Your Practical Flight Plan

Your Practical Flight Plan

A little planning goes a long way in making your air tour perfect. Here's my practical checklist for your flight plan.

Best Time of Day to Fly

This is one of the most common questions. The answer is nuanced.

Morning flights offer calmer air and often clearer skies. This means a lower chance of weather-related cancellation. However, the low morning sun can cast deep shadows. The Nāpali Coast and depths of Waimea Canyon may not be fully illuminated.

Afternoon flights around 2 p.m. are often considered best for photography. The sun is higher and shines more directly on the Nāpali Coast. This makes the ocean pop and lights up the canyon walls. The trade-off is a slightly higher chance of encountering afternoon clouds or rain showers. On the bright side, this makes the waterfalls even more spectacular.

What to Wear and Bring

Your attire depends entirely on whether you're flying doors-on or doors-off.

For Doors-Off Tours

• Long pants are often required. Closed-toe shoes with a heel strap are required.
• Bring a long-sleeved shirt and windbreaker or light jacket. It gets surprisingly windy and cool at altitude.
• Bring a hair tie for braiding. This is absolutely essential for anyone with long hair.
• Avoid loose items completely. This includes hats, scarves, beanies, and loose-fitting jewelry.

For Doors-On Tours

• Wear dark, solid-colored clothing. This is the most important tip for photographers. A black, navy, or charcoal shirt will dramatically reduce the reflection of you and the cabin interior in your photos.
• Bring comfortable layers. The cabin is climate-controlled, but a light sweater is always a good idea.

For All Tours

• Bring sunglasses.
• Bring your camera or phone with a secure wrist strap. I cannot stress this enough.
• Consider motion sickness medication. If you're even slightly prone to it, take your preferred remedy before you arrive at the heliport.

A Photographer's Plan for Nailing the Shot

Capturing Kauai's beauty from a moving helicopter is challenging. But with the right settings, you can come home with incredible images.

Camera Settings Are Key

Shutter speed is your top priority. To freeze the motion of the landscape and counteract helicopter vibration, you need a fast shutter speed. The golden rule is 1/1000th of a second or faster.

Use a mid-range aperture like f/8 to f/11. This will give you a wide depth of field. It keeps more of the vast landscape in sharp focus.

Start with the lowest possible ISO to minimize noise. However, don't be afraid to increase your ISO as needed to maintain that fast 1/1000s shutter speed. A sharp photo with a little noise is far better than a blurry one. Using Auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed setting is a great strategy.

Use Shutter Priority mode to lock in your shutter speed. Or go full Manual for complete control. Always use Burst Mode (continuous high-speed shooting). Fire off several frames at once. This increases your chances of getting a perfectly sharp shot.

Gear Recommendations

A versatile zoom lens like a 24-70mm or 24-105mm is your best all-around choice. If you can, a wide-angle lens is great for the vastness of Waimea Canyon. A telephoto lens can isolate details on distant waterfalls.

A polarizing filter is essential for doors-on tours. It will cut through atmospheric haze. Most importantly, it reduces reflections on the helicopter window.

Bring extra batteries and memory cards. You will take far more photos than you anticipate.