9 food tours you’d be crazy to miss in Queensland; Best of Qld Feature

Pterodactyl Helicopters has recently been featured on the Queensland.com blog in their 9 food tours you’d be crazy to miss in Queensland article.

We love a flying safari, and nothing says, “rock star” quite like doing a food and wine tour in a helicopter. Lingering over reds, whites and sparkling wine at different wineries while also having time for a leisurely lunch would be a stretch to do in a day, but with a helicopter, it’s a cinch.
From gourmet picnics ending at Spicers Hidden Vale, to a wine tour of the Somerset region known for its chardonnay and shiraz, these tours are guaranteed to give wine connoisseurs wings.

Pterodactyl Helicopters shares the spotlight with Sunshine Coast Craft Beers, Summer Land Camels, Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours and more; you can check out the full article here: 9 food tours you’d be crazy to miss in Queensland.

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Glamorous Getaway Ahead

When was the last time you treated your special someone and yourself to some quality one-on-one time? And now, Netflix and chill does not count. We are talking about time spent with each other, away from the everyday drudgery, indulging in something…well…new and exciting. Together.
If the honest answer is something along the lines of “I don’t recall” never fear; firstly, you’re not alone, because finding the time to organize and execute even the shortest mini-break can be really, really hard – and secondly, Pterodactyl Helicopters has just the overnight getaway package you are looking for.

The genius switch is never off in our entertainment headquarters, true, but that does not mean we cannot outdo ourselves once in a while.
Our Fly In/Drive Out Country Escapes are one excellent example of what happens when all the right ingredients come together to create one outrageously amazing recipe for success.
Here’s how it works:

First, you and your beloved choose one of our partner retreats…yes, this is the hard part. We are currently offering getaways to Scenic Rim View Cottages, Spicers Peak Lodge, Branell Homestead, Woodlands of Marburg, Bunyip Cottages, Stockton Rise Country Retreat and Spicers Hidden Vale. All of our select destinations offer luxurious accommodation in a beautiful setting; so if you can’t decide, feel free to solve the matter by tossing a coin. With Pterodactyl Helicopters’ options, you can’t lose either way.
Once the tricky bit is out of the way, all you need to do is choose dates that suit you and get ready for the time of your life.

The Fly In/ Drive Out experience begins with a scenic flight from your nominated pick-up location (Brisbane Airport, City Hotels, Archerfield, Ipswich CBD and our Lake Manchester Hangar are the staple pick-up spots; however, we can be quite flexible if you have somewhere else in mind). No matter where you choose to go, we will make sure you see all the best bits along the way while we get you there in style.

At your destination you will be met with sparkling wine and delicious cheese – a little precursor to the gourmet three-course dinner also included in this package – and your own (or hired) car, to give you the freedom to properly explore your new surroundings at your leisure.

But how did the car get there? we hear you ask. Well…either one of Pterodactyl Helicopters’ dedicated ground crew goes for a road trip while you enjoy the view from above OR – and we’re really quite pleased with this solution – you get one of your mates to drive it up for you, with the incentive that we will take him home in the helicopter, free of charge. (Note: We have found this to be a very effective incentive indeed).

Whether you stay one night or two, this mini-break is guaranteed to leave you refreshed, inspired and feeling a little like one of those power couple that jet about in private aircrafts…in short, you’ll be feeling the love.
To book your glamourous getaway, contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today. We look forward to flying with you soon!

Here Comes the Bride…in a Helicopter?!

Planning your autumn or winter wedding and are looking to make a big entrance worthy of the big day?
Firstly, congratulations! Secondly, good news: Pterodactyl Helicopters are standing by to make your big entrance the stuff of absolute legend, with their tried and true Wedding Transfer package.

Arriving at your wedding in style is traditionally important. Horse-drawn carriages, vintage cars, white steeds, elephants…well, maybe not so many elephants…regardless, the arrival at the wedding venue (be it a church, a golf course or a beach) sets the tone for the celebration.
As you can imagine, arriving in a chartered helicopter sets a pretty awesome tone.

Pterodactyl Helicopters’ Wedding Transfers give you the opportunity to make an epic entrance at your wedding. Stun your guests as you emerge in all your to-be-wed splendour from a state of the art chopper – and make yourself feel like a rock star on your special day. We assure you, our team specialises in making you feel like royalty.

With Pterodactyl Helicopters getting to the helipad is half the fun on your wedding day. We will come and collect you and your arrival party by limousine and chauffeur you to the nearest helipad in style, including sparkling beverages and plenty of photo opportunities.
And no, you don’t have to worry about the rotor blades messing up your wedding hair – because although it seems unlikely, we at Pterodactyl are sensitive souls who understand a woman’s need to be immaculate as a bride. In order to keep you looking glorious, we won’t start your private chopper up until you and your party are safely inside and we won’t let you back out at your destination until the coast is clear. Also, we will of course let you pose for photos in front of your aerial wedding carriage to your heart’s content.

 Now, would you like to hear the best part about our Wedding Transfers? Yes, hard to believe that there could be anything to top being flown to your own wedding; however, what make Pterodactyl Helicopters’ aerial wedding transfers truly special is our bad weather contingency plan.
While we sincerely hope that your wedding day will be bathed in beautiful, bright sunshine, there is no way to guarantee this, considering how temperamental Queensland weather can be. As we don’t want you to worry about transport alternatives, costs and deposits on your wedding day, Pterodactyl Helicopters guarantees you a full limousine transport package for you and your bridal party if we are unable to fly you there. You’re helicopter transfer deposit is sure to cover the cost of the limousine, so you don’t have to worry about a thing and will still arrive in style.

 So, for a flying start to your married life and a spectacular entrance that won’t be forgotten in a rush, contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today. We look forward to doing our bit to make your special day extra-special.

Let Us Entertain You!

So, you have been tasked with organising a big and rather important group event, have you? It’s rough. Let your guard down for a minute and the next thing you know you are responsible for shouting up to 50 people a good time.
If you know it’s time to do something different, feel the need to blow everyone’s expectations out of the water – yet have absolutely no idea what shape all this excellence should take, fear not.
Fear NOT, we say, for Pterodactyl Helicopters is swooping in once more to safe the day with our tours for groups and conferences.

When you choose Pterodactyl Helicopters as your chief amusement supplier (yes, that is the technical term, thank you) you can truly kick back and relax as we take care of everything.
You need accommodation arranged in a beautiful yet convenient location? We’ve got you covered.
You are looking for a range of thrilling activities for your group to partake in? Not a problem.
You would like your group to wine and dine on locally farmed and produced delicacies? So do we.
You feel as though a your day out needs a bit extra oomph, like a lap in a V8 car? We can do that.
You think no day is complete without a joy flight in a chopper? Guess what – we agree. Wholeheartedly.

Pterodactyl Helicopters’ Group and Conference Tours extend far beyond our specialty of helicopter flight. Over the years we’ve amassed a huge variety of partner businesses – and you are now free to choose amongst their exciting offers to put together the perfect group experience.
Whether you are looking to boost morale at the office, want to host a family reunion to go down in the history books, or wish to throw your favourite child the best 21st birthday of all time – we will help you put together the perfect package.

We know many businesses claim to have the elusive “something for everyone” but Pterodactyl Helicopters actually does:
Our partner products include days out in country pubs, stretch limousines for stylish transport closer to the ground, drayhorse shires, the Story Bridge Climb, breweries in the Outback…the list goes on an on.
Depending on your numbers and your timeframe, we will create a personalised itinerary, making sure that every moment of your special day is a highlight in itself.

Our Group and Conference Packages all include full return transport from your destination of choice, so there is no need to draw straws to determine the unlucky designated driver. Once Pterodactyl Helicopters take over, there is nothing left to do than let yourself be swept up in the excitement of it all and have a grand time. Plus, you will be forever known as the legend who organised the best get together in living memory…the credit, we promise, will be all yours.

If you are ready to get planning and make a big impression with your next big social or work event, contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today. We look forward to entertaining you soon.

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Introducing: Heli-Golf!

If there is one thing, we simply do not tolerate at Pterodactyl Helicopters, it’s boredom. Of course, if you have a small fleet of state-of-the-art helicopters at your disposal, you really don’t have an excuse to be bored…so we really are living the dream.
One of the biggest perks of our job is to come up with new and exciting airborne adventures; and we are pretty confident that our latest brainwave is going to sweep you off your feet:
Heli-Golf!
Yes, we are serious.
And yes, it is as awesome as it sounds.

If you are a golfing enthusiast, you are probably well aware that South-East Queensland, particularly the Scenic Rim area, is a veritable cornucopia of golfing greens.
In fact, there are so many excellent options that choosing one golf course to visit can sometimes feel a little overwhelming.
What can you do?  We hear you ask. There is just not enough time in a single day to drive from one course to the next and still have time to play…
True – unless of course you ditch conventional transport and hire yourself a helicopter.

Our brand-spanking new Scenic Rim Helicopter Golf Packages are basically any avid golfers’ wildest dream come true – and if you are also an aviation enthusiast…well…you might as well have died and gone to heaven.
Pterodactyl Helicopters are taking you golf course hopping – chartering you to not one but three of the finest golfing greens the Scenic Rim has to offer.

To make your choice of golf courses a little easier, we have narrowed our flight list down to the top five golf locations of the area:

All that is left for you to do now is to select your top three picks, name your pick up location (Brisbane City, Gold Coast, your hotel or Sanctuary Cove) and refrain from exploding with anticipation until the great day of golfing arrives.
Because golf is not quite as speedy a game as, let’s say squash, our tour allows for a leisurely three holes on each of the courses, meaning that you get in a full game – just not all at the same course.

The Scenic Rim Helicopter Golf Packages include green fees at all three golf courses of your choice, golf club hire, scenic flights along some of the most spectacular panoramas of the greater South-East and, naturally, a leisurely return helicopter flight. Oh, and also lunch.
You may have noticed that no golf cart hire is mentioned – it’s because you are essentially trading the rickety little cart for a luxurious, air-conditioned, private helicopter. It does simply not get any more Rock’n’Roll that that.

So, dust of your best golfing shoes, don your aviator sunnies and head out for an epic day of flying and putting in the Scenic Rim. Contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today and be one of the first to sample our heli-golf experience. We look forward to flying with you soon!

New Wineries to Explore by Air

Pterodactyl Helicopters has a reputation for putting together a seriously fab lunch tour – very true – but resting on laurels of past glories simply is not our style; so we have upped our game and scouted some new locations for our helicopter lunch extravaganzas.

Don’t worry, the concept remains the same (after all, you don’t fix something that ain’t broken):
Pterodactyl Helicopters new and improved lunch tours will still take you to your destination of choice via the long, slow and outrageously scenic route. In fact, our pilots have done some aerial reconnaissance and are now confident that when it comes to getting the most of the natural beauty along the way to our new favourite lunch locations, it’s literally their way of the highway.
And, yes, if you have a suitable landing site, we will still pick you up at home – because there is really nothing more Rock’n’Roll than strolling down the front steps and hopping into your private chopper waiting to take you to lunch.

After careful deliberation, the team at Pterodactyl Helicopters has selected six fantastic new wineries as your potential lunch destinations:

Ø  Sirromet Wines – one of the best known wineries in the Brisbane region, hidden away in beautiful Mount Cotton. Sirromet Wines plays has hosted countless infamous music acts – including Cindy Lauper – and is the ideal place to live out your private Rockstar fantasy.

Ø  Ocean View Estates Winery & Restaurant – a magical place that proves that family run business can offer all the contemporary coolness you can ask for. With boutique wines, craft beers and delicious food from locally sourced ingredients, this gorgeous getaway is a gourmet’s dream come true.

Ø  Kooroomba Vineyards and Lavender Farm – bringing you the best of rural charms, fabulous wine and the magic of lavender fields…forever. Combining 5-Star cuisine, spectacular beverages and the surreal experience of dining surrounded by an infinite purple ocean, this Fassifern Valley gem is the ideal place to unwind.

Ø  Albert River Wines – allows you to travel back to colonial times while offering you food, beverages and comforts to exceed modern standards. This genuine heritage venue with it’s sweeping verandahs and incredible views will thrill you just as much as the helicopter journey.

Ø  O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards – right in the depth of the glorious Lamington National Park, this delightful daytrip destination is quite simply stunning. The incredible quality of the wine, delightful staff and outstanding food are really only icing on the cake.

Ø  Woongooroo Estate Winery – will give you a whole new perspective on Mount Archer and the artistry of its winemakers. One of the first Somerset Valley Vineyards, Woongooroo Estate is a must for any serious connoisseur.

All of Flying Winery Lunch Tours include a three-course gourmet meal, a bottle of wine per couple and a cellar door wine tasting.

If a long lunch is long overdue, contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today and book the lunch of a lifetime. We look forward to flying with you soon!

 

 

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Junior Aviators – Term Break Madness

Only a few weeks to go before the first term break – do you hear the collective moan of parents everywhere wondering how to keep the kids happy over the holidays?
We do and we feel your pain, so much so, we have the perfect solution for at least one of your many days to fill.
Our Junior Aviator Program is sure to thrill your kids and will keep them on a high for days afterwards.

Once your kids have outgrown playdates at the park or the pool, holidays can be challenging (to put it mildly). Art classes and sporty day camps are bountiful; but also ultimately all the same.
So, if you are looking for something completely different, checking out Pterodactyl Helicopters’ program for junior aviators is a must indeed.
Our Junior Aviator Program is targeted at kids aged 10 to 15 and offers them the chance to really experience all aspects of the helicopter charter business.

Pterodactyl Helicopters takes the youngsters off your hands for a full day of high-flying fun (sensibly priced at $275) – all you need to do is drop them off at our Lake Manchester hangar at 7.30 am and return to collect them around 4.30 pm (pick up times will vary depending on the day’s activities). Lunch and beverages will be supplied (as will team T-shirts and caps), so our junior crew won’t be weighed down with the usual luggage required for a day away.

Our Junior Aviator Program is a crash course in all the aspects of our business.
Our junior crew start the day by getting their hands dirty with ground crew duties:  from the daily routine maintenance on the aircraft to moving our helicopter from the hangar to the helipad. Paperwork, such as checking out the weather and the notices to airmen, planning the routes for the flights booked on any given day, is also part of the experience.
Once our young assistants have had a full safety brief and have assisted our real-life ground crew to load up our utes, it is time for the first flight of the day – from our home base to our base of operations for the day (which varies depending on our bookings).

Back on the ground, Pterodactyl Helicopters will keep the kids busy helping handle our passengers, filling in all paperwork required and making sure operations run smoothly – and, best of all, whenever there is a spare seat on the chopper, a Junior Aviator can come along for the joy flight.

At the end of the day, our Junior Aviators are flown back to Lake Manchester, where they will assist in putting the helicopter ‘to sleep’ for the night and getting everything ready for the next day.
Pterodactyl Helicopters’ experienced ground crew and airmen solemnly swear to show your kids an excellent time while they’re in our care – but be warned, once a junior aviator, always a junior aviator; our program has proven to be a seriously addictive experience.
This holiday, prove yourself the coolest parent alive and contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today to book your kids in for the best day of all time.

Adrenalin

Rev It Up with Pterodactyl Helicopters

Are you craving adventure but don’t quite know where to start? Don’t feel bad, it’s a common condition – and, lucky for you, Pterodactyl Helicopters has the perfect cure for that particular ailment.
If you feel like you could do with some high-powered fun to shake out the cobwebs, so to speak, you might want to check out our Adrenalin Experiences aka the ultimate thrill seekers’ treat.

Let’s play that game, you know the one: Would you rather…fly in a helicopter or ride shotgun in a V8 racer?
Tough call, we know, which is why Pterodactyl Helicopters has decided that – just this once – it’s totally okay to cheat. So don’t choose, there is no need; you can have both in one neat package.
We proudly present to you: the Helicopter V8 Experience.
This action-packed day out includes a thrilling helicopter ride from our Lake Manchester hangar straight to one of Queensland’s finest race tracks, where we will suit you up, strap you in and send you out on the laps of a lifetime with our tame racing driver (no, not the Stig…but close).
This is the perfect outing for anyone with the need for speed – and the absolutely best gift ever if you have a lovely rev-head friend, you can even go along for the helicopter ride with them and watch the look on their faces first hand when they emerge from the V8. Priceless stuff, indeed.

On the off chance that flying high and racing hard is not quite enough adventure for one day, allow us to up the ante.
Instead of the ‘plain old’ Helicopter V8 Experience, try this one on for size: the Helicopter V8 Warbird Experience.
Now, the part about helicoptering to the race track and taking a few outrageous laps remains the same (because why should one change such a winning formula) BUT this package comes with the added bonus of simulated aerial combat.
Yes, you read correctly.
You and a mate each get your own YAK 52 (and a pilot obviously) and set off on a truly insane aviation experience as you reenact some of the most iconic airborne battle moves, pioneered and made famous by the high-flying skirmishes between  the American Kittyhawk and Japan’s Zero fighter planes. We are talking dives, vertical climbs, chases and even some smoke thrown in when a hit is scored.
In short, you get to be part of a dogfight in the air that’s at times spookily realistic – and terminally thrilling at all times.

If you want to get your heart-rate up this autumn, contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today and book yourself and a friend in for the best day ever – we look forward to terrifying you soon.

Gourmet Picnic Extravaganza

If you go into the woods today…
We all know the song, don’t we? It’s a classic, just like the age-old tradition of picnicking itself.
Now, as the weather is growing milder and we don’t have to worry about burning to a crisp every time we leave the house, the picnic season is very much open.
At Pterodactyl Helicopters we simply adore picnics, nearly as much as we love aviation – so we have decided to combine the two and create a package that guarantees romance, solitude and private air travel.

If you are looking to impress a special someone with a day out they won’t forget in a hurry, our Gourmet Picnic Tours are the perfect solution.
Pterodactyl Helicopters has scouted the most beautiful picnic locations South East Queensland has to offer and has put together a shortlist of the best spots to relax in perfect peace and solitude.
Our current favourites are Spicers Hidden Vale and the Woodlands of Marburg – but if you have difficulty choosing, you can sign up for a picnic at our mystery riverside location.
No matter which destination you go for, we guarantee that you have never picnicked quite like this before.

Firstly, we understand that while picnics are fun, preparing them is not. Especially since every time we unpack a picnic basket at least one essential thing is missing. Right? We all do it, not need to be embarrassed.
When you picnic with Pterodactyl Helicopters, preparation is not your problem.
Our Gourmet Picnics include a hamper of culinary delights – yes, there is wine – and all the non-food bits and bobs you need for a nice outdoor meal.
All that’s left for you to do is walk out the door – literally, because if you have adequate landing space, we can simply collect you and your date from home. By helicopter.
How cool is that?

Secondly, driving for hours to get to a picnic spot that is bound to be filled with noisy children and other people’s litter is not exactly romantic.
However, there are not many things more romantic that being flown via the scenic route to a location too secluded to be comfortably reached by car.
Not only do you get to admire the scenery from up close and in perfect peace; you also get to admire it from up above on your way.
At Pterodactyl Helicopters we pride ourselves on our local expertise, meaning we will make sure that you don’t miss out on any natural beauty worth seeing on your way to the picnic.

So, if you are keen to get out and about, see something new with someone special and have a picnic in true superstar style – contact Pterodactyl Helicopters today and book your Gourmet Picnic.
We look forward to flying with you and introducing you to our top spots soon!