| It may sound strange, but it all started with | | | | Ruedi Hafen, came in the door so I had a few |
| the Miami Dolphins. My husband is a huge fan | | | | minutes to spend with him as well. Ruedi is |
| of the fins, but we figured a trip to Miami | | | | an architect by profession and originally |
| for his birthday in early December was not in | | | | hails from Switzerland. Ruedi joined the |
| the cards. So I started to look around for | | | | company in 1981 and began to provide |
| other unique ideas how to celebrate his | | | | helicopter sightseeing services. In 1985 he |
| special day and checked the Dolphins' road | | | | finally purchased the company from the former |
| games schedule and realized that they were | | | | owners, started revamping all the operations |
| playing in Buffalo, barely two hours south of | | | | and has been responsible for the |
| Toronto, on December 10. Sure enough I bought | | | | modernization and expansion of Niagara |
| the tickets online and figured a nice | | | | Helicopters which today is one of Niagara |
| birthday surprise was in the making. | | | | Falls' premier tourist attractions. |
| | | | |
| Then I started thinking some more and given | | | | Ruedi is one of those rare people who has |
| the fact that my husband likes to gamble | | | | truly managed to turn his passion into his |
| every once in a while I thought why not | | | | profession. Today, the company operates five |
| expand this little getaway and spend a bit of | | | | Bell 407 helicopters and has just placed an |
| time in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to do some | | | | order for a sixth helicopter. 16 pilots take |
| gambling. Of course my insane curiosity never | | | | customers up into the air and pre-recorded |
| sleeps and I added a couple of extra days | | | | in-flight audio tours are offered in 12 |
| during which I would have a chance to | | | | languages. The staff at Niagara Helicopters |
| discover the city and all its various | | | | speak seven different languages. The |
| attractions in order to develop an entire | | | | company's clientèle attracts countless |
| feature article series about the Niagara | | | | customers from many different countries all |
| Falls experience. | | | | over Europe and Asia. For his entrepreneurial |
| | | | success and his community involvement, |
| So I got in touch with the experts at Niagara | | | | particularly his participation in police |
| Falls Tourism who were extremely helpful and | | | | searches and helicopter rescue missions, |
| assisted me in preparing a detailed itinerary | | | | Ruedi has won numerous awards over the years. |
| for my explorations of Niagara Falls, | | | | |
| Ontario. We worked out a tightly packed | | | | After getting a thorough introduction to the |
| program that would expose me to a variety of | | | | company and its owner, it was now time for my |
| diverse attractions that this city has to | | | | very own first helicopter flying experience |
| offer. | | | | in my life. My young pilot Rene, Ruedi's |
| | | | right hand, took me to the helipad, and we |
| Finally, my adventure was ready to start. I | | | | got comfortable in this flying machine as the |
| had booked my Via Rail train ticket to | | | | camera team snapped a couple of pictures of |
| Niagara Falls online and my husband dropped | | | | us. Then, with my video camera rolling, I |
| me off early this morning at Toronto's | | | | asked Rene to explain the various controls to |
| venerable Union Station. I exchanged my | | | | me. The entire helicopter is full of |
| online booking confirmation for a paper | | | | controls, even the roof panel houses all |
| ticket, and shortly after 8 pm I was on my | | | | sorts of switches. Rene explained that in a |
| way to Track 13 where my comfortable train to | | | | helicopter the direction is controlled by a |
| Niagara Falls was already waiting. At $21 for | | | | disk of rotors and in this Bell 407 |
| the ticket it was also a very affordable and | | | | helicopter, each blade can be individually |
| comfortable way of covering this two hour | | | | controlled. These highly sophisticated and |
| journey. With just a slight delay I arrived | | | | customizable flying machines run in the |
| shortly before 11 am in Niagara Falls, | | | | neighborhood of $3 million, so they contain a |
| Ontario, and moments later I picked up my | | | | lot of advanced technology. |
| nifty Budget Rental car. I had always found | | | | |
| the Toyota Yaris very cute, but I was not so | | | | Finally, all the explanations and safety |
| sure if I could ever get used to the location | | | | checks were complete and Rene took off with |
| of the instrument panel in the center of the | | | | me. After performing a little dance with the |
| dashboard. In addition, this micro-car did | | | | helicopter we lifted straight up and started |
| not have sufficient space in the trunk, so I | | | | to fly beside the Niagara Gorge. I was really |
| decided to drop off my luggage right away at | | | | fortunate to have a picture perfect clear day |
| my home away from home for the next two days. | | | | with blue skies; visibility stretched for |
| | | | miles. We made our way towards the majestic |
| I found my way to the Best Western Cairn | | | | falls along the prescribed route beside the |
| Croft, a 165 room hotel located centrally on | | | | Niagara River. The cities of Niagara Falls, |
| one of Niagara Fall's main strips: Lundy's | | | | on both the Canadian and American sides, came |
| Lane. Along this road there are more than two | | | | into full view and I was mesmerized by the |
| miles of hotels, restaurants, shopping | | | | column of mist that was emanating from the |
| opportunities and various attractions. A | | | | Horseshoe Falls. |
| friendly and humorous receptionist welcomed | | | | |
| me and directed me to my room on the third | | | | We flew over the Falls and had a good look at |
| floor where I got myself organized and | | | | them from every imaginable angle, and I |
| relaxed a bit in one of the spacious Tower | | | | thoroughly enjoyed the aerial view of this |
| Rooms. | | | | thundering cascade of water. All the |
| | | | architectural highlights of Niagara Falls, |
| Just before I got too comfy I set off on my | | | | the casinos, the entertainment areas and the |
| first real Niagara Falls adventure: I was | | | | hydro power plants were in full view. A |
| about to go on my first helicopter flight in | | | | helicopter flight allows you to stand |
| my entire life. The receptionist at the Cairn | | | | relatively still and hover above a |
| Croft drew me some directions and off I was | | | | destination to get a really good indepth look |
| to my destination, Niagara Helicopters, on | | | | at the landscape below. From a certain angle |
| Victoria Avenue at the northern end of town, | | | | I even caught a rainbow stretching out from |
| close to the Niagara Parkway. I saw an | | | | the mist of the giant waterfalls. |
| attractive and very modern retail and | | | | |
| administration complex, and in the background | | | | On our way back I got a good look over the |
| helicopters were taking off and landing. I | | | | residential areas of Niagara Falls and the |
| walked in and got greeted by some of the team | | | | famous Whirlpool further downstream in the |
| members at Niagara Helicopter. Lena, the | | | | Niagara River. The view extended towards the |
| Executive Assistant to owner Ruedi Hafen; | | | | Niagara Escarpment and far across Lake |
| Shea, the Guest Services Manager, and | | | | Ontario. I could even see Toronto's CN Tower! |
| René, Operations Manager and one of the | | | | Safely Rene brought our bladed flying machine |
| helicopter pilots, showed me around and gave | | | | back and we touched down on the heated |
| me an overview of the company. | | | | helipad. Ruedi was waiting with a framed |
| | | | photo of my helicopter adventure which would |
| They took me through the attractive gift shop | | | | allow me to remember these exciting moments |
| to an area upstairs that will be turned into | | | | for a long time. |
| a café and explained that the building | | | | |
| that houses the facility is very new and was | | | | As my schedule was rather packed, I had to |
| completed in 2001. Niagara Helicopter is very | | | | say goodbye to Rene, Ruedi and the team at |
| environmentally conscious and actually | | | | Niagara Helicopters and race off to cover my |
| purchases carbon offsets against the | | | | next Niagara Falls attraction, which also had |
| greenhouse gas emissions that it creates. In | | | | to do with flying. Except this time we were |
| addition, top modern boiler facilities, | | | | not dealing with man-made machines, but with |
| custom designed for Niagara Helicopter, heat | | | | delicate and colorful winged creatures - |
| the helicopter pads and keep them free from | | | | butterflies. I drove ten minutes up the road |
| ice and snow. | | | | on the Niagara Parkway to the Niagara Parks |
| | | | Butterfly Conservatory, which is located on |
| Just before I was about to step foot into one | | | | the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical |
| of these flying machines myself the owner, | | | | Gardens & the School of Horticulture. |