If you need to see as much of Grand Canyon National Park as possible in a day, take a Grand Canyon chopper tour of the South Rim. These trips are breathtaking and take you into the heart of the canyon, providing unforgettable aerial sights that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Chopper tours leave every day from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, a town that's a quick 10-minute drive from the National Park's main entrance. These trips sell out so book ahead of time (FYI - More than 5 million people visit the canyon annually, and many do helicopter tours!). Morning flights offer the best visibility. Sunset trips are available, too.

Grand Canyon South Rim airspace is strictly regulated. There aren't any bottom-landing flights. Those are only available out of Vegas and are done at Grand Canyon West. At this time, there are no flights that link up the South Rim with the West Rim.

South Rim helicopter flights begin with a low-altitude flight over the Kaibab Plateau, where you can the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world. I calculate that it takes about ten minutes to leave the rim and go into the Dragoon Corridor, the broadest, deepest section of the canyon.

In the corridor, you'll see the Tower of Ra, the Colorado River, Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon Village, and the Plateau Point Mule Trail before turning back at the majestic North Rim. To put what you will see into perspective, think about this:

A. People who enjoy the canyon from the ground see only 30 miles of the 277 that make up the National Park. Airborne travelers see 140 miles!

B. It requires no less than five hours to drive from the South Rim to the North Rim.

For those who have one or two days at the South Rim, it's obvious to me that a helicopter flight is the solution.

There are three companies that run air tours: Maverick Helicopters, Grand Canyon Helicopters and Papillon Helicopters. Papillon has the cheapest deals. Maverick is more geared toward luxury. Grand Canyon falls in the center.

South Rim helicopter trips last between 30 and 50 minutes. Most use A-Star helis. If you have the budget, I recommend you upgrade to the EcoStar 130. It is really an elite piece of machinery. It features a cabin that's 35 % bigger than its competition and theater-style seats. Additionally, it is quieter and comes with 180-degree wraparound windows.

Each flight includes a set of personal headphones. Utilize these to listen to the pre-recorded ride narration (10 languages!). Or chat with your pilot and fellow passengers. The entire flight is documented by cameras connected to the front of the helicopter as well as in the cabin. The video is reproduced to a DVD and can be purchased.

Don't ever pay full retail price for chopper tours. Shop the world wide web. Please. I have been discovering discounts that cut rates by 35%. Caveat: To obtain these special rates, you must carry out the purchase online. Realize that commissioned sales agents man the "customer service" phone numbers and will upsell you to a higher priced package.

Grand Canyon helicopters to the South Rim are the most effective and exciting way to view the National Park. The Rim is a big place. Should you explore it on foot, you will see just a sliver of it. Get airborne and you'll see four-times as much. That's a major difference. It is also the main reason that's making helicopter tours the runaway success they are today. See you up there!