Flying over London in a helicopter was unlike any other experience I’ve ever had. Exploring this amazing city from the skies may not be at the top of many visitors’ must-do list, but I highly recommend it.
I’ve lived in London for a long time, but if someone asked me how much I know about it my answer would have to be, not enough. A city that grew from several small villages around a river in Roman times is now a complex cosmopolitan urban centre. Beneath the surface of this busy, vibrant, and modern capital there are hidden mysteries behind its public squares, cobbled alleys, lazy canals, and centuries-old buildings.
My first serious exploration of London happened when I worked on a project with 29 other people—a “loose traverse” from St. Paul to Green Park to record our observations, which I did largely through the lens of my camera. The camera helped me focus on things I would normally have ignored. Exploring the narrow alleys and steep streets, the hidden courtyards and fountain squares, and marveling at the stunning architecture, I witnessed the true power of London.
But flying over the city gave yet another perspective. My first helicopter flight over London was a surprise birthday gift from my children. Departing from Redhill in Surrey, it took only five minutes to pass over the green countryside of Surrey and Kent and the velvet carpeted farmlands of South London before reaching the River Thames and the urban jungle.
It was thrilling to view London and all its famous landmarks from above. I enjoyed my aerial exploration so much that I wanted to repeat it. So on a sunny November Sunday, my wife and I headed for The London Helicopter in Battersea, the only heliport in central London.
We climbed into a six-passenger helicopter plus pilot and, with each of us wearing lifejackets and headphones, we rose smoothly in our enclosed glass cabin.
