Helicopters vs. Planes: The Debate
There are several differences between the private flying of helicopters and airplanes. The requirements might be similar, but the experiences are totally different. I personally prefer flying a helicopter for the following reasons:
Visibility: If you are interested in taking in the scenery of a specific location, then a helicopter beats an airplane hands down. While flying an airplane your view is only of the sky ahead of you, and you have to crane your neck to see anything below. Also, FAA regulations prohibit flying an airplane lower than 1000 feet above buildings, which means you will miss much of those lovely city views we all enjoy. Helicopters on the other hand put you right into the landscape. There is no other way to swoop from the city streets to the clouds and back with such ease. With an airplane often times you must fly so high you are unable to see anything more than cloud formations and weather.
Mystique: Today we live in a society where flying in airplanes is a common means of transportation. This means that we as a society no longer find flying in an airplane unique or interesting. But tell someone you fly a helicopter, and visions of army heroes and CIA spies come readily to mind. It is much more interesting and unusual to fly helicopters.
Simplicity: All in all, flying a helicopter is a fairly easy thing to do. Despite how difficult it might appear, the risks are relatively few. This is not the case with an airplane, where you must fly at high altitudes and deal with the wind currents and weather systems high above the land masses.