helicopter sightseeing tour of London – May 2023 (by Luke, June 2024)
We had a free day just outside London in May 2023, so we arranged a helicopter sightseeing tour. I have wanted to do this for years; London is my city of birth and I love it. Seeing it from the air always seemed like a great way to spend an hour. I love the idea of changing the angle and doing something a bit different.
My mum was in the same place as we were in preparation for a birthday party that evening and inviting her along was a no brainer.
My mum wrote an account of the trip to pass on to family and friends. This write up follows as I love her passion for the city and the trip. I have added a few notes to explain who people are where needed.
‘Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny. I drove over to White Waltham Aerodrome, Maidenhead. I got there much earlier than I expected but it was an amazing place with helicopters in the Helicopter Services area and various light planes, private jets and even a World War Two plane!
Luke and Gill sat in the back and I sat in the front (the co-pilot!). All the controls in front and beside me were working so I was told not to touch anything. It seemed to take ages for the rotors to rev up and the vibrations were strong. But suddenly, without warning, we were rising up into the air! I felt a mixture of fear and exhilaration!
Initially it was very green countryside (there seemed to be loads of people playing cricket and lots of golf courses and lakes as well as greenery) but then, in the distance, London rose before us – breath-taking! It was indistinct at first then clearer and clearer. It seemed to be approaching us and welcoming us! We flew over Pinewood Studios and Kew and followed the river.
Our pilot pointed out the sights except when she had to listen extra carefully to instructions from Air Control in particularly busy areas. I could hear all these instructions through my headset and altitude had to be adjusted according to where we were. I was pleased to recognise the roads and know the route although it is so very different from the air.
We saw the old Westminster Hospital where Dave (Luke’s uncle) and I, and Luke and Simon (Luke’s brother) were born. This is now luxury apartments. It’s the one place I got a parking ticket when my dad was in hospital. Mum and I had an appointment to see the Consultant and there was nowhere to park. I decided a parking ticket was a better option than missing the appointment.
It was a pleasure to see the renewed Battersea Power Station. This iconic building was derelict for so long but is now a major new development and busy with people. There were so many sights, far too numerous to record. Chelsea and Fulham Football Grounds were a sea of green. I almost shivered as I thought how cold some of the matches were in Fulham with the wind off the river.
Many of the “old” sights, like St. Paul’s Cathedral, have almost been overwhelmed by the high developments around them but are still clearly visible from the sky. They inspire a sense of awe.
I remembered my dad taking us round historic London as children on Saturdays when it was quiet up there. He loved London. Buckingham Palace’s Garden had huge marquees set up for the Garden Parties. Loads of people were on Horse Guards Parade. We used to go to Trooping the Colour as children and were always pushed to the front so we could see everything. It also reminded me of the day I took part in the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday Pageant as part of the Bible Society.
The Houses of Parliament and the London Eye stood out and Westminster Bridge was busy. Nowhere near as busy as when Luke, Chanae (Luke’s daughter) and I stood on it in the rain to see the Queen on her River Pageant though. The Royal Albert Hall looked stunning and brought back many memories of Cirque de Soleil, a concert including fireworks for the 1812 Symphony, and George Benson concerts.
The new architecture is spectacular from the sky. How the city has developed even since the days when Ron (Luke and Simon’s dad) used to walk round Docklands sorting out meter readers’ routes. There’s so much imagination and creativity in the buildings. Modern architecture certainly has exceeded anything we imagined, and the old buildings maintain their dignity among it all.
The National Maritime Museum at Greenwich looked stately and beautifully kept as always and the Observatory looked unchanged and there were many people visiting. Memories of circus days with Luke and Simon learning juggling skills and riding a unicycle sprung to mind. We crossed the Meridian line and saw the Thames Barrier in the distance. The O2 arena (which Luke and Gill have climbed) looked impressive too.
The Post Office Tower, which was so new and innovative in its time, showed up remarkably well. We saw Crystal Palace in the far distance with memories of the children’s zoo there and goats eating our bags! Then we crossed Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. Chrissie (a friend since mum’s childhood) and I thought that being a horseback Ranger on Wimbledon Common must be the best job in the world when we were horse mad! Fortunately no Ranger came along while Luke and Simon built dams on the common as children.
As we flew back across the suburbs it really struck me how far London stretches and how many magnificent areas there are. We saw far too many to name in this little summary of our journey. Gradually the houses became less close together and there were more trees. Then we saw loads of mansions set in massive estates – so different from the crowded inner city. I had never realised how many lakes and reservoirs there were on the outskirts.
Then the airfield came into view and we landed. The experience had been absolutely amazing – a trip of a lifetime over my beloved city! It was a very unhurried, informative tour which delighted me. It brought back so many precious memories of my childhood and the boys’ childhoods. This is only a tiny glimpse of a most incredible journey. And I’ve been in a helicopter which was something I never imagined I would do! Thank you so much, Luke and Gill!’
The website for Helicopter Services can be found here. We’d thoroughly recommend them if you were to want to book a similar experience.