Jack Harter Helicopters, Lihue

My wife & I flew w/ Jack Harter helicopters last week. An amazing flight, as they took us around to the entire island, showing us all the sights. The website says an hour, but it was definitely a little longer than that, closer to 70-75 minutes. Only bad thing was the directions the lady gave when I made the reservations. She told me to go the wrong way down Akuhini (spelling?) and I ended up in the airport. Guess she thought our hotel was south of the airport rather than north of the airport. We almost missed the flight because of this snafu by the lady at Jack Harter. I've taken other helicopter tours (over Sedona, AZ and the Grand Canyon) and definitely recommend Jack Harter for Kauai helicopter tours. They (and all the other helicopter companies in Kauai) just need to drop the price a little bit. Over $200 for an hour (75-minute) ride is a bit pricy...Cost of gas, I guess.

We did a lot of things while on the island of Kauai, but the helicopter tour was absolutely the best. All the employees were very professional, and our pilot was the best. I would absolutely go back to Jack Harter if I am back on the island in the future.

I first thought the price was high for the hughes 500 ride but once airborne I new it was going to be worth it. I flew on choppers many, many times, many years ago.All the thrills of those rides were brought back without the danger.Enjoyed the beauty and the thrill to the bones. When I go back I will ride again on the open door 500 just like I did when I was young. If you think you'd like it, do it

Pros The pilot did an outstanding job. The pace was relaxed, the ride was smooth and the dialogue was very interesting. Cons We booked the Hughes 500 4-person helicopter with open air, great visibility, tour through the concierge at our hotel. When we got there, they told us we would be on the 6-person AStar helicopter with poor visibility for the 4 people in the back. Apparently, there was a mixup between the concierge and Harter staff. Harter refused to make any accomodations or were downright rude about it. When we attempted to leave, they told us we'd be responsible for the $450 regardless, so we reluctantly went on the 6-person trip. Supposedly, they seat people by weight, seating lighter people up front and heavier in the back for stability. My wife weighs less than 100 lbs and I weigh 165. They put us in the back left and back middle left, nevertheless. These are the two worst spots on the aircraft and I'm fairly confident it was done out of spite for taking up their time discussing the matter earlier. Really bad customer service for such a premium price.

This was undoubtedly the greatest memory of my trip to the land of my dreams. I have never been so in awe . The commentary was only second to the wonderful scenery. If you miss this you haven't really seen Kauai.

We learned about Jack Harter tours from a Kauai guide book and could not agree more with their positive assessment. Very professional staff and pilots, but also lots of fun. They made the tour special and we felt like each flight was unique. Would recommend the 90 minute tour! It's worth the money. I would recommend taking something before flight for motion sickness - even if you are not prone. Better safe than sorry. I got sick on the flight even with one dramamine and I do not typically get motion sick. Even with motion sickness, the flight was the highlight of our trip to Kauai! D.J.

I'm writing this although I took a tour with Jack several years ago. I have heard from others which I referred that, based on their experience, not much has changed! Jack knows Kauai and where to get the best bang for the buck. Looks as though he's got a new bird which must be much nicer than the one we took (I loved the open air one we flew in). Jack took special strides to point out historical and topographical parts of the island instead of a pre-recorded message. It was hard to describe, but he was recommended to us and we continue to recommend him and continue to receive the same feedback - it was a great trip!