Moving a large group by helicopter: shuttles, split loads and timing

Key points

• One helicopter carries up to eight passengers, so a group of 24 needs three loads.
• Several helicopters flying together move a group at once; one helicopter shuttling takes longer but needs less space.
• The landing area decides how many aircraft can use it at once.
• Daylight, pilot duty limits and the end-of-event departure rush shape the timetable.
• Good marshalling on the ground matters as much as the flying.

How many helicopters do I need?

Divide the number of guests by the seats available. Our largest aircraft, the AW139 and the H145 D3, each seat eight, so 16 guests need two helicopters and 24 need three. Smaller types seat five or six, so the count rises.

Remember weights and luggage. A group of eight with heavy bags may need to be split into smaller loads. Give us the weights and bag counts, and we calculate it. See passenger weight and luggage.

Should I use a shuttle loop or several aircraft?

With a shuttle, one helicopter flies a loop between the start and the destination, carrying a load each time. It is the cheapest in aircraft but the slowest. With several helicopters, the group moves in one wave, which is faster and reduces waiting. A mix is often best.

Here is an illustration, not an offer. Suppose the flight takes about 25 minutes, as Birmingham to Cheltenham does in our data (20 to 25 minutes). A round trip with turnarounds takes roughly an hour. A single helicopter moving 24 guests in three loads therefore needs the better part of three hours, while three helicopters can do it in one wave. Which is right depends on how long guests are willing to wait and what your landing area can hold.

What does the landing area need?

It needs enough room for the aircraft to land with safe spacing, plus an area for passengers to wait and board away from the rotors. A racecourse infield, a large field or an airfield is typical. A small lawn will not do for several helicopters at once. The checks are the same as for a single landing, and our private site guide covers them. For events, the organiser often controls the site; see helicopter to sporting events.

How does the ground side work?

Groups need marshals, a clear boarding order and a way to keep people back from the aircraft. We brief a nominated host, who lines up each load, counts heads and keeps the area clear. Cars or coaches at the other end move guests to the venue, and our sister service Executive Global Travel can plan them. For the return, plan the order so that the first to arrive are not necessarily the first to leave, unless you want that.

What are the risks to plan for?

• Weather. A group is harder to rearrange than a pair. Agree a go/no-go time and a coach or car fallback. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
• Daylight. A shuttle that runs late may not finish before dark in winter.
• Late arrivals. A late guest holds up a load; set boarding times firmly.
• Weights. A changed headcount alters the number of loads.

Read weather and helicopter charter for how we plan around it.

What does a good large-group day look like?

Moving a large group by helicopter is a logistics exercise, and a good day looks calm from the outside. Guests are told where to meet and when, in small waves. A host with a list calls each load forward, and the crew brief them at the aircraft. Helicopters arrive and depart at steady intervals, and ground staff direct cars and coaches at the far end. Nobody waits long, and nobody wanders near the rotors.

That calm is the result of preparation: a firm guest list with weights, a site plan that shows landing spots, the waiting area and the road, a timetable that allows for delays and a briefing for every person involved. We also plan for the return, when guests tend to want to leave at once. Staggering departures by an hour, or giving guests a reason to stay, keeps the system flowing.

If your group is a mix of nervous and experienced flyers, put the experienced ones in the first load; seeing others arrive safely reassures the rest. See also our first-time passenger guide.

What documents and information do you need?

For a large group we need a list of names and weights, the luggage count, the start and end points, the times each wave should leave and arrive, a nominated host, and the site details including any contact at the venue. If there are international guests, passports and nationality details may be needed. We keep the list confidential and use it only to plan. A single spreadsheet, updated as the headcount changes, is the easiest way to work. The more complete the list at the start, the fewer surprises on the day.

How do I start?

Send us the group size, weights, start and end points, event times and any site details. We design the movement and quote it in full. Request a quote or call the line that is open 24 hours. For corporate hospitality, see our corporate days out pages.

A last practical point: tell your guests early where to meet and what to bring. A clear message a week ahead, repeated the day before, with the time, the place, the bag rule and a contact number for the day, removes most of the problems we see with groups.