Bird’s-eye view
Celtic Air Services Ltd. to offer 15-minute helicopter tours, ‘experiential tourism’ packages with goal of May 2019 launch
A company looking to stretch its wings gave locals a view of their community many haven’t seen before — hovering from above.
A former ball field in Cheticamp was used Saturday as the makeshift launch pad for a helicopter leased by Celtic Air Services Ltd. of Port Hastings as it begins its new chopper tour service in Cape Breton.
The site at the entrance to Le Portage Golf Club attracted some onlookers and those inquiring about the cost of a 15-minute flight.
The idea of offering recreational tours of the island by helicopter isn’t a new concept.
Before the business partnership of David Morgan and
Damian MacInnis led to the creation of Celtic Air Services,
MacInnis had thrown out the question on his LinkedIn profile of who would possibly want to start a helicopter touring company.
“When I saw the message on LinkedIn, I saw this as a chance to move home and let the kids spend some time with their grandparents,” said Celtic Air Services Ltd. president David Morgan, who is trained as a commercial pilot.
The company has been operating since March 2017. It took over operations at the Port Hawkesbury airport in Port Hastings in July of that year.
A 10-year lease agreement was signed for Celtic Air Services to operate the facility for an inter-municipal committee with members from the Town of Port Hawkesbury, the Municipality of the County of Inverness and the Municipality of the County of Richmond.
Celtic Air Services caters mostly to business executives and those in the government sector but it also pledged to maintain the ability to satisfy the demand for the traditional private aircraft at the airport.
Morgan said the cash flow generated by handling 730 aircraft in and out of the airport so far this year has helped in launching the helicopter tour venture.
“We’re really excited to bring this new product to market with goals of having a larger helicopter company. It’s definitely a business that becomes profitable with scale,” he said.
“With one helicopter, it’s not a great business to be in so we intend to get going with more than one in the fleet as soon as possible.”
Celtic Air Services leased a Robinson R44 chopper from Advanced Heli-Flight Ltd., based in Fredericton, N.B., while the company awaits its Transport Canada operating certificate that’s expected by early 2019.
Advanced Heli-Flight chief flight instructor Robert Thorne, a helicopter pilot with 41 years of experience, gave his passengers options on where they could explore. For a second weekend in a row, flights throughout Saturday — from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — were booked solid. Sunday tours out of Port Hastings had to be postponed due to poor weather conditions.
Nearly all of the people who have boarded the four-seat chopper call Cape Breton home.
Among them was Jeannine LeBlanc of Cheticamp who took the trip with her good friend, Polly Ann MacDonald, also of Cheticamp.
It was a spontaneous outing for LeBlanc who is battling cancer.
“It’s like you’re floating,” she said after getting off the helicopter.
“It was a very fun trip with a very nice friend.”
MacDonald said LeBlanc has always been willing to go on an adventure at a moment’s notice.
“And I knew she would say yes right away so I called her and she said, ‘Yeah, I’m in.’”
LeBlanc is fighting small cell lung cancer. Despite the fact there’s no cure, she said she’s doing well.
“And she’s trying to get in as many things as possible so it’s nice to be able to share those with her. We’re making memories,” added MacDonald.
Another adventure-seeker, Simonne Luedey, was taking the tour with her brother-in-law Dave Kent, who was visiting from Beansville, Ont.
For Luedey, it was also her first time in a helicopter.
She said it was the perfect present to herself on her 64th birthday.
“I do a lot of hiking around here,” said the Belle Cote resident.
“I’d be really interested to see it from up above. I want to look down to see all the different hikes we do.”
Celtic Air Services plans to concentrate on catering to the local market, said Morgan.
Next spring, likely in late May, Morgan and MacInnis want to set up sites around the Cabot Trail that could be used to take locals and tourists alike on tours.
They plan to build outward, eventually offering “experiential tours” that cater to a client’s specific desires.
“We know of all kinds of amazing waterfalls, amazing islands off the coast. There’s all kinds of amazing experiences to be put together here in Cape Breton,” Morgan said.
“But for now, we’re really targeting the local market and getting them up flying.”
The cost for each person on a 15-minute flight is currently $165, while children under 12 flies at half-price. Those prices may be reduced slightly once the choppers are housed at the Port Hawkesbury airport, Morgan said.
There are many costs associated with the operation of a helicopter tour company, namely scheduled maintenance costs, but also oil and fuel, pilot fees and insurance premiums.
“You want to establish a business that will be able to pay for itself.”
Despite what many may view as obstacles, Morgan, who grew up in the Margaree area and now lives in Lantz, outside Halifax, believes there is an untapped demand by many who want views of the island that aren’t available from a roadside look off or a hiking trail deep in the highlands.
“We grew up here, our grandparents grew up here. We love this place. We wanted to get out, see it and show it to other people.”