Acadia Air Tours
Acadia Air Tours
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5.0
549 reviews
Excellent
525
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14
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3
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4
Terrible
3
Craig M
3 contributions
Aug 2022
I've been coming up here for three years and saw the bi-plane overhead the first year. It wasn't flying last year and thought it wasn't flying at all. Was driving by the airfield one day and there was the bi-plane. Pulled in and found out it was flying. 30 minutes later I was in the air. Clear day, open cockpit, a great pilot that pointed out all the interesting sites and history of the area. The view from the sky really lets you see the amazing landscapes and vistas. Will do it again next. Thanks to all at Acadia Air.
(Also known as scenicflightsofarcadia.com )
(Also known as scenicflightsofarcadia.com )
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J Q
4 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Had the pleasure of flying with Neal at the acadia scenic tours. One of the best things Id recommend to do while in bar harbor. Did a hour flight and was able to capture perfect views of the island/surrounding lighthouses and the impeccable landscape this area has to offer. But not only were the views from above great the service and professionalism from Pilot Neal were even better. Neal is a recent local who’s been living in the area for quite sometime so his knowledge of the area is top notch. Feeling safe and having fun from start to finish really made this whole experience worth while. Couldn’t thank Neal enough for his time and service to showcase what this business and area have to offer. Thanks again Neal and Scenic tours of Acadia! I will be back to do it again!
Written October 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
drums324
North Smithfield, RI74 contributions
Aug 2011 • Couples
We took the 40 minute glider ride. It's one of the few gliders that can fit two people other than the pilot. It was amazing. We chose the glider because we could actually fly over the National Park. No engines can fly over the park because it is too noisy. I have to say I was apprehensive flying with no engine, but the pilot was very experienced and taught us how he used the clouds and updrafts as we went. It was very informative! We were pulled up into the sky by another bi-plane. It was very smooth! The view was well worth it. The plane releases the tow line about 15 minutes into the flight. It is relatively quiet in the plane. It is a VERY tight fit. Make sure you are comfortable sitting almost on your partner's lap! The pilot makes it as comfortable as possible. I wouldn't recommend a flight more than 40 minutes, as my husband's leg fell asleep. The craziest part was the landing. I don't enjoying landing even in a commercial plane, but it was invigorating! Very smooth. Hint: if you give them enough of a tip, the pilot will give you the memory card from the video camera that's mounted on the wing! You can find their satellite office down near the boat ramp in Bar Harbor. They take off and land from the local airport, down the road from the park.
Written August 17, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Passenger754607
8 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
I had a feeling from the get go that this whole experience was going to be a sh!tshow ... and I was right! The company has terrible customer service. It's owned by Steve, who NEVER answers the phone (you can't leave a message because the mailbox is full) and every number they list on the website gets sent to his cell phone that he doesn't answer! He also doesn't respond to text messages or emails. I booked this air tour for 4 people in Feb for May. He was happy to charge my credit card right away but I never heard from him again & I never received the confirmation email I requested, twice. Basically took my money & ran. The day of our flight (which I tried to confirm because 1- they never bothered to & 2-the weather wasn't great but of course ZERO response from Steve) we show up in their office location in Bar Habor (as we we're directed to do) & the kids in the office looked shocked to see us since "we're not even really open until Memorial Day & there's nothing on the schedule today". Luckily I had the one piece of paper I had been taking notes on that showed we actually did schedule for that day & requested the courtesy van to the airport. Danielle did try to reach Steve to sort out the mess but as usual had no luck since he doesn't answer...ever! Poor Danielle, she did try to fix the issue & ultimately gave me the credit card refund right then & there. She was very apologetic but clearly this was not her fault & she was just trying to make it right! She was great & I really felt bad for her as she was doing the best she could.
The sign in the window that says... yes we're flying today was just the icing on the cake. For just under $500 I got a lot of aggravation & nothing else.
Danielle in the office 5 stars!
Steve the owner, negative 5 stars... learn how to run a business!
The sign in the window that says... yes we're flying today was just the icing on the cake. For just under $500 I got a lot of aggravation & nothing else.
Danielle in the office 5 stars!
Steve the owner, negative 5 stars... learn how to run a business!
Written May 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve G
Maine, United States2 contributions
Oct 2014 • Family
My family bought me a flight for my 60th birthday. Steve was our pilot and he was great. He explained everything we were seeing from the air and we had a fantastic trip. My face hurt when we landed because I never stopped smiling for the entire flight!!!
Written October 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin W
Newport Beach, CA1 contribution
Jul 2013 • Couples
A girlfriend and I booked a glider tour with Acadia Air Tours last year. I am a medium size man and she is a small woman and the two of us just managed to squeeze into the back seat of the cockpit. I am not complaining about that but you should be aware that if you put two people in the glider that you might not fit depending on the size of the people and that even if you do fit that it will be a tight squeeze with the two of you pressed very close together.
The company did not give an adequate description of just how tight the two of us would be in the glider but even if they had we would have still went on the tour. That is not why I am giving them a poor review.
When we met the owner he was barely friendly. They tried to up-sell us to a longer tour (which is fine) but when we declined the small pretence of friendliness on the owners part dropped away completely.
The pilot was extremely talkative from the beginning until the end of the tour.
Being up in the air with the incredible views of the beautiful Maine coast below was breathtaking. I just wish we could have appreciated it in silence.
The pilot talked non-stop almost the entire tour and in a manner that was often unprofessional. He complained about his boss and various other work related issues. He also frequently spoke about personal things that had no relation to the tour.
He seemed much more interested in talking to and trying to impress my girlfriend than in speaking to me.
When I would ask him about the features of landscape that we were seeing below us such as the names of various bays, rivers, harbors, and mountains he more often than not could not identify them.
It is hard to imagine how he manages to gives tours of the same area day after day without learning the basic descriptions of the sights his guest see.
Several times I strongly hinted at the fact that we would prefer to enjoy the beautiful sights in silence but he either did not get it or chose to ignore me.
I would have come right out and asked him not to continuously talk but you have to remember that our lives were literally in this man's hands and the last thing I wanted to do was upset him or appear rude.
When I read negative reviews on tripadvisor I often get the feeling that the reviewer has some animosity or grudge against the people or business that they are leaving the review for. I want to say that that is not the case here. We enjoyed our glider ride despite the staffs poor behaviour and feel no animosity towards them.
But the truth is that the tour would have been much better if the staff had had no part of it. If the same tour had been given sometime in the future when robots could have greeted us and checked us in and then flown the glider for us it would have been a much better tour.
I have read comments in some of the of the other reviews that echo some of the negative aspects that we experienced and yet those reviewers still ended up giving the business a good rating. If the people working at the business add nothing positive to the experience by being there then I do not feel that they deserve a positive rating regardless of how beautiful it is to be up in a glider above the Maine coast.
There is another air tour company in the area but unfortunately they do not have gliders. If you choose to go on one of Acadia air tour's tours I would be honest and tell your pilot at the beginning of the tour that you would prefer to not make lots of conversation during the tour because you are hoping to have the chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the area in relative silence.
The company did not give an adequate description of just how tight the two of us would be in the glider but even if they had we would have still went on the tour. That is not why I am giving them a poor review.
When we met the owner he was barely friendly. They tried to up-sell us to a longer tour (which is fine) but when we declined the small pretence of friendliness on the owners part dropped away completely.
The pilot was extremely talkative from the beginning until the end of the tour.
Being up in the air with the incredible views of the beautiful Maine coast below was breathtaking. I just wish we could have appreciated it in silence.
The pilot talked non-stop almost the entire tour and in a manner that was often unprofessional. He complained about his boss and various other work related issues. He also frequently spoke about personal things that had no relation to the tour.
He seemed much more interested in talking to and trying to impress my girlfriend than in speaking to me.
When I would ask him about the features of landscape that we were seeing below us such as the names of various bays, rivers, harbors, and mountains he more often than not could not identify them.
It is hard to imagine how he manages to gives tours of the same area day after day without learning the basic descriptions of the sights his guest see.
Several times I strongly hinted at the fact that we would prefer to enjoy the beautiful sights in silence but he either did not get it or chose to ignore me.
I would have come right out and asked him not to continuously talk but you have to remember that our lives were literally in this man's hands and the last thing I wanted to do was upset him or appear rude.
When I read negative reviews on tripadvisor I often get the feeling that the reviewer has some animosity or grudge against the people or business that they are leaving the review for. I want to say that that is not the case here. We enjoyed our glider ride despite the staffs poor behaviour and feel no animosity towards them.
But the truth is that the tour would have been much better if the staff had had no part of it. If the same tour had been given sometime in the future when robots could have greeted us and checked us in and then flown the glider for us it would have been a much better tour.
I have read comments in some of the of the other reviews that echo some of the negative aspects that we experienced and yet those reviewers still ended up giving the business a good rating. If the people working at the business add nothing positive to the experience by being there then I do not feel that they deserve a positive rating regardless of how beautiful it is to be up in a glider above the Maine coast.
There is another air tour company in the area but unfortunately they do not have gliders. If you choose to go on one of Acadia air tour's tours I would be honest and tell your pilot at the beginning of the tour that you would prefer to not make lots of conversation during the tour because you are hoping to have the chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the area in relative silence.
Written August 29, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I am Steve Collins, owner of Acadia Air Tours. From what I get out of all of this is that you enjoyed your flight but were disappointed in the staff, including me. For this I am sorry and sincerely apologize. Not sure what I did to make you feel unappreciated or that I was being rude? Perhaps if you could be more specific in your reviews. I could be more specific in my response. Nonetheless, I do try and I do care what you and others think of our staff and I have already taken steps to correct the situation.
As for the tight fit in the glider, you are right! the cockpit is a little small for some couples, Our website and brochures clearly state that there is a combined weight limit of 350 lbs. Also, I might add parenthetically, that our glider has the largest cockpit of any glider in the industry. Gliders must be constructed somewhat compact in order to reduce drag and enhance performance.
Of course, passenger weight is always a sensitive issue, so there is a reluctance on the part of the staff to tell people what they sometimes need to hear, i.e., "you weigh too much."
Written August 1, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BEL
Ohio16 contributions
Sep 2019
GLIDER flight with Jeff was UNIQUE!. The skies, the views and the environment were wonderful. Jeff explained, and had us experience the thermal effects on our glider. He traveled from cloud to cloud and played with the winds and the atmosphere. Meanwhile he pointed out all kinds for special effects the tides had on the islands around Acadia National park, such as the house, miles away from the shore which becomes ocean front property twice a day because the tide hits the property... He made a special last turn to show us the bald eagle he spotted low on a branch: Breathtaking! The Go Pro he uses provides a unique memory.
Written September 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ken G
2 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
Last week my daughter, who is 10, and I had the pleasure of doing this helicpter tour in and around Acadia. It was fantastic. Our pilot, Dan, was also fantastic. He was very knowledgable about the area and he made the whole experiance fun for me and, especially, my daughter.
Written June 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex S
Saint Albans, Vermont, United States9 contributions
Jul 2016 • Solo
I purchased the lighthouse tour the website states you fly 40 to 45 minutes and see 7 lighthouse the tour I went on lasted 40 minutes and I saw 3 lighthouse. The plane ride was very nice, however if you want to take pictures don't waste your time on the biplane. With all the struts and fuel lines between the wings you can not get a clean focus shot.
Written June 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We take disappointed customers seriously at Acadia Air Tours. For this reason I am offering you a free flight in our Cessna 182 which has the wing on top of the plane. Hopefully this will compensate for the fact that you were unable to get the photo shots you were looking for in the biplane.
My only suggestion for you to avoid this situation in the future is to evaluate the aircraft you are considering flying in before you book your flight. The photo limitations of a biplane are readily apparent while sitting on the ground, before you take off.
Please give us a call to book your free flight.
Written July 2, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jack H
Mayo55 contributions
Oct 2011 • Couples
From start to finish our experience with Steve and the whole crew, especially our pilot Dave Genet, at Acadia Air Tours was first class. Steve took the time on the phone before we arrived to discuss our options on which flight to book based on my desire to capture the Maine coast from the air. Looking ahead, he selected what was forecast to be the best weather day of our stay to fly with Dave in the Miss Charlotte Waco biplane.
The scheduled morning of our flight was pretty windy and in the low 30's. Steve suggested we back it up a day since the next morning was going to be a little more mild and the winds would be less. He also suggested moving the flight back later in the week to capture better foliage if we wanted. Customer service was really showing up in their operations. We elected to only wait an extra day, and even though the temps were still in the 30's at take-off (and a non-issue in the biplane in reality), the winds were gone and the flight was absolutely perfect.
Since my focus was to photograph while in the air, everyone offered their best advice and suggestions on how to capture the best images from a biplane. Having our pilot Dave cater to my photography, while ensuring the my wife also enjoyed the flight was very professional. He would line up for the best image and then always circle to allow her a view of the same. While Acadia Air Tours can't control the weather, it was a truly unbelievable how smooth the entire flight was. It was easy to forget that you weren't just floating down a river somewhere instead of flying 1000' -2000' above the coast at 100-120 mph.
I captured some great images as a result of the professionals associated with Acadia Air Tours. I won't try to play down the fact that a flight like this is more expensive than most of your run of the mill tours one can take while on vacation, but there is no way you can experience MDI, Acadia National Park, the lighthouses or the miles of unblemished coastline, islands, villages and harbors than from the air.
If you have the opportunity to experience this part of Maine, don't miss and opportunity to see it from above. I ensure you from the minute you take off you will be in awe of the beauty and never have a second thought about the flight.
Thank you Steve for a very professional operation and especially to Dave for a great experience.
The scheduled morning of our flight was pretty windy and in the low 30's. Steve suggested we back it up a day since the next morning was going to be a little more mild and the winds would be less. He also suggested moving the flight back later in the week to capture better foliage if we wanted. Customer service was really showing up in their operations. We elected to only wait an extra day, and even though the temps were still in the 30's at take-off (and a non-issue in the biplane in reality), the winds were gone and the flight was absolutely perfect.
Since my focus was to photograph while in the air, everyone offered their best advice and suggestions on how to capture the best images from a biplane. Having our pilot Dave cater to my photography, while ensuring the my wife also enjoyed the flight was very professional. He would line up for the best image and then always circle to allow her a view of the same. While Acadia Air Tours can't control the weather, it was a truly unbelievable how smooth the entire flight was. It was easy to forget that you weren't just floating down a river somewhere instead of flying 1000' -2000' above the coast at 100-120 mph.
I captured some great images as a result of the professionals associated with Acadia Air Tours. I won't try to play down the fact that a flight like this is more expensive than most of your run of the mill tours one can take while on vacation, but there is no way you can experience MDI, Acadia National Park, the lighthouses or the miles of unblemished coastline, islands, villages and harbors than from the air.
If you have the opportunity to experience this part of Maine, don't miss and opportunity to see it from above. I ensure you from the minute you take off you will be in awe of the beauty and never have a second thought about the flight.
Thank you Steve for a very professional operation and especially to Dave for a great experience.
Written October 14, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does anyone know what the “season” is? their website says they are closed for the season but I don’t know what that is. hoping to do this in october 2021. thanks!
Written June 15, 2021
tonyaloughlin15
Corner Brook, Canada
How much is the sunset flight for a couple and is it only on helicopter or can you go in biplane
Written January 11, 2019
The sunset flight is $75. in addition to the fee for the ride you select. Google, "Biplane Rides Over Atlanta" and click on to "flights and pricing" on the home page. Then simply click on "biplane flights" and select the tour you have an interest in. We have a total of 5 flights to choose from. If you have any questions, please call Steve at 770 393-3937. ,
Written January 15, 2019
How many passengers go per trip if we are party of 3 would we be able to fly alone or are there others who will fly with us
Written July 28, 2018
You can either fly on a "private flight" to include those persons in your party, or, you can join in with others and save $20. per person. Either wa, each passenger has their own individual window seat.
Steve
Written July 29, 2018
Steve C
Atlanta, Georgia
Our flights are 20, 40 & 60 min in length. I suggest that you Google "Acadia Air Tours" in Bar Harbor ME. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 207 667-7627.
Steve Collins, Owner/Operator
207 667-7627
Written August 6, 2015
How much does is cost and how do I make reservations?
Written July 19, 2015
Steve C
Atlanta, Georgia
Check us out on our website by googling Acadia Air Tours. As you will see, we are not a one trick pony. We offer Glider Flights for 2 people, Biplane flights for two people and Cessna 182 flights for up to four passengers. Once you decide which aircraft you are interested in, you can then select the length of flight and the flight path that bests fits your interest and budget. If you have any questions, give us a call and we will be glad to help you. HAPPY LANDINGS! Steve Collins, Owner/Operator
Written July 19, 2015
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