Upon arrival at Grand Canyon West Airport, visitors are whisked away by awaiting helicopters for a thrilling flight into a deep side canyon and a flight over the Colorado River.
The airport and the attractions nearby are part of the one million acre reservation of the Hualapai Tribe who can trace their ancestry back a thousand years. The tribe opened up this unknown and remote part of the American Southwest to visitors 20 years ago. Since it is located just 120 miles from Las Vegas, it has become a popular destination of visitors from the neon city.
As the flight approached the airport from the east, the visitors flew over deep side canyons of the Grand Canyon that offered a vantage point all photographers relish. The airport is located just one half mile from the actual canyon rim; the Colorado River is 4000 feet below of the rim.
Upon arrival at the airport, the travelers exited through a temporary terminal building out to the helicopter parking area. A commercial helicopter tour company, which flies the latest technology jet helicopters, transported the Sedona travelers to the canyon floor. The helicopter can hold seven passengers for the ten-minute trip. The flight path travels over the airport, past the amazing Skywalk and the popular landmark, Guano Point, before descending into a deep side canyon.
The flight had the rush of a thrill ride at an amusement park since passengers can feel the motion of the 4000-foot descent over the Colorado River towards a landing area carved out of the banks of the river.
<< This is a view of the world famous Glass Skywalk from below. The photograph was taken out the side window of the helicopter as it descended into the canyon towards the Colorado River.
During the descent, passengers on the right side of the helicopter were able to look up to the top of the canyon thousands of feet above and actually see the Skywalk protruding out over the edge of the cliff.
