NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours in Niagara Falls just got a $25 million makeover, both in the air, with new helicopters, and on the ground, with a brand-new 30,000 sq. ft. headquarters.
The tour company moved its operations from the Niagara Falls Airport to its own large building, with a helipad out back, at 56 Acheson Drive, which is just off Buffalo Avenue.
“Really, everything is new,” Sales & Marketing Manager Patrick Keyes said. “We’re hoping that the future will be getting a lot more people to realize that you can come here all year long and get a great experience.”
Here’s a list of just a handful of the new additions to Rainbow Air:
Brand-new fleet of helicopters
“They have much larger windows, so the viewing area is much bigger and much better,” Keyes said. “The biggest thing is the capacity. The helicopters that we had been flying for the past 30 years were 4-seaters. These can hold up to 7 passengers plus the pilot.”
Helicopter rides are $180 if payment is made with a card, $175 if paid in cash. ‘Residents of the 716’ pay a discounted rate of $140.
Exclusive Virtual Reality Experience
“You spend a few seconds riding in a helicopter virtually, then all of a sudden, you jump out of the helicopter. Then, you are basically flying like a bird over The Falls for the better part of three minutes,” Keyes said. “It’s unique to us. Nobody else in the world has that experience, and we’re thrilled to offer it to people every day of the year.”
The VR experience is $25 to ride. It also includes a game element, where riders can aim to fly through targets set in the sky above the falls.
Retail Sales
“We actually now have a retail operation, when we didn’t before,” Keyes said. “We’re going from a ticket window [at the airport] and a couple of helicopters to this massive building with all these different amenities that tourists are looking for.”
With flights already taking off, the plan is not to stop here.
Keyes told me they plan to add another interactive space next year and are also exploring the development of the Niagara Business Center next door, which they already own.
WATCH: 'Everything is new': Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours unveils $25 million in upgrades
