Core Helicopters

Learning to fly a helicopter was one of the coolest things! I got the lessons for my father for his birthday. He had a blast as well. Our originial lesson had to be canceled by Core due to the Pope being in town but they let me know ASAP with a multiple options for a new date.
When we walked in, there was no staff members around but other customers put us in the loop.
My father and I ended up extending out lesson and flying towards NYC which was amazing! A bit more expensive than I would have liked but the view was amazing. The instructors were great too. We got a fully briefing before hand and they kept giving us instructions while in the air.
The experience was amazing. Highly recommend it!

While I don’t usually write bad reviews because most or all of my companies I Unilocal are pretty awesome. This one took the cake with their «LAME CANCELLATION Policy». While most companies forgive for the 1^st time a person cancels or reschedules, this company charges a $ 35 fee each and every time. I had to reschedule mine twice, 1^st time my car caught a flat on the highway and the 2^nd was because I woke up late. While the place is awesome for the helicopter experience, but don’t miss your appointment or they’ll live on charging you whether you died on the side of the road or got ran over by a truck… you’re still being charged a fee.
I tried getting my $ 35 back of the $ 70 I paid for being late for those two rescheduled appointments. And, Liz is very helpful in stressing that as she says the company «Core Heli» thrives off of the missed appointment/​cancellation/​no show policy.

We had given our son a helicopter flight for his birthday. He thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff was great, the location easy to find, and the extended time for flight was very worth it. We were dead last so next time we will get there early, but this was very worth doing.

Terrible experience, sorry guys!
I bought the Living Social deal («helicopter lesson for 2») as a gift for my dad.
By the way this is misleading because we didn’t actually have the lesson together, we flew in separate helicopters. I was kinda bummed about that.
We were the first people to arrive for the 2pm lesson.
We sat through an incredibly boring ½-​hr safety lesson (but necessary, and the teacher was major eye-​candy), then waited about 1 ½ hours watching everyone else go on their helicopter rides. Somehow we made it to the bottom of the list (if you buy overpriced add-​ons, you jump to the top of the list, but only 1 person bought the add-​on. How did we slip to the bottom of the list after having arrived first?).
I was the dead last person to ride and was told I’d be given «extra time» because I waited so long. That sounded good to me. But, no, my lesson was actually CUT SHORT so that they could start the next group on time. The flight experience was cool, but I feel like I was screwed over.
My dad had a nice time so that’s why the 2 stars (otherwise, it would have been 1-​star). My advice: don’t waste your time with these guys!

Great experience! Tons of fun! Definitely recommend upgrading to the 25 minute ride. Wouldn’t recommend purchasing the high performance upgrade. They have ping pong and a Segway to keep you busy but be prepared to wait. We were there 3 hours. All in all great time.

This was such an amazing experience. The staff was more than professional. They were experts, helpful, and courteous. The training was great and used humor and props to convey serious professional messages. They provided a comfy space and the equipment seemed top of the line. Our only complaint was that the owner was screaming and yelling at the staff at points where it seemed as trivial as headphone preference. The staff handled themselves well, but it was a discourtesy to not only us, but to our perception of how the great staff was treated. I would recommend that he does not mix with customers or that he uses different ways of communicating everyone altogether.

Great Father’s Day gift! As you get inside, there is a tv and a few model helicopters where they do the teaching session. Reservation and groupon were definitely worth it! The pilots and ground staff were excellent! Safety is truly their main concern here. They have a Segway, a ping pong table, chairs to watch as the R22’s land and take off, and even a grill/​picnic area! Don’t bring kids unless you want to wait outside the general area (but you can watch with your kid from beside a fence as two couples did). Amazing experience and I would definitely consider going back to get my piloting license with these guys! They even give you a certificate that says you have learned the basics of helicopter flight school! Make sure you have at least two and a half hours set aside! They even have a bootleg way to let you bring your mobile device in the ‘copter! I will recommend to all!

I had a great experience. My girlfriend surprised me with this and it was just amazing. The wait time was a lil long but at the end it was all worth it.

My girlfriend got me a lesson for my birthday. Absolute blast. Started with 30minutes in the hanger/​classroom learning the controls and basics, then went outside to get ready to hop in the helicopter. Because they only have two helicopters you might have to wait for your turn, but never fear they have a pinpoint table, picnic table tvs with redbull air racing and a Segway for you to play with. Can’t wait to go again, and would recommend this to anyone.

What a great experience! I surprised my boyfriend with a flight for his birthday, and it made for SUCH a great day. All the staff was very professional and safe, and it was so cool to be able to fly! My pilot was great, even when I was nearly panicking up in the sky. The flight was only 25 min, but even before entering the helicopters we were able to hang out in the hanger playing ping pong and riding the Segway.
I would definitely recommend the extended time, even with 25 min it felt like 10 min, thought the flight of two wasn’t really worth it. We did it to try to get photos, which was a total fail. We didn’t try it, but I also heard the high impact (?) flying wasn’t worth it, but definitely get the extended time! Also, plan to be there about two hours, though we were second to last in our grouping.

It was a nice experience but a bit short… there is no real time scheduled so you’ll wait more time for flying that the real flying time.
In addition some option have a price but in order to buy those option you have to buy other option and it is not written. For exemple if you want to do a 360 loop you have to buy the 10 minutes extra time.
In addition don’t expect to have a clear view of Manthan it is still very far away.
I can thanks the hosts who were very friendly.
I checked in there and it was sais i could have free drinks, free wifi and a free ride on the floor: the wifi and the drinks were already free and the helicopter tour on the floor no more possible. Better change the «deal» in order not to be desapointed

How many people do you know who have even been in a helicopter? Well, after Core you will be 10xs cooler, because you will have actually FLOWN a helicopter!
I bought a living social voucher to pilot a helicopter for my bf’s birthday, and they really made it special for him. (Thank you Core! I got huge brownie points!)
To kick off the flight, Nam gave a short safety lesson. It was both hilariously entertaining and informational, I learned a lot even though I wasn’t the one flying. They also have top of the line helicopters and equipment. During the flight, my bf said his flight instructor was very friendly and knowledgeable. Because it was warm, they ripped the doors off the helicopters which was even more awesome!
Core offers various add-​on options to your flight:
–Extended flight ($ 65) — adds 10 minutes to your flight time
–Advanced air maneuvers ($ 25) — S turns and other crazy stuff
–Hover challenge ($ 20) — if you can hover the helicopter for 30 seconds, your flight is free
**TIP: My suggestion would be to definitely get the extended flight. Take-​off and landing (done by the instructors) cut into your flight time significantly, so getting the extended flight option increases the time you get to actually fly the plane by 2−3xs.
This is an amazing experience, you will not regret it! I see them having deals periodically, so you should definitely get it if you see one. I kind of regret not buying a voucher for myself and will probably snag another one when I see it!

What a wonderful experience! The staff was great and very friendly, the amenities while you wait are so cool they have a segway there so you can ride as well as a ping pong table to keep you entertained while your waiting to fly. This place feels like you’re at a resort. I would for sure tell anyone to take the trip out to linden to get with this company. I got tickets from groupon and have to say there were no hidden fees. Go get your adventure on!

I highly recommend this place!
They were so helpful with our appointment, my husband had a lesson and loved it. Would used them again very soon!

I originally bought this as a living social gift for my boyfriend, but he wasn’t able to use it by the expiration date, so I went in his place. I had already taken a helioopter lesson with another outfit in the past. This place was fantastic.
The lesson was easy to understand, the instructors were knowledgable but funny and friendly, and they offered an option of type of flights. I went for the adrenaline option and had a blast. Even better I was thrilled as an adventurer to see a female helicopter pilot. Loved it. They even had a bbq for us while we were waiting our turns to fly.
If you are looking for something unique to give someone for the holidays this is it.
And tell them the fast talker, Fran sent ya.

I found out about the school through living social.
Getting there was easy, just followed the directions on the website.
Upon arriving at the hangar and going inside I felt like I was in a «pimped» out bachelor pad. Very modern and stylish décor with lots of cool expensive toys to enjoy while you wait for your flight instruction.
Before flying, there is a short but informative presentation given by what seemed to be the owner. Once that is out of the way, who goes first is selected in random order (unless you get the flight for 2 option).
I was one of the first to go, my flight was with a female instructor in the yellow helicopter. This was my first time in a helicopter. It’s something I always thought about doing and I’m glad I did. I was a bit scared at first but the instructor was really helpful and made me feel like everything was under control at all times. I got to take the controls for like 7 minutes or so, which was more than enough for a n00b like me.
Extended flights are available for purchase, though I opted not get any extended flight time options, just the basics.
It was more than enough for the first time though. Afterwards I was given an official certificate of FAA Awareness training for the R22 helicopter. Very cool.
I left wanting to come back. I’ll definitely take another lesson. Who knows, I may end up being a pilot one day.

Loooong overdue review. I came in February and had an amazing experience with Core Heli. I had bought a coupon deal and drove from NYC to the airport (smooth and fast ride btw).
Once there, I also purchased the extended flight which allows for the instructor to impress you with very cool, gravity defying moves.
The flight was very smooth, beautiful scenery from up there and they give you hands-​on control pretty quickly in the air.
Crew is super nice and makes you feel safe.
Disclaimer: As much as I enjoyed the overall experience, they let you go by telling you that if you write a nice review on Unilocal (i.e 5-​stars review), they’ll offer you a free flight. So –1 star for the bribing.

I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to get into flying helicopters.
Nam runs a very friendly operation and has toys such as a segway to keep you entertained while waiting for your flight. The segway is a fun experience for those who haven’t ever tried one out.
I took an introductory lesson and didn’t get the extended flight option because I was unsure of how much I would like it but the extended flight and advanced maneuvers is highly recommended after experiencing the basic flight.

I bought the introductory flight from Living Social as a way to cross something off my bucket list. From the second I arrived, I knew this was something I was going to love. The hangar is a cool little hangout (despite being only semi-​finished at the point).
Inside the hangar, we were given a short presentation on how the helicopter works, how to fly them, and what the controls all do. Nam gave a great explanation about how everything worked. Then, he quickly explained all of the add-​ons which I was immediately sold on. After spending only $ 99 on the Living Social deal, I had no problem spending an extra $ 60 for 10 more minutes of flight time (that’s 10 minutes at the controls!) and $ 25 to be shown some advanced maneuvers like high banked S-​turns, hover-​360 and a Quick-​Stop in mid-​air.
We flew out over East Jersey State Prison in Rahway on our way over the Outerbridge Crossing and around the southern tip of Staten Island. On our way, the instructor Luis showed me some of the high-​banked S-​turns. He looked over, to make sure I was still smiling and really showed me what the helicopter was capable of.
Since the weather was so nice, we flew with my door off and I had a birds eye view of some amazing sights before turning around and heading home. Mind you, this whole time I was being talked through maneuvering the helicopter. We flew along the NJ Turnpike (which I was immediately glad I wasn’t sitting in shorebound traffic) before heading home.
I was sad to see the flight come to an end, but once we returned to the airport, Luis performed a mid-​air quick stop and did a 360 while hovering. Once we landed, I was greeted by a smiling ground crew, who I immediately started asking about how to approach getting licensed.
I’ll be back one day to get my license from Core Helicopters. However, in the mean time, I have a certificate that proves my completion of the introductory flight. My $ 99 bucket list item has become a future passion of mine, which I can’t wait to start flying again!

This is an updated review. In my older one I rated Heli Flights 2 stars because of a lack of follow up regarding a flight certificate we were supposed to get, but never received after multiple attempts to contact them. We have since been contacted by Heli Flights. They apologized for us «slipping through the cracks.» I got a couple of emails assuring me that we would get what we have been waiting for, and even got a phone call apologizing for the delay. The certificate was hand-​delivered directly to my mailbox today!
I am pleased to say that despite being a busy small business, once they realized how long I’ve waited and the multiple contact attempts they were very responsive and apologetic about the oversight. As I wrote in the previous review, given our very positive flight experience we were kind of surprised over this whole mishap, but they went above-​and-​beyond to resolve this positively for us. I’m now very happy with their service and would fly with them again, especially now that I know how well they treat their customers once the upper management gets wind of a situation. Thank you Heli Flights!