Helivate Helicopter Services

Helivate Helicopter Services is a helicopter operator and flight school in South Africa. It has bases in Gauteng, near Johannesburg, and in the Western Cape at Cape Winelands Airport near Cape Town. The site says it was set up in 2011.

Services listed are flying experiences, private charters, pilot training, expeditions and surveillance. The company is licensed by SACAA under Part 141 as an approved training organisation, Part 127 for helicopter charter operations and Part 145 as an approved maintenance organisation. It says it maintains its own fleet in house.

Special occasion packages are priced in rand for set groups. Examples are a Sun City day trip with a 90 minute flight and six hours on the ground for R 21900 for two people, a 20 minute Cradle of Humankind flight for R 4900 for two, and a 35 minute Sandton Skyline flight for R 7900 for two. A Self-Fly experience in a Robinson R44 costs R 7900 for one person and includes a 30 minute briefing and a 30 minute flight.

Private Pilot Licence training for helicopters is taught one on one. Full time training uses two to three slots a day and allows completion in three to four months. Part time training uses one to two slots a week and takes ten to twelve months. The site says SACAA sets a minimum of 50 hours of flight training. The training bases are Krugersdorp in Gauteng and Cape Winelands Airport.

Helivate also runs helicopter events such as the Wild Coast Epic, the Lake Jozini Jolly, a Mountain Flying Trip, the Heli Olympics and one day events, plus hour building flights for pilots. Staff named include Paul Cumming as director and safety officer, Hayley Cumming as CEO and chief pilot, and Johano Bothma as chief flight instructor. The site has an enquiry form.