Cargo helicopters: the cost of a flight

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Many of our customers are surprised at how low the cost of hiring a cargo helicopter is. Especially in difficult terrain, a helicopter is often cheaper and more efficient than a crane. Of course, it is not possible to give a general answer as to the cost of a freight flight. However, when preparing a quotation, our crane flight experts take into account various influencing factors.

Type of helicopter

The helicopter required is determined by the nature of the flight mission. Heavier loads can only be transported by larger and more powerful crane helicopters, which are more expensive to deploy. In addition, the law prescribes the use of twin-engine machines in city centre locations. This means that higher costs can be expected compared to single-engine models.

General conditions of the crane flight

The distance between the pick-up point and the destination point, and the number of loads to be transported in sequence determine the cost of each particular crane flight. We calculate the costs on a flat-rate basis per load, so that you have accurate information about the cost in advance of the flight.

Positioning costs

The crane helicopter must fly from its home base to the site of the operation and, of course, back again after the completion of the crane flight. Straightforward projects can usually be carried out using a helicopter which is stationed near the operation site and thus only requires a short positioning flight. However, the circumstances of certain operations may require a highly specialised helicopter. These models are not so widely used and may need to travel a longer distance to the site of the operation.

Costs for official permits

Every cargo flight must be approved by the competent authorities. We always take care of the entire approval process for you and liaise with the authorities. The cost of the permits must be taken into account in the overall price calculation, but normally remain in the low three-digit range.