Daycation Destination: Fly high with a helicopter tour above Pittsburgh

Burrell High School junior Billy Kowalkowski had a sky-high experience for his 17th birthday.

He took a private helicopter tour of Pittsburgh last month with veteran pilot Ron Spiker of Zelienople and his mom, Danielle Kowalkowski.

Danielle Kowalkowski booked a mother-son sunset tour in February with Spiker Helicopters, which has been in business since 2003.

“He knows I’m afraid of heights and small spaces,” Danielle said of her son.

The duo’s initially scheduled flight was canceled because of bad weather.

A few days later, when weather conditions were favorable, wearing in-flight headphones to communicate, they took off from Zeilienople on a one-hour tour.

From Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning to Acrisure Stadium to the three rivers, the tour offered a bird’s eye view of Mt. Washington, Downtown Pittsburgh and more — all from an altitude of about 900 to 1,000 feet.

“I wanted to create a memorable experience for me and my son. There’s always something to stop and say, ‘I’m too busy,’ but to me sharing experiences is the most important thing in life,” Danielle Kowalkowski said.

Billy plans to earn his pilot’s license.

“I want to be a pilot because I love to meet new people, and I want to travel the world,” he said. “And the overall benefits that the job as a pilot offers are amazing.”

The sunset tour appealed to Billy.

“Everything about that ride was special because it was so beautiful at all times. The sunset truly made that ride and the photos as amazing as it could’ve been,” Billy said.

Spiker, 60, originally opened Spiker Helicopters offering flight instruction.

“But people started asking for tours,” said Spiker, an Army veteran.

Spiker earned his pilot’s license in Oklahoma in 1981. He is a certified FAA air tour operator, based out of the Zelienople Municipal Airport.

Spiker personalizes each tour and said in-flight engagements are popular.

“I’m up to about 34 proposal tours so far. Sometimes they’re elaborate with signs on the ground,” Spiker said. “So far it’s 100% yeses. That’s good.”

Customers have to leave the champagne for post-flight celebrations — only water is allowed on board in flight.

Spiker has one helicopter, a Robinson R44, that cost $400,000.

The tour highlight last year was an actual in-flight wedding.

“They wanted something different,” Spiker said of the helicopter hitch. “That was pretty cool.”

Wildlife sightings are possible during each flight, and Spiker is still waiting to spot a black bear.

“Bald eagles are always a high, and we have seen them in the Lake Arthur and Moraine State Park area,” Spiker said.

Flight prices start at $440 for a 40-minute flight, with $50 for each additional person, for a total of three people per flight.

The Bridges Tour is 50 minutes, highlights 19 bridges closest to the Point and Downtown Pittsburgh and is $480 plus $50 per person.

The weight limit is 285 pounds per passenger and a total of 540 pounds combined.

Per FAA regulations, Spiker must fly a route within 25 miles of the pickup site.

Spiker retired from the IT industry and is pursuing his retirement passion, adding there isn’t a lot of competition in the helicopter tour market in Pittsburgh.

“They tried it but it’s not much of demand for it,” Spiker said of helicopter tour businesses that have come and gone. “It’s not a big tourist attraction here. This isn’t Myrtle Beach where there are nine helicopters in the sky.”

Tour packages include a standard Pittsburgh Tour, Deluxe Pittsburgh Tour, Proposal Tour, Stadium Tour, Sunset Tour, Bridges Tour, Three Rivers Tour and Fall Foliage Tour.

Custom scenic tours are available, and if you’re feeling especially daring, there’s a doors-off upgrade.

Last summer, a 100-year-old woman celebrated her centenarian status with a helicopter ride.

Spiker plans to keep his eye on the sky now that he can host tours full-time.

“I love to fly and it’s a retirement passion.”