Helicopter tour company offers new perspective on Spokane

From 500 feet above the ground, Gonzaga University sparkled like a gem, its red-brick buildings bathed in morning light, while the blue-gray ribbon of the Spokane River curved gently behind it.

When you’ve lived in Spokane for many years, it’s easy to become blasé about the city and the natural beauty surrounding it. However, seeing Spokane from a different vantage point fosters a new appreciation for the wonders we often take for granted.

Especially when that new perspective comes courtesy of a Robinson R44 helicopter, as it gently circles the bustling downtown area, offering an eye-popping view of Spokane Falls and cruises above historic South Hill homes. Even I-90 takes on a bit of glamour when seen from above.

“It’s fun, isn’t it?” pilot Alan Bly asked as he flew over St. John’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning. “It’s like a magic carpet ride.”

Bly is the owner/operator of White Rabbit Heli Tours – a new helicopter tour company located at Felts Field.

Bly and fellow pilot Mitch Cooke began offering tours in May, and business is taking off.

“Tonight I have an 86- and 87-year-old booked for a sunset tour to celebrate their birthdays,” Bly said.

The company has received an enthusiastic welcome from the local tourism industry.

“White Rabbit Heli Tours adds to our already dynamic list of visitor experiences,” said Cheryl Kilday, President/CEO of Visit Spokane, in an email. “We love when a new asset opens in our region, as it helps us do our job providing an experience that is truly memorable.”

Memorable experiences along with fun, adventure, and coming home again, is what led Bly, 38, to take to the skies. He attended Freeman High School and in 2001 graduated from Washington State University with a business degree. He spent many years in corporate America, working in human resources, and traveling the world while employed by an international staffing company.

“I slept in my own bed two times a month,” he said.

The glitter of the jet-set corporate lifestyle paled.

“I know the exact moment it happened,” said Bly. “I was on a business trip in Russia, on a tour of Red Square. It was my third trip there, and I looked around and went meh.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “There’s never a time that should not be cool,” he said of standing in Red Square. “That was it. That was when I knew I was done.”

When he returned, he gave his notice, packed up the San Francisco apartment he rarely slept in and moved back to Spokane.

He’d always dreamed of owning his own business, and watching tour helicopters circle while in Denali and Anchorage cemented his idea – he’d learn to fly.

“I reinvented myself at 30,” Bly said. “Early midlife crisis, I guess.”

Bly trained at Inland Helicopters at Felts Field; he worked as an instructor pilot and started the helicopter program at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. Then he took a job with Lockheed Martin in Afghanistan where he worked as an aircraft operator for the unmanned K-Max project in support of the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan.

He’d long fantasized about a job where he’d work 90 days and then have 30 days off.

“In Afghanistan, I realized that wasn’t so great,” he said.

When he came home eager to connect with friends and socialize, he discovered they were still working 9 to 5.

“You get out of sync with the rest of the world,” Bly said.

That’s when he knew it was time to realize his dream of owning a tour company. He’d always had a thing for the White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland,” so when it came time to choose a name for the company, it popped into his mind.

In 2014, he opened White Rabbit Aviation, a helicopter leasing and aviation consulting business, and launched the tour company in May.

They currently offer several 15- and 30-minute tour packages, and a custom option is also available. Tours can be scheduled May through September.

Those worried about motion sickness needn’t fear. Aside from occasional wind gusts, the flights are smooth and comfortable. The helicopter can accommodate up to three passengers.

It’s the reactions of those passengers that make the job so enjoyable for pilots Bly and Cooke.

Cooke, an Army-trained helicopter pilot, said, “This is the purest sense of flight you can get as a human.”

He added, “It’s much more fun than flying for the Army. The customers are much happier when you drop them off.”

Bly nodded. “A lot of times people are totally silent during the tour. When I ask them if they’re OK, they say, ‘It’s just so beautiful – it’s the best thing ever!’ ”