Start A Helicopter Charter Business - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Helicopter Charter Business

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Do you have a pilot rating? If you love flying tourists around the country, you can turn your passion into a profitable venture by starting a private charter helicopter service.

Starting a private charter helicopter service is not as easy as it may sound. The business demands a massive investment as you have to purchase the helicopter. However, a private charter helicopter service can be profitable.

To start, learn how to fly, or you can plan to pay a qualified pilot by the flying hours. Then, you can buy or lease a helicopter and get a flying clearance and insurance.

Starting a helicopter charter business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell surveillance helicopter, or selling surveillance helicopter online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$48.2B
starting costs
$18.9K
gross margin
43%
time to build
270 days

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$66

$1,200

Retail Business Expenses

$1,250

$11,650

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$75

$9,636

Software Expenses

$0

$425

Website Costs

$13

$215

Total Startup Costs

$1,754

$37,876

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Swann Security

swann.com

107,732

SACAA

caa.co.za

200,850

Aircraft Cost Calculator

aircraftcostcalculator.com

315,085

Fly the Future Today

blade.com

363,973

PCC USA

pilotcareercentre.com

370,348

Private Jet & Cargo Charters in India

aircharterservice.co.in

389,595

Airservices

airservicesaustralia.com

491,791

Aircraft for Sale-New & Used airplanes & helicopters for sale.

globalplanesearch.com

594,679

Defence news, analysis, data and market forecasting

shephardmedia.com

614,724

National Airways Corporation

nac.co.za

738,430

Mokulele Airlines

mokuleleairlines.com

819,761

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Rewarding work

Starting a helicopter charter business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a helicopter charter business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

Daily physical activity

Helicopter Charter Business's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.

Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the helicopter charter business comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

You are your own boss!

With starting a helicopter charter business, you are the one to make decisions for almost all of the operations. Calling the shots can be empowering and liberating!

Local Community

One of the best parts of starting a helicopter charter business is that you can develop a local following by selling your products at craft shows, farmers' markets, or even local storefront businesses! This gives you access to additional revenue streams and loyal customers.

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your helicopter charter business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your helicopter charter business are typically around 43%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

High employee turnover

In the helicopter charter business, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

Taxes

As a helicopter charter business, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.