We decided on the Maverick Helicopter Tour as it seemed that they had newer equipment than the other tour companies in the area. You meet at the Tusayan Airport which is outside of the Grand Canyon National Park (It is just outside of Tusayan). They have a large parking lot and guest services building with a gift shop, vending machines and restrooms. Check-in is fast and easy. They do take your weight (no lying about your weight, as you actually stand on a scale) which they use to assign your seating on the helicopter to balance the weight. You can request a front seat but they cannot guarantee specific seating but will give you preference if you ask in advance. Once everyone is checked in the pilot will call out your name and give you a seat assignment. You are provided with a life preserver that you wear around your waist and are assisted in getting in the helicopter. Once in, you put on your headphones and get a quick safety check. (you should wear dark clothing without prints so that you don't get a reflection off the inside of the glass when you take photos). The flight is about 45 minutes and there are no restrooms on the helicopter and no stops until you get back to the airport (as my Mother always told me, go now or forever hold your pees). The seats are very comfortable (seating for 7 including the pilot) and the helicopter is surprisingly quiet from others I have flown in. The weather was clear and the flight very calm and smooth.
Once everyone is secure the pilot takes off and introduces himself and finds out a little bit about you. You initially fly over the pine forests and listen to a play list and commentary through your headphones. Then you fly out over the Canyon itself. The view is spectacular as the trees and land immediately end and fall away from view and you are now hovering 4,000 feet above the Canyon Floor! The pilot forewarned us just before we cleared the trees and got our first panoramic view of the Canyon but it is still breathtaking! The pilot describes the various areas of the Canyon and sights and flies along both the South and North Rims as well as along the Colorado River. You can ask questions through your headsets and the pilot is more than happy to respond and elaborate on his narration. Although we viewed the Canyon from the South Rim, the Rim Trails, the Bright Angel Trail and the West Rim, this is a unique "not to miss" way to see the Canyon if your budget allows.
After about 45 minutes we landed back at the airport and they took pictures of us by the helicopter (with or without the pilot) and using their camera and ours. Although not required or requested, we did give a small gratuity to the pilot which I'm sure he appreciated. When we got back into the gift shop they had photos on the wall that you could purchase as well as a dvd of your specific flight made during the actual flight. Unfortunately the camera on our helicopter malfunctioned on our flight so we couldn't purchase the dvd of our flight but because we had asked to buy the dvd they gave us a complimentary copy of their generic dvd of the helicopter flight (very considerate and professional).
The price for the helicopter flight was about $300 per person for about 45 minutes but was well worth it. If you want to get a different perspective of the Grand Canyon, this is definitely not a tour to miss! I would highly recommend both the helicopter flight and Maverick Helicopters as the tour provider.