Newport Helicopter Tours

What Newport Helicopter Tours does

Newport Helicopter Tours is a family-run commercial helicopter operator founded in 2000 by Jeff Codman, doing business as Bird's Eye View Helicopters from Newport State Airport in Middletown, Rhode Island. The company provides scenic aerial tours of Newport and the surrounding Rhode Island coastline, private charter flights to New England and New York destinations, professional aerial photography and videography services, and a portfolio of special-event offerings including weddings, gender reveals, and ash-scattering ceremonies. Operations are built around Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters equipped with gyro-stabilized camera systems, traffic information systems, and emergency safety equipment.

The product portfolio spans entry-level 12-minute mansion flyovers at $95 per person through 60-minute custom flights at $800, with bundled packages combining helicopter time with partner attractions such as The Breakers Mansion, Fort Adams State Park, Newport Car Museum, Coastal Queen Cruises, and Nasketucket Bay Vineyard. Charter services extend one-way to eight regional destinations priced between $465 and $2,800. Distribution operates through direct-to-consumer channels including the XOLA online booking platform, phone reservations, walk-in availability, and a network of hotel concierge partnerships and a 10% affiliate program.

The business model is a single-location, capacity-constrained services operation with a small headcount (1-10 employees), high revenue concentration in the Codman family, and no external institutional ownership or disclosed funding. Customer mix centers on leisure tourists, couples seeking romantic experiences, and episodic special-event and charter clients, with a smaller professional aerial-imaging vertical serving real estate and film production customers.

Name

Newport Helicopter Tours

Legal name

Bird's Eye View Inc., Bird's Eye View Helicopters LLC

Website

https://newporthelicoptertours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Newport Helicopter Tours is a family-owned helicopter tour, charter, and aerial photography operator founded in 2000, serving leisure tourists, couples, and event clients from Newport State Airport in Rhode Island with Robinson R44 helicopters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Tour Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB), VIP/Executive Helicopter Transport (THABAGAH), Private Aviation Experiences (Charters, Scenic Flights, Helicopter Tours) (THAJALAF), Helicopter Resort & Remote Destination Transfers (TLAFACAF)

Keywords

• Helicopter tour services
• Aerial sightseeing tours
• Private helicopter charters
• Aerial photography services
• Special event flights

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Helicopter Tours: Scenic helicopter tours of Newport, Rhode Island area including mansion tours, island tours, lighthouse tours, bay tours, sunset tours, and specialty tours. Per-person pricing ranging from $95-$350 depending on tour duration and type.
2. Charter Flights: Private luxury helicopter charter services to destinations including Montauk, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Boston, NYC, Hamptons, Block Island, Provincetown, and Hyannis. One-way pricing from $465-$2,800.
3. Aerial Photography & Video Services: Professional aerial photography and video services for real estate, events, construction, agriculture, and film productions. Includes infrared surveys, Lidar surveys, and vertical photography for mapping.
4. Special Events Services: Wedding arrivals, gender reveals, golf ball drops, ash scattering ceremonies. Wedding pricing starts at $950, gender reveals from $800.
5. Packages & Bundles: Combined experiences including Fort Adams tour, romantic island picnics, coastal cruises, mansion packages, car museum bundles, and vineyard experiences.
6. Gift Cards: Plastic gift cards mailed to recipients and electronic gift certificates for tours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Newport Helicopter Tours operates scenic helicopter sightseeing flights over Newport, Rhode Island's coastline, mansions, and lighthouses, departing from Newport State Airport. Beyond tours, the company offers private charter flights, special-event aerial services (weddings, gender reveals, golf ball drops, ash scatterings), and aerial photography, video, and infrared survey work for commercial clients.

Product overview

Newport Helicopter Tours is a family-run helicopter tour and charter business operating from Newport State Airport in Middletown, Rhode Island. The company offers a portfolio of scenic helicopter tour products ranging from 12-minute mansion flyovers ($95-$145) to 60-minute custom flights ($800), plus charter services to destinations throughout New England and New York. The core product line is organized around tour experiences (doors-off flights, mansion tours, island tours, lighthouse tours, sunset tours) with complementary add-on packages combining helicopter tours with ground attractions (Fort Adams, Newport Car Museum, Coastal Queen Cruises, vineyard experiences, land trolleys). Additional revenue streams include aerial photography/video services, wedding arrivals, gender reveals, golf ball drops, ash scattering, and an affiliate program. The company operates as Bird's Eye View Helicopters, LLC and has served over 75,000 passengers over 25+ years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mansion Tour (Scenic Newport Mansions Aerial Tour)

Quantifiable outcome

• 75,000+ passengers safely flown over 25+ years of operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Freedom Car ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGround transportation partnership providing luxury car service transfers from Newport State Airport to hotels. Rates: $175 for 2 passengers, $190 for 3 passengers one-way.
• Island Style CateringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering partner for group events exceeding 10 guests, providing food and refreshments while smaller groups experience helicopter flights.
• Coastal Queen CruisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined helicopter tour and boat cruise packages including Lighthouse & Mimosa Cruise, Scenic Bay Cruise, and Evening Cocktail Cruise options.
• The Breakers MansioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInside and Above Newport Mansion Package includes helicopter tour combined with admission tickets to The Breakers Mansion.
• Newport Car MuseumcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCar and Copter Overdrive Package combines helicopter tour with admission to the Newport Car Museum featuring over 75 unique cars.
• Coastal CruiserscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand and Air package combining 20-minute helicopter tour with 90-minute guided electric vehicle tour of Newport's historic downtown and landmarks.
• Nasketucket Bay VineyardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVineyard by Air Experience combines helicopter flight with guided vineyard tour and wine tasting at Nasketucket Bay Vineyard.
• Bellevue BoardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides gourmet picnic baskets with wine and charcuterie boards for romantic island picnic experiences.
• Fort Adams State ParkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFort Adams from Inside + Above package combines helicopter tour with guided tours of America's largest coastal fortress.
• On Watch SailingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as recommended thing to do in Newport - private sailing yacht experiences departing from Newport Harbor.
• Rail Explorers Rhode IslandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as recommended thing to do - scenic rail explorations along historic Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay.
• Skydive NewportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as recommended thing to do - world-class tandem skydiving experience with 70,000+ tandem jumps conducted since 1999.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zip Aviation: New York-based helicopter tour and charter operator offering Manhattan sightseeing, airport transfers, and Hamptons charters. Comparable in product mix (tours + private charters), Northeast geography, and Part 135 charter positioning.
• FlyNYON: NYC-based doors-off helicopter tour operator focused on consumer thrill experiences and aerial photography. Comparable as a small-to-mid scenic helicopter tour operator in the Northeast using doors-off product positioning and digital/affiliate-driven booking.
• Maverick Helicopters: Las Vegas-based scenic helicopter tour operator running Grand Canyon, Vegas Strip, and Hoover Dam tours with premium EC130 fleet. Comparable as a high-volume tourist helicopter tour business with similar product (doors-off options, photo/video packages) and pricing model.
• Blade (BLADE Air Mobility): App-based urban air mobility company offering shared helicopter flights, charters, and scheduled seaplane/helicopter service across the Northeast including NYC, Hamptons, and Boston. Comparable in charter product to Newport/Martha's Vineyard/NYC/Boston and in digital booking funnel.
• Liberty Helicopter Tours: Manhattan-based helicopter tour operator offering scenic tours over NYC landmarks and charters to Hamptons, airports, and events. Closely comparable in Northeast US urban-adjacent helicopter tour and charter product mix, including wedding/event services.
• Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Largest scenic helicopter tour operator in Hawaii offering per-passenger aerial tours of volcanoes, coastlines, and waterfalls. Most directly comparable peer in business model (Robinson/Airbus helicopters, per-seat tour pricing, charter-style add-ons) and customer experience (leisure tourists seeking memorable aerial sightseeing).

Broad incumbents

• Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters: Grand Canyon-based scenic helicopter tour operator and part of the broader Papillon Group tour portfolio. Comparable in core scenic tour business but operates at much larger scale and across multiple destination brands.

Others

• Coastal Queen Cruises: Newport-based harbor cruise and sightseeing boat operator partnered with Newport Helicopter Tours on bundled Sky and Sea packages. Not a direct competitor but a directly adjacent Newport tourism operator and active distribution partner.
• Skydive Newport: Adjacent aerial-adventure operator at Newport State Airport offering tandem skydiving. Co-located at same airfield and listed as recommended partner; not a competitor but shares the customer pool for Newport aerial experiences.

Regional players

• Helicopter Tour Operators (Northeast regional): HeliNY and other Northeast regional helicopter tour/charter operators serving NYC and surrounding markets. Comparable in Part 135 charter and tour offering but primarily focused on NYC metro versus Newport-centric coastal New England.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BEVHelicopters
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC54ZpxZjmwA26rt9gNaV0PQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/newporthelicoptertours
• Instagraminstagram.com/newporthelicoptertours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newporthelicoptertours

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Newport Helicopter Tours