Are there helicopter tours that go inside a volcano? If so how far down
will they go?
Dear Heidi,
Many tour operators use helicopters to get people close to volcanoes.
Aerial views can be beautiful and give a good overview of a large area.
Since most volcanoes are stratovolcanoes the helicopters don't actually
go down inside the volcano but do circle around the flank.
I do know of a recent example of a helicopter that did go to far down
inside a volcano. A crew from the U.S. mainland came to Hawaii to film
scenes of the lava pond inside the Puu Oo crater for a movie. The pilot
flew the helicopter through the gas plume above the crater which caused
the engine to loose power. The helicopter crashed on the floor of the
crater not far from the active lava lake. Fortunately all three
passengers were rescued by park rangers. Helicopters in Hawaii now must
fly at least 1,000 feet above the ground.
If you get to come to Hawaii be sure to visit the lava by walking out at
the end of Chain of Craters Road. When possible, the rangers let you
experience the lava from only a few feet away.
Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota
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