There's a lofty new way to enjoy Art Deco Weekend.
Thanks to Aroha Helicopters you can now fly high above the crowds and take in the spectacle below.
Or take "The Big Swing" - a scenic flight out over Cape Kidnappers Golf Course and Farm, track coastal along Ocean Beach and have a bird's eye view of Hawke's Bay's famous sleeping giant Te Mata Peak before returning to your departure point at Napier Airport.
The Aero Deco Adventures are the brainchild of Aroha Helicopters owner Skiv Devescovi.
"The team and I specialise in helicopter pilot training. If you have always dreamed of getting behind the controls of a helicopter then we are the team for you.
"However, I'm always looking at opportunities to diversify and thought Art Deco was the perfect opportunity for people to take to the sky and see Hawke's Bay from another perspective. It is also the chance to experience the thrill of taking the controls under the guidance of one of our highly experienced pilots," Devescovi said.
"Hawke's Bay is a perfect place to learn to fly. We have great weather so it's easy to clock up the hours."
He says learning to fly a helicopter is relatively easy. "It's the hovering that's the hardest skill to learn."
A bird's eye view of Marine Pde from an Aroha Helicopter. Photo / Supplied
Devescovi said he always wanted to be a pilot. "I grew up on an Air Force base and always had a passion for flying. I spent 10 years in the military but not flying. Now I have 20 years of flying under my belt and most of that time has been flying offshore to places such as Africa, Antarctica, Papua New Guinea and Australia, in big machines.
"I left touring so I could spend more time with my family and started the Aroha Helicopters in September last year.
"I'm really excited about Aero Deco Adventures. Flying in a helicopter is a fantastic experience and having the chance to take the controls just takes it to another level."
There are three options, The Jean Batten Experience in a Cabri G2 helicopter - fly along Marine Pde and take the controls under the supervision of one of the experienced instructors, The Foxtrot, a 12-minute scenic flight from Napier Airport along Marine Pde and back to the airport, or the Big Swing mentioned above.
There's also the option of creating your own itinerary.
The flights are available from February 17 to 21. Contact arohahelicopters.com
