 300 pounds max per person with 900 pounds max per group.


          Airplane- Max seat weight configuration varies based on passenger loading. Passengers over 210 pounds may be required to purchase an extra seat (but usually not, your booking agent will advise on this issue when you contact us). We offer 2 airplanes models and the weight varies depending on each passenger configuration. Please contact us if you have any guests over 250 pounds or a combination of more than 450.

          Children- All children must be 35lbs or more to meet the life vest requirements. Passengers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult on doors off flights.

Weather and flight time:
Please feel free to re-confirm your reservation within 72 hours of your flight, we will advise you on the expected weather and other pertinent information to the flight.
  

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your expected departure time.

  • You will be discreetly weighed and billed for the charter in full at the time of arrival.

  • Fog, rain, stormy conditions and other weather conditions can create a less than spectacular experience. If the pilot decides to cancel the flight due to weather you have the option to reschedule the flight.

  • Flight times and routes may vary depending on flight safety, weather and ATC control

Our minimum weather conditions are as follows:

HELICOPTER TOURS - Cloud bottoms at 1,000 and visibility at least 5 miles.

AIRPLANE TOURS - Cloud bottoms at 1,500 and visibility at least 5 miles.

Weather reports can be misleading as we fly over a large area and reports can not cover every location along the route. The pilots decide if the weather conditions are more than our minimums throughout the entire flight.

Passenger search and carry-on items, identification:

  • All passengers are subject to FAA regulations pertaining to searching of persons and carry-on baggage for illegal items such as guns, explosive materials, drugs or anything else deemed dangerous or illegal by the pilot.

  • Carry-on items are limited by size. Anything that can lay on your lap is fine as long as it is not heavy or can cause problems to other passengers.

  • The FAA requires that all passengers bring a government-issued photo ID in order to board the aircraft.

Remember that all aviation is controlled by the federal government and all federal laws will apply. We are bound by those laws, do not assume that because something is not illegal in this state or county that the same applies to the federal jurisdiction of the airport.

Comfort:

Aircraft can create an uncomfortable experience for some people, like that of a boat, airplane, or other type of vehicle. Please remember this when purchasing your flight, once the flight begins it can be upsetting to the other passengers if the flight needs to be shortened due to motion sickness or discomfort. That said, we have only had to turn around once in all of the years we have been touring this area. We do not offer a refund in the event a passenger in your group gets sick and we need to return to land. We do offer members of another tour group on the same flight the opportunity to return and continue the tour. For your convenience, we provide sick sacks on every flight just in case a passenger's stomach gets upset.

Cancellation or date/time change policy:

* Weather, ATC, FAA or other unexpected delays or cancellations from our end are not subject to cancellation fees. If you arrive willing and able and we just can't fly, there will be no charges to you and you will receive a full refund back to your credit card or a credit on account as you request.

·         All bookings are required to be paid in full at the time of booking.

·         Any cancelation is charged a 10% booking fee at the time of refund

·         All wine flights incur a non-refundable charge of $500 in addition to the 10% refund fee.

·         Less than 3 days’ notice - Customer cancellations or changes with less than 72 hours notice from time of departure receive a refund less a 25% cancelation fee.

·          NO-SHOW - No refund for no-show or late arrivals past 10 minutes from the time of departure.

CHANGE YOUR FLIGHT DATE/TIME

After booking your reservation, changes to your flight date or time must be requested and are subject to many factors, so please give us 5 days or more notice if possible. We will do our best to accommodate your situation.

“My ID does not match the Credit Card details on file” – You can use another card or cash. Cancelation charges will apply to the card used to purchase the flight if we can not get ahold of them and get verification details such as a photo ID and both sides of the credit card.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS:

The FAA and TSA require that we check all carry on luggage in accordance with Federal regulations. Please be aware of these limitations to what you can and can not carry on our aircraft. Any items found to be in violation will need to be removed from your person and luggage prior to boarding.

For a complete and current list of items that you can and can not carry please visit these two websites -
https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/
TSA - https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all

Passenger search and carry-on items, identification:

·         All passengers are subject to FAA regulations pertaining to searching persons and carry-on baggage for illegal items such as guns, explosive materials, drugs or anything else deemed dangerous or illegal by the pilot.

 ·         Carry-on items are limited by size. Anything that can lay on your lap is fine as long as it is not heavy or can cause problems to other passengers.
·         The FAA requires that all adult passengers bring a government-issued photo ID in order to board the aircraft.
·         Remember that all aviation is controlled by the federal government and all federal laws will apply. We are bound by those laws, do not assume that because something is not illegal in this state or county that the same applies to the federal jurisdiction of the airport.

AGE RESTRICTIONS:

·         Children under 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

·         You must be at least 18 to fly with the doors off

·         Children under 18 - If you have had an adult pay with a credit card for your flight, they will be required to be present or have made previous arrangements to verify the purchase. If you show up and your ID does not match the payment method, you will be declined boarding and cancelation fees will apply.

BOARDING AND EXITING THE AIRCRAFT:

·         Please be aware that getting into and out of small aircraft is not like an airline.

·         Each passenger is required to be able to enter and exit the aircraft and operate a door, or have someone in the group that can assist with this process.

·         In most cases you will be required to be able-bodied to board our aircraft.

 o    AIRPLANES:

You will have to step up onto the wing then down into the seat. If you can climb up/down stairs or get yourself up from a floor sitting position, this task should be within your capability.

If you require a wheelchair or are in a cast, please contact us to see if there is a way for us to accommodate your specific needs.  

o    HELICOPTERS:

Our helicopters sit higher off the ground than regular cars. The process is similar to getting on to the seat of a motorcycle.

If you or anyone in your group require assistance climbing up a flight of stairs, please notify us in advance so we can accommodate your needs.

Each passenger will be at an exit door, these doors are easily operated, so please be sure to adhere to any pilot and ground staff instructions carefully.

APPROPRIATE DRESS:

·         Helicopter/Airplane tours:

o    please dress comfortably. Aircraft are like small cars with heating, Air conditioning and fresh air vents. High Heels can get you into trouble, so please be ready to go bear foot if needed

·         Wine Tasting:

o    Our wineries request that you dress in “appropriate attire”. Consider your surroundings.

o    Most people choose to take a stroll or ATV ride around the vineyards, so closed toe shoes are important but not mandatory. NO HIGH HEELS PLEASE, dirt roads and rough ground are inevitable.

·         Doors-off/Aerial photo:
Flying without doors may be extra fun and exciting but it is very windy and much louder for all passengers. The experience is like driving down the freeway with all your windows down at 80 MPH or more. Air is much thicker that most people realize and putting your arms or objects into the airflow when we are traveling at 100 MPH can yank your arm backwards and break it against the door frame if you are not ready for it.

o    No Hats

o    No Loose items (Camera covers, mic covers (muffs), long wires)

o    No Long loose dresses

o    No High heels, sandals or loose shoes

o    Long hair is required to be tied back in most cases.

o    All cameras, gear and phones must have a lanyard to secure them.

o    Hot days, dress appropriately – It’s almost always slightly cooler when flying

o    COLD days, the wind chill is significant so dress warmly. Wind jackets, gloves and bennies are best to keep you warm. It can get down to 40 degrees and lower with wind chill, so be ready for that.

o    In the event you do not have the appropriate dress, we will do our best to accommodate but if you must come back due to the cold, there is no refund.

FLIGHT TRAINING (intro lessons):

 For those that purchased an intro lesson, please be aware that physical limitations exist and the controls are engineered to fit the average person. As an example, young children often, cannot reach all the controls and thus should not book these types of flights. If you have questions, please contact our office. If needed, you can visit us in advance and sit in the aircraft to see for yourself and talk with an instructor about your concerns.

Booking Agents:
The Specialized Helicopters booking agents are trained to answer almost all of your questions, please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. It is our job to make this a great experience and we strive to accomplish this and provide complete satisfaction.