Colombia-MICE is part of the Pelecanus Travel Group. We are located in Bogota, Colombia. We are specialized in corporate travel and all services around Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.
One of the biggest challenges for business travelers today is optimal time management. A large number of destinations can be visited in a short time. However, due to local infrastructure, bad roads, or a lack of flight connections, such visits sometimes cannot be carried out within useful time windows.
A possible, but also cost-intensive solution is to use helicopter transport. Although these are expensive, the bottom line is that such a solution can still be economically worthwhile, taking all costs into account.
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Which option can business travelers use?
Below you will find useful information about helicopter travel in Colombia.
What types of business services do helicopter companies provide in Colombia?
Helicopter tourism companies in Colombia offer a variety of services such as: Visits and overflights of all types of landscapes in the country such as Guatapé or the Chicamocha Gorge, the main cities, for a day as a pilot or even for marriage proposals.
For tourist flights, we refer to our separate blog about tourist helicopter offers in Colombia.
Among the services aimed at business tourism, the following are the most important:
Passenger transport by helicopter
The transportation of people from one place to another is what is most requested by companies because a destination can be reached so quickly and directly.
Air taxi with helicopter
Some companies provide air taxi services that offer flights to any location in the country with a variety of fleet options, state-of-the-art technology and a satellite system that allows real-time tracking of flights across the country.
Air Freight Transportation
When transporting freight or goods by helicopter, the terms crane helicopter or cargo helicopter are also used. These terms are used because helicopters generally transport the cargo as a type of crane and dump the goods at the desired location.
Executive Charter Airline
Charter flights offer more flexibility than commercial flights, serving virtually any destination, at any time, according to customers’ needs.
These flights are not scheduled flights and are not part of the regular flight schedule of the various companies that operate them.
Ambulance and rescue service by helicopter
This type of service provides medical accompaniment to passengers in special situations and assists the patient with medical assistance from arrival to arrival at the airport or flight base.
Some companies also offer transfers to destination airports, clinics, hospitals, health centers and/or the patient’s place of residence.
In addition, this service also takes care of accident patients and sick people, rescue services and helicopter transport with immediate switching to other means of transport.
transport of valuables
Moving valuables is all about maintaining a high level of security from one destination to another. Companies offer this service for valuables with all security parameters.
The Helicopter Tourism Industry in Colombia
The helicopter industry for tourist travel in Colombia is becoming more and more popular. The topography and the lack of infrastructure favor helicopter transport immensely. Of course, a helicopter can land almost anywhere in the country provided it has permission from the local landowner (coordinates and pictures are usually required).
Generally marketed as a more expensive but less time-consuming alternative, this service caters to an adventurous and luxurious clientele.
Also, these services are performed by companies duly licensed by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority.
The Colombian Aviation Sector
Colombia has 16 international airports and the main airport for cargo traffic (El Dorado International Airport, Bogota) in Latin America and has invested up to 20.2 million dollars to modernize its helicopters by 2021.
Special features of helicopter flights
One of the most important aspects of this sector and its services is the respect given to the topography of the country. Depending on the altitude or the terrain, the operation of a helicopter is more or less restricted. Helicopters have a greater capacity at sea level than at high altitudes.
In Bogotá, at an altitude of almost 2,700 meters above sea level, the capacity of a helicopter is reduced. A machine with a capacity for 10 people can only carry about half of them. In another city, e.g. B. Santa Marta, the helicopter can fly at full capacity at an altitude of only 2 meters above sea level.
Below is a table of the most important destinations in Colombia and their height above sea level.
Table of elevations in the main cities of Colombia
| Ciudad | Elevación |
| Bogotá D.C. | 2.640 meter – 8,660 feet |
| Medellín | 1.495 meter – 4,856 feet |
| Cali | 1.018 meter – 3,327 feet |
| Bucaramanga | 959 meter – 317 feet |
| Santa Marta | 6 meter – 20 feet |
| Villavicencio | 467 meter – 1,532 feet |
| Casanare | 350 meter – 1,150 feet |
| Guatapé | 1.890 meter – 6,200 feet |
| Barranquilla | 18 meter – 59 feet |
| Manizales | 2.160 meter – 7,090 feet |
| Cartagena | 2 meter – 7 feet |
| La Guajira | 75 meter – 246 feet |
| Villa de Leyva | 2.149 meter – 7,051 feet |
| Ibagué | 1.285 meter – 4,216 feet |
Restrictions on Helicopter Flights
In Colombia, certain areas are not allowed to be entered or flown over, e.g. B. Military bases, prisons and volcanoes, as well as indigenous areas such as the Guajira and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. There are also areas where flying at any altitude is prohibited. On the other hand, there are some additional aspects defined by AIP Colombia that must be taken into account for helicopter services and flights to be legal in Colombian territory, such as the minimum safe altitude, the ban on dropping objects, aerobatics, towing and area advertising, etc.
Potential customers of helicopter companies in Colombia?
Besides tourism, oil, mining and energy are the main industries in which helicopter companies in Colombia offer their services. As companies seek new, more efficient transportation alternatives to reach interesting destinations such as the Eastern Plains, Yopal, Arauca, Florencia, Mocoa and the North Coast.
In the mining industry, aerial imaging services enable a variety of highly complex tasks such as surveys, prospecting, drilling, rescue operations, and other services.
Helicopter tourism budget in Colombia
The cost of the services offered by helicopter companies for business tourism in Colombia can vary depending on the number of people, the destination and the type of service. In addition, helicopters can land almost anywhere, but for this the service providers need, among other things, coordinates, photos of the landing site and permission from the property owner.
The basic price for renting a helicopter can vary, the following factors are decisive:
- Cost per flight hour
- The cost of extra time to start the engines
- The cost of helicopter landing fees or airport landing fees
- FBO (Fixed Based Operator) costs associated with handling and using the terminal for private aircraft (airport only)
- Parking fees for requests that require the helicopter to wait for passengers at the destination
- The minimum flight or travel fare
The average price for a one-hour helicopter service for companies in Colombia in 2022 ranges from 1,200,000 Colombian Pesos (COP) to 7,500,000 Colombian Pesos (COP).
However, we warn you that these values depend on how many people are flying, where you are, what type of helicopter, what route and what company you choose.
Available helicopter models in Colombia
These are the helicopter models most used by companies for their tourism and business tourism services in Colombia:
DYNALI H3 SPORT:
- Type: twin turbine
- Top speed: 140 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: One passenger – 170 kilos
ROTORWAY A600:
- Type: twin turbine
- Top speed: 185 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: One passenger – 196 kilos
MOSQUITO XET TURBINE:
- Type: Single Turbine
- Top speed: 130 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: One passenger – 142 kilos
BELL 206-L3
- Type: single engine
- Top speed: 222 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: 4 to 6 passengers – 450 kg
BELL 206- B
- Type: mono turbine
- Top speed: 215 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: 4 to 5 passengers – 450 kg
ROBINSON R-66
- Type: mono turbine
- Top speed: 189 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: One passenger – 408 kg
ROBINSON 22
- Type: single engine
- Top speed: 189 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: One passenger – 408kg
AGUSTA WESTLAND 139
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 310 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 10 to 15 passengers – max. 3,400 kilos
BELLY 212
- Type: Single Turbine
- Top speed: 223 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – max. 1,100 kilos
BELLY 414
- Type: Monoturbiuna
- Top speed: 259 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – 2,000 kilos
BELL 414EP
- Type: Monoturbiuna
- Top speed: 259 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 10 to 13 passengers – 2,000 kg
EMS/BK117
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 278 km/h
- Pilot: One
- Capacity: 7 to 9 passengers – maximum 990 kilos
MI 171
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 250 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 20 to 26 passengers – 4,000 kilos
MI 8 MTV-1
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 230 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 20 to 24 passengers – 4,000 kilos
LEONARDO AW139
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 164 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 12 to 14 passengers – 3,000 kilos
EUROCOPTER EC145
- Type: Four turbines
- Top speed: 268 km/h
- Pilot: Two
- Capacity: 8 to 10 passengers – 1,700 kilos
Do you need a helicopter flight? We would be happy to advise you and organize your desired flight.
