What the future may hold...

It's the middle of August 2009. The health care debate rages, the deficit is exploding and the cap and trade bill is awaiting its turn in the senate. "Wait one minute!" you say? "Isn't this about flying helicopter tours over the Smokies?" Well, yes it is. But with this entry being about the future, I find it fitting to discuss issues on a broader scale. None of us live in a totally independent world, isolated from the impact of our political leaders. So, the point I am making is that there are many uncertainties that could dramatically influence the outcome of our future plans for expansion.

With that being said, I am optimistic about the future of our company's expansion, as well as, for the growth of both my team and myself with the challenges ahead. Scenic has seen an increase in business from last year and is experiencing great momentum in our guests' experience from their feedback. Word of mouth has always been a cornerstone of our marketing. We are totally focused on our guests' perception of their experience and sometimes that is not so easy, but as my dad would say, "The things that really matter are rarely easy!" and "A person's perception is their reality!". You only need to look at the testimonial page of our website to see what our service means to people. If you think it's just a helicopter ride, you would be mistaken. We broaden people's horizon's, both literally and figuratively and we inspire them to dream about things beyond what they may currently feel are possible. At least, that is our hope!

OK, so enough rambling! ... Scenic's future is filled with opportunities for our team and our guests. In the next several months Scenic will be expanding. Internally first, through our constant development of better ways to do business and externally, through offering new services for our guests and opportunities for partnerships with Scenic. By year's end we expect to have acquired an expanded charter certificate allowing more pilots and aircraft to perform air taxi services. We also expect to have plans finalized to refurbish and remodel our heliport. This will allow more parking, help with the "flow" of our operations and will greatly modernize our facility. We are also planning on upgrading our fleet with a new ECO Star helicopter by the summer of 2010. This helicopter was specifically made for sightseeing tours and offers a great view for all passengers and is very quiet both inside and out. And finally we will begin our nationwide expansion of Scenic's operations during 2010. We are currently looking for qualified managing partners to assist in these expansion plans.

So, the near future will be busy, but what about long term? Well, we are hoping to continue to expand our operations until we get at least seven new operations nationally, then we will turn our focus globally. As we have just changed our corporate name to Whirl'd Helicopters, Inc. and this has several deeper meanings, but the similarity with the word world isn't totally coincidence. We believe the level of guest astonishment we achieve at our location here can be replicated at other tourist destinations. Our goal is to expand into 11 new locations across the country and around the world by 2020.

These new operations would each have a managing partner that would oversee it. These managing partners would be part owners in these operations with Scenic and would benefit from support from the headquarters here. Each operation would have the buying power of a larger company with multiple locations, but would still have the small business feel. We believe that is critical in best serving our guests. Each team member would have the ability to contribute to the constant improvement Scenic seeks. Instead of being a top down dictatorial type of systemic development it will be more organic, grass roots from the people directly dealing with our guests type of development.

The cost to get into a helicopter business will not necessarily by reduced, but the odds of succeeding in a helicopter operation will be greatly shifted in favor of these managing partners. By having the know how, certification and buying power far beyond that of an ordinary start up helicopter business it is very similar to a franchise without being tied into a franchise. If a managing partner doesn't want to continue, they can opt out and be replaced for minimal loss. You cannot do that with a regular start up operation.

We will be holding a meeting that will be more clearly laying out the future possibilities in November. For more info on that contact me at dan@scenichelicoptertours.com

Helicopter Awareness Day

Helicopters are awesome! I can still remember my very first flight in a helicopter. I was 17 and the sensation was like nothing I had ever experienced. My dad took my sister and I on a flight around what was then Opryland. From the moment we lifted off the ground I was fascinated. I remember flying over the airplanes that were tied down and then over the tree tops. It was like we were on a magic carpet. The Bell 47H had great visibilty out of the front of the helicopter and we could see everything! Didn't realize it then, but that's when I fell in love with helicopters. It took me 5 years and a variety of other "careers" before I decided that becoming a helicopter pilot was what I would like to do with my life.

Fast forward to 2001, my father who was my mentor and who I had finally developed a great relationship with passed away from an aggressive form of cancer. For the first time I could ever remember my father had shown the effects of pain. Cancer is such a devastating disease. My father was no stranger to adversity, he had polio as a child and thanks to the East Tennessee Children's Hospital was cured. The amazing part is not that my father fought that battle, but that he had the help of ETCH. See, my grandparents were very poor and could have never afforded the treatment he received. ETCH's policy of treating children regardless of their parents ability to pay always impressed my father who told my sisters and I that the only presents he wanted for Christmas from us was to donate the money we would spend on him to ETCH. He had also told us several times as we were growing up that when he died for us to throw a party in his honor. Well, unfortunately I just could not do that after he died. So, every year around the anniversary of his passing, I have Helicopter Awareness Day in his honor and donate all the money from that day to ETCH. This year's event will be on April 25, 2009 from 11am to 5pm.

Spring is in the air!

Living in and visiting east Tennessee is mainly a pleasure, but sometimes the changing season of spring can be not so nice. It can go from 80 degree temps one day to highs in the 40's the next, from beautiful bright blue skies to nasty thunderstorms or even snow showers. Sometimes all these changes can happen in a single day, which always makes life at the heliport interesting.

After flying in and around these mountains for over 20 years I have seen a huge variety of weather conditions from the ground and air. Most of those have been quite beautiful and serene, but there have been those few times that the forces of nature have made me a better pilot and Christian! The best part of this changing season is the rebirth of our national treasure called the Smoky Mountains.

Starting at the lower elevations and moving up as the temperatures do the same the trees and shrubs bloom! The pears are first, with their white flowers, followed by the red buds and dogwoods. Everyone has had the pleasure of seeing these from the ground and they are equally impressive from above. But the really spectacular blooms come from the heath balds scattered throughout the park. These areas are dense patches of rhododendron, highbush blueberries, azaleas and mountain laurel that bloom in early to mid June, depending on their elevation.

To see these in full bloom is like looking at a floral arrangement placed on the side of the mountain! Pinks, purples, whites and occasionally oranges decorate the mountains for around one to two weeks in June and can not be fully described and done justice. If you are interested in getting a chance to see one of these balds just check in with us starting in early June.

Best way to see the Smokies!

You could live in the Smoky Mountains area your entire life and not see the views offered by a helicopter tour. A huge area of the national park is very unaccessible from the ground, making a helicopter tour ideal for really seeing this national treasure.