Kent’s bountiful harvests of fruit and vegetables have earned it the nickname of the Garden of England. A walk through orchards, vegetable beds and lawns can be a relaxing experience, but if the garden is the size of a county you won’t see much of it on foot. That’s why we’re recommending that you get a bird’s eye view on this beautiful landscape from the cabin of a helicopter.

It's a flying machine like no other. We often think of flying as fast, frenetic and unstable and while helicopters can reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour, they favour a more civilised, stable flying style. The helicopter experiences that are on offer in Kent are perfectly suited for this kind of trips. You’ll have time to contemplate the views of the landscape, from the coastline of the southeastern tip of the UK across the rural interior, including the castles and stately homes that pepper the countryside. Or if you’re keen to have a go at flying the helicopter yourself, you’ll find that the controls are nice and forgiving compared to those of an aeroplane. This is just one of the reasons why we’re recommending this activity to all residents and visitors to this area, and combined with the attractive prices, we think that it’s too good to miss.

Where to take a flight in a helicopter in Kent?

• Headcorn airfield near Ashford is a paradise for all kinds of aviation enthusiasts. Alongside Second World War fighter planes and parachute jumpers you’ll find a fleet of helicopters that are waiting to take you up into the calm Kentish skies. Its central location means that a pleasure flight from here can take you on a tour of the county, passing numerous castles (including Leeds Castle, “the loveliest castle in England”), Canterbury Cathedral and the White Cliffs of Dover. You can also take a trial lesson at Headcorn, where you’ll be in the expert hands of a team with over 25 years’ experience and your trial can count towards a Private Pilot Licence if your first experience gets you hooked.

• Just a mile from the coast on the Eastern extremity of the county, Manston airport, though closed as a commercial airport, hosts a helicopter flight centre with a wide variety of aerial adventures to choose from. You can enjoy the exclusivity of a flight in combination with a classy meal at a countryside hotel with a heli-dining experience. The perfect way to treat a special someone, or to impress a client or business partner, you’ll take off from Manston, enjoy the picturesque views on the way to the destination and enjoy a fantastic meal, before being flown back to the starting point. Charter flights for weddings, sporting events and other occasions can also be organised, while sightseeing tours and trial lessons are available from this airfield as well.

• If you choose to take a helicopter flight from Rochester airport in the North of the county, you’ll enjoy views of the castle and cathedral of Rochester, the Thames Estuary and Queen Elizabeth the Second bridge and charming Leeds Castle, built on an island in a lake. You can even fly over the two and a half mile race track at Brands Hatch which was used as a Grand Prix circuit on the Formula One world tour in the 1980s. <

Types of helicopters you can fly in

- Robinson R22 and R44: the market leader in civil helicopters, Robinson models are popular among amateur aviators, helicopter news crews and flight training schools. There are two and four seater models available, so you can take to the air side by side with a pilot, or with passengers in the back seats. The cabin has great visibility so you’ll enjoy the views of the countryside during your flight.

- Bell 206 Jet Ranger: James Bond fans might recognise this chopper from the films Diamonds are Forever and The Spy Who Loved Me. It was developed with military reconnaissance in mind but makes a perfect choice for sightseeing tours, or for novice pilots who want a pilot experience. Both of these options are catered for in this area.

How long does one of these experiences last?

When it comes to sightseeing, you can choose the length of your helicopter flight depending on how much you want to see. The shortest options are 20 minutes long, which will give you a birds eye view of the airfield and surrounding, while as you gain altitude you’ll be able to see further and further into the distance. To see a good portion of Kent, or to visit more than one landmark, you can opt for a longer flight of up to one hour. A heli-dining experience includes two flights and a comfortable lunch so this will take up about half a day.

If you’ve come to have a taste of piloting a helicopter, you can tailor the experience to your needs. Nervous fliers can choose a twenty minute lesson to face their first time fears, but we recommend a 40 minute or one hour flight as this will give you more time at the controls. Or book a half day course, which will involve multiple flights as well as ground school - learning about the theory of flying in a classroom before putting it into practice in flight.

Restrictions to do this activity, minimum age, weight and height

As with any kind of flying, weight plays a key role in the preparation and execution. You should find your weighing scales before turning up at the airfield in Kent, because a two seater helicopter has a passenger weight limit of 15.7 stone, or 100 kilograms. If you’re going up in a four seater with some friends, each person needs to weigh below 20 stone, that’s 127 kilograms, and the combined weight can’t exceed 35 stone, or 223 kilograms. Of course, it’s also possible for two people to ride with the pilot in a four seater, but the combined weight limit still applies.

Finally, there are some height restrictions in place to make sure that everyone will be able to fit into the cabin of the choppers. Although they’re not cramped spaces, cabins are designed to use space efficiently, and if you’re over 6 ft 4 inches, you’ll be uncomfortable in a two seater, while the four seaters available in this region are suitable for people up to 6 ft 7 inches.

Chopper, copter, whirlybird, call it what you like, it’s a sure fire way to put a smile on your face. Make a reservation for your flight today!