We have been put in contact with the man that plans to bring this to Bulgaria and will be covering developments throughout the coming year.

Why no heli-skiing in Bulgaria before?

The first thing that comes to people’s minds is cost and on face value, it seems expensive and out of reach to most of us that are not pro-skiers or riders who are part of team with an annual filming budget for trips to Alaska.

At between €12-15 per minute to charter a small 4 seat chopper from Sofia (which is NOT suitable for heli-ski), you don’t need a calculator to work out hiring a more appropriate machine and specialist guide can be a little pricey and out of reach for most budget conscious skiers coming to Bulgaria.

Also, to the layman, it seems simple: Jump in helicopter, take off, land on high-peak, jump out and ride.  However, ask any veteran “chopper-jockey” and they will tell you it’s not quite that simple.

As a chopper climbs, the air gets less dense which means the rotors are less effective at lifting the machine and its passengers. Most small commercial helicopters have a “ceiling” of about 3,000 meters… on a VERY, VERY good day and considerably less on a bad one.

“Great” you say, as you consider that even the highest peaks in Bulgaria do not exceed more than 2,500 meters.

Not really. This “ceiling” is often the absolute limit and the machine, if it makes it that high in the first place, will become highly unstable and unresponsive at altitudes where the air is so thin that so much as a small breeze will make the chopper career off course, possibly into the peak it’s hovering next to.

There are however choppers that can make it!

Getting the right equipment

We mean the helicopter again.

Just as you would not consider going snowboarding in a three-piece suite, you shouldn’t really consider heli-skiing in any aircraft that has not been designed for the job of working at altitude.

Basically you need power. Lots and lots of power!

In 2005 a Ecureuil AS 350 B3 was landed at over 8,000m on the summit of Mount Everest by Eurocopter test pilot Didier Delsalle making both man and machine world record breakers for the highest altitude helicopter landing ever. A record which will be hard to break for sure when you consider there is not much else higher to land on here on earth!

But at just over $2 million dollars a pop, these machines are out of reach of most aviators.

Red Tape

The other factor apart from the price-tag of the chopper itself is potential red tape for the heli-operator to cut through. In any other European country, taking paying clients to the highest peaks, landing, disembarking and guiding snow sports enthusiasts to another HLS (Helicopter Landing Site) down the mountain is not an easy task or one that most insurance companies or even governments will agree to.

However, here in Bulgaria, private aircraft ownership can be almost counted on one hand in terms of actual owners. This means that there is actually very, very little (in terms of legislation) to stop a chopper pilots landing almost anywhere they want, penalty free. As one Bourgas based pilot we questioned commented, ”You want a helicopter landing pad? Give me a 20 meter piece of ground and a can of white spray paint and you got it!”

For sure, if heli-skiing does take-off (excuse the pun) here in Bulgaria, the Government is more than likely going to get involved at some point even if only imposing its own guidelines or safety procedures.

But don’t forget, if helicopters such as the Eurocopter do start operating in Bulgaria, there are added benefits for ski-lift operators who will suddenly have access to high-altitude casualty evacuations (CASEVAC) for their most serious on-piste injuries (amongst other duties) so the introduction of a commercial heli-ski operation could literally save lives and make Bulgaria an even more appealing place for experienced, hard-core skiers and riders to visit.

The Future

So, is Bulgaria about to get a proper heli-ski operation?

It looks that way.

We have confirmed reports that a prominent Bulgarian businessman is currently in negotiations to purchase a Eurocopter AS 350 in time for the 2011/2012 season complete with ski skids and skid cages for equipment (or bodies!).

There are certainly enough experienced guides in Bulgaria to safely take paying clients down unmarked mountain slopes and with the changing climate, heli-skiing may be the best (hopefully not the only) way to ensure you are 100% guaranteed of having at least one powder day on your holiday. There are also existing heli-pads around the Bansko and Sofia areas.

In summary, if you are sitting in front of your PC reading this at the same time as playing one of those “extreme” movies of mohicaned skiers jumping out of a chopper as it hoovers above a frighteningly tight gully, you need to start saving!

Based on other parts of the world, €450 can help you achieve this “you weren’t there man” experience. So if you smoke, stop. If you drive, take the bus. If you have more than one girlfriend, think about getting married (joint incomes are for winners!).

Do whatever you have to because you can’t really say you are an experienced “powder hound” until you have carved your first white line after exiting the side door of a chopper with your skis on!

More news on heli-ski Bulgaria coming soon!