see the sights with a Scenic Flight

1 Day Aboriginal Rock Art Tour

Take the scenic flight from Cairns to Cooktown, enjoying spectacular views as you fly along the coast between the World Heritage rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. You will be collected and driven to Hope Vale, where Nugal-warra Elder Willie Gordon will take you to visit 6 rock art sites on his traditional country. Here he shares with you the stores behind the art, and his relationship with the land - this is a truly memorable experience - you won't forget it!

20min Rainforest and Beaches Scenic Heli Flight

A helicopter scenic flight is the best way to see the most beautiful sights that Cairns has to offer. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your pilot and be given a safety briefing prior to your flight. During this 20 minute scenic flight, you'll explore ancient rainforest covered mountainsides and valleys only minutes from the centre of Cairns. You'll view world heritage listed rainforest, Kuranda and the magnificent Barron Gorge, before flying over the exclusive Northern Beaches region. Only by helicopter can the scale of these rainforests and their beauty be truly understood!

5 Day Top End Parks 4WD Safari

Enjoy a luxury small group Kakadu 4WD camping tour of the Top Ends 3 main parks- Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge). Experience the sights in comfort and in style with a knowledgeable local guide. Travelling in our luxury 4WD gives you the chance to ?experience? the area and not just visit it, as we take you to remote locations, far from the crowds. With no more than 6 people on board, our small group tours leave plenty of room for flexibility and provide maximum comfort in the rugged outback. Spend a full day in Litchfield, swimming and enjoying the waterfalls as well as learning about the unusual termite mounds. See Nitmiluk Gorge from all angles by taking a spectacular 13 gorge scenic flight over Nitmiluk Gorge which includes a remote landing in the gorge, followed by a 2 hour cultural cruise. Enjoy 3 days in Kakadu, visiting ancient Aboriginal rock art sites and swimming in beautiful waterfalls. We also take the sunset Yellow Waters cruise, where wildlife is abundant . We use only the best equipment and have fully equipped, air-conditioned Toyota Landcruiser GXL's with heavy duty trailers, for comfortable travelling along the dirt roads. Every piece of equipment used on tour, from the individual filter coffee cups to our large, roomy tents , has been selected by us to make life easier and to make your tour as comfortable as possible. We also carry reference material and books on board for your enjoyment. While on safari, your tour leader will prepare 3 meals a day for you as well as providing light snacks. Meals include freshly prepared salads, vegetables, fish (barramundi is a favourite) and meat as well as fruit, which is always available. The meals are cooked using the traditional styles of open fire and camp oven. Vegetarians and other dietary requirements are catered for, as long as you let us know when you book.

60min Reef and Rainforest Helicopter Scenic Flight

Upon arrival, you and a friend will be introduced to your pilot and you will be given a comprehensive safety briefing prior to your flight. You and a friend have the awesome opportunity to glide high above the lush tropical canopy of pristine Rainforest, view Kuranda and the Barron Gorge, Stoney Creek Falls and Copperlode Dam - all before venturing out over the amazing Great Barrier Reef. See Green Island, Arlington Reef and Vlasoff Cay before heading back to the coast to view the tropical Northern Beaches. All of this is available in a 60 minute scenic helicopter flight over the Cairns region. Experience the ultimate in helicopter scenic flights over Cairns and its stunning surrounds in Far North Queensland!

Adventure Flight

Your fun flying lesson begins with meeting your flying instructor who will explain the laws of flight to you at Lilydale Airport - essentially, do what he says! This will take approximately 30 minutes. When you've run out of questions for him, he'll take you through a 15 minutes pre-flight inspection of our NEW J160 Jabiru aircraft. After this the real fun begins as you take the controls and do the flying under your instructor's guidance. How easy is it? This will be for you to tell your friends after!

Adventure Pilot Experience

Your trial instructional flight is an introduction into learning how to fly an aircraft. You will get hands-on flying experience with a fully qualified flying instructor. You will fly us around the Camden area enjoying the local scenery. This is a very different flying experience that you are sure to remember! The activity starts with a 15 minute brief on the aircraft and how to manipulate the controls to maneuver the aircraft through the sky. Once airborne, the instructor will demonstrate to you how to fly the aircraft and then its over to you. You will be given 15 minutes of real flying time.

Aerobatic Fighter Bomber T28 Trojan 40 Minute Flight - Hunter Valley

The T-28 Trojan is a World War II style Fighter Plane. Appreciate the rugged power of a T-28 Trojan Fighter Bomber in this Warbird flight lasting approximately 40 minutes chock to chock. The aircraft you will be flying in was built in 1948, she saw service in Vietnam and has numerous patches on her bodywork from enemy attacks but she is solid and sturdy and couldn't be taken down. The Trojan is powered by the massive Wright Cyclone radial engine producing 1425 horse power and capable of speeds of up to 400 km per hour. On arrival you will be suited up and given your pre-flight briefing. After an inspection of the aircraft and a briefing on the flight controls you will be ready for take-off. Departing from Cessnock airport, your scenic flight path will be east, then follow the coastline north to Newcastle Beach. During this part of your flight you will have the option to perform some graceful warbird style aerobatic manoeuvres over the beach. Continue up to Newcastle harbour taking in the scenic views of some of Australia's famous surf beaches, then onto the Lower Hunter Valley, landing back at Cessnock airport. This flight highlights the stark contrasts of the coastal and rural landscapes of which this region is famous for. You will need to allow at least 1½ hours for the whole experience. Flying in this warbird will bring you closer to experiencing life as a fighter bomber pilot. Chock-to-chock is an aviation term referring to the time that the wheels commence rolling on the tarmac, to the moment they stop upon landing.

Aerobatic Warbird Flight

This is an exceptional flying experience like no other. Your instructor will fully brief you on cockpit layout and flight apparel. You have a choice of either a scenic trip or simulated air combat maneuvering mission. Whatever you wish! You'll be strapped safely into your seat, which is behind the pilot. Then it's up, up and away for an experience of a lifetime!

Aerobatic Warbird Flight 25-minute - Hunter Valley

The T-28 Trojan is a World War II style Fighter Plane. Appreciate the rugged power of a T-28 Trojan Fighter Bomber in this Warbird flight lasting 25 minutes chock to chock*. The aircraft you will be flying in was built in 1948, she saw service in Vietnam and has numerous patches on her bodywork from enemy attacks but she is solid and sturdy and couldn't be taken down. The Trojan is powered by the massive Wright Cyclone radial engine producing 1425 horse power and capable of speeds of up to 400 km per hour. On arrival you will be suited up and given your pre-flight briefing. After an inspection of the aircraft and a briefing on the flight controls you will be ready for take-off. Departing from Cessnock Airport, your scenic flight path will give you a birds eye view of the beautiful Hunter Valley wine country. During this part of your flight you will have the option to perform some graceful warbird style aerobatic manoeuvres adjacent to the airfield before landing back at Cessnock Airport. You will need to allow at least 1 hour for the whole adventure. Flying in this warbird will bring you closer to experiencing life as a fighter bomber pilot. * Chock-to-chock is an aviation term referring to the time that the wheels commence rolling on the tarmac, to the moment they stop upon landing.

Aerobatics & Scenic Flight Combo Pitts Special - Sydney

Strap into the open-air cockpit of the Pitts Special S2A aerobatic bi-plane. Fasten your seatbelt, strap on your flight helmet and get ready for the best aerobatics/scenic flight combo available! You will take off from Bankstown Airport and climb over the outer suburbs of Sydney to reach a cruising altitude of 1500ft. You'll soar over the sprawling Olympic site at Homebush Bay then circle north over Hornsby and St Ives. Once granted clearance to Sydney Harbour you'll get a bird's eye view of iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Fly higher than the eagles at Taronga Park Zoo and salute the sailors on Garden Island. It's the best seat in the house for the best view in the world! You might also get a chance to check out Rose Bay and the world famous Bondi Beach, before heading north over Middle Harbour, the Spit Bridge and Manly and follow the coastline to Long Reef. At Long Reef you'll drop to 500ft and skirt the peninsular up to Palm Beach and Broken Bay. Climb back to 2500ft for an extended session of adrenalin inducing aerobatics. Try a loop and a roll to give you a view of the world from a completely different perspective. This is what the Pitts is made for and your pilot will give you a taste of the G-Forces Baron Manfred Von Richtoffen himself may have experienced during air combat. If you'd prefer something more leisurely, you will continue your scenic tour up to the NSW Central Coast over the beautiful waterways of Brisbane Waters and The Entrance before heading back to Sydney over the Hawkesbury River. The Pitts Special Combo Flight is 1 hour and 20 minutes minutes. The total adventure is approximately two hours in duration.

The Beauty of Australia from the Air

There is no doubt that Australia has some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

There are crystal clear beaches, tropical rain forests, farmland as far as the eye can see, mountain ranges that date to prehistoric times and of course the red centre.

Viewing these treasures from the air is an experience you will never forget. The rich tapestry that makes our continent the most beautiful in the world is more powerful from a plane or helicopter.

Scenic flights operate from all major cities including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Alice Springs, the Hunter Valley and many other regional hubs.

Mad About Sports offer the best range of scenic flight tours on the web. Whether you want to get a closer look at the Blue Mountains or the Olgas, the coastlines of our great country or the enormity of farmlands, the right package at the right price is available at Mad About Sports.   © MAS 2007

The Red Centre Like You've Never Seen It

Recently, Dominic Feenan had a flight in the Northern Territory and saw Uluru and the Olgas from the window of helicopter. He shared his unforgettable experience with Mad About Sports.

"I was holidaying in the Northern Territory with some friends a few months ago. Firstly, I would recommend anyone that has not been to the heart of our country to take the time and go. As the old saying went, you'll never never know if you never never go. How true that is.

I visited Uluru, Kings Canyon and the Olgas. I was traveling by bus and we were on a fairly strict timeline. After seeing these exotic and inspiring icons, I felt I wanted more.

At the hotel I was staying in, I noticed a pamphlet for a scenic helicopter flight. I was a little nervous about paying the extra money but I'm so glad now that I did.

I can say that the flight around Uluru and the Olgas was just breathtaking. Being 2000 feet up and seeing the size of these natural wonders just made my jaw drop. The flight gave me a perspective I would never have experienced. The pilots were professional and very informative.

I would recommend to anyone thinking of taking a scenic flight to do so. The thrill of being in a helicopter or plane is one thing, but when you add the pleasure of seeing our natural landscape from the air it was just incredible."   © MAS 2007