Seventy-five percent of Maui is visible only from the air! If you haven't seen Maui by helicopter, you haven't seen Maui. Maui has a number of helicopter tours to choose from, each specializing in a particular type of aircraft:

The A-Star is one of the most luxurious, designed specifically for sightseeing. No matter where you sit you'll have 180-degree visibility. The rotator shaft does not come between the front and back seats and there are no visual impediments interrupting your view forward. The back seat is raised to give a better view above the seats in front and there is an abundance of windows.

The Hughes 500 is small, fast and maneuverable. It seats only 4 passengers so each person is guaranteed a window seat.

The Bell Jet Ranger is a little larger than the Hughes and smaller than the A-Star.

The McDonnell-Douglas Notar is designed without a tail rotor, giving a noticeably quieter flight. This helicopter is often hired by professional photographers on aerial shoots because it can be flown with the doors removed.

With regard to photography, many Maui helicopter companies equip their aircraft with special video recorders mounted in the nose and along the sides of the helicopter. Some even have camera lenses mounted in the cockpit. As the pilot flies along he directs the taping, selecting the camera offering the best view. The result: at the end of your helicopter tour you're presented with a video tape of your actual flight to take home and enjoy over and over.