J&J Shop Heliair opened its doors in 2013, providing helicopter rides locally, at various events. What started out as a small business venture that was more of a hobby with the owner and one pilot, soon expanded into something more. In May of 2015, J&J Shop Heliair acquired Ken Cordrey's Rally Helicopters, hiring Ken as a pilot expanded the business from a small hobby to a fully functioning business. The business then could provide rides at various events along with daily scenic helicopter tours, by adding two additional pilots to the team. We also added a fresh college graduate to manage and maintain the business and marketing. In 2018, we added another helicopter to our air fleet and began offering tours from Eagle's Crest Airport just off the shoreline of Rehoboth Beach, DE to offer tours throughout the Delaware and Maryland Beaches.
J&J Shop Heliair is a family-owned business, we as a family are now happily providing scenic helicopter tours around the beautiful Ocean City, MD & Rehoboth Beach, DE area. We also provide helicopter rides at local town events, car shows, carnivals, fairs, and any event willing to have us where promoting a family environment, and ensuring a fun time is the main focus.
We are always willing to provide views from above, no matter the event. If you are in the market for something new and exciting to spice up your next family reunion, birthday party, or business picnic, please give us a call. We will be available with reasonable pricing options, offering a great new twist of excitement for your event! Helicopter rides for everyone will create an unforgettable memory for all of your family and friends.
Have you ever wanted to become a licensed pilot? We also have a certified flight instructor on staff, and will be able to make your dreams of becoming a pilot, come true!
We have 4 professional pilots available for flights, David Fetsko, Ken Cordrey, Blair Messner, and Lyle Humpton! Each bringing years of experience to the team and have logged countless flight hours. We are ready and thrilled to be of service for all your flight needs. Below, you can see bios on our pilots and get to know your pilot's background prior to your flight. Don't forget to stop by our Tours page to see a descriptive list of our daily tours that overlook both the Ocean City, Marlyand airport and Rehoboth Beach, DE area, to find which tour fits you best. We look forward to seeing you at our next event or providing you with one of our scenic helicopter tours.
Always remember, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO FLY!
Jay is the Owner of J&J Shop Heliair, and has been an entrepeneur for over the last 25 years. His business is a partnership-based, successful welding fabrication company, this is where Jay began making his mark in the business world. Since he was a young boy, he always had an interest in the mechanics of things, taking apart motors and putting them back together without even thinking. On the family farm sat an old Benson Gyro-Copter, looking at this everyday sparked his interest in aviation, giving him the dream of one day being able to fly himself. About 10 years ago, he was introduced to David Fetsko, with whom Jay began taking lessons and achieved his lifelong goal of becoming a helicopter pilot. Jay is now a private and comercially rated helicopter pilot. As a hobby, Jay and Dave started going to different events providing short up-and-down helicopter rides. This later turned into J&J Shop Heliair, a company providing beach tours and sightseeing adventures over Ocean City, MD. As they say, "Do something you love and you will never work a day in your life"; which Jay has done, turning his hobby into a profession.
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Dave is a well-rounded aviation specialist, and has been involved with the aviation field for the last 40 plus years. He has logged over 6,000 accident free flight hours as a pilot and Certified Flight Instructor. With numerous types of aircraft experience, including Cessna, Pipper and Bell, this makes Dave one of our top pilots. Along with his vast experience, he is also a factory trained mechanic for Enstrom, Bell, and Robinson Helicopters in addition to Associated Power Plants. |
"I can remember at a very early age, probably 7 or 8, my grandparents lived just a short distance from a little country airport. On Sundays, we would go visit with them after church, and the first thing I would do is strike out for the airport to watch the planes take off and land, all day long. That little airport is still there today, Laurel Airport in Laurel, DE. The ole guy that ran the airport- Mr. John Reed, took pity on me one day. I guess he got tired of watching me hanging around and offered me a ride. He must've figured he would either scare me off or hook me for chores around the airport for a ride ever now and then. He didn't scare me off, and sure had me hooked! I can remember that day like it was yesterday and I think that's why I get so much joy out of taking young people for rides today. That was some 50 years ago, and I'm thinking 50 some years from now, after I'm gone, a little kid will remember that helicopter ride and the ole guy that took them!
Laurel Airport is where I soloed my first airplane when I was still in high school back in 1967 and has been a part of my aviation history since. The majority of my flying career has been in the agricultural part of aviation (crop dusting) for nearly 30 years. In 2010 I spent a winter season in Key West, Florida and got a little part-time job flying tourists around the island and fell in love with sharing the fascination of flying with others. That's when I decided, I wanted to continue to do it when I retired from crop dusting. In 2011, I retired from agricultural flying, reeling in my last season out in the Midwest. I started looking for something to do and I decided to return to my hometown, Ocean City, and figured this would serve as a perfect place to share my passion by giving helicopter tours like I had in Key West. It really never gets old seeing all of the smiles we create!
When I'm not flying around in the helicopter, I like to spend my time at old classic car & motorcycle shows, riding my Harley with my group of friends, and fishing when I get the chance. All seem to be popular things to do here on the Eastern Shore, and seem to fit right in with helicopters! Who wants to retire when we're having this much fun!?"
-Ken Cordrey |
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Blair Messner resides in Wilmington, DE and has been a commercial pilot for 29 years and a Certified Flight Instructor for 26 years, having a total of 4,300 hours of flight time in a helicopter and a total of 1,350 hours of flight in an airplane.
Blair came by his love of flying honestly as his father was an Air Force Pilot, and his brother was both a Navy Aviator and commercial airline pilot for Delta Airlines. Growing up, he spent free time building gliders and model airplanes.
He comes highly qualified, not only for his years of experience as a commercial pilot with CFI Experience, but he also has additional experience from being an Army Aviator for 28 years, Military Aviation Safety officer for 20 years, and has been instrument-rated for airplanes and helicopters for 25 years. Blair has very broad experience stemming from his work in Emergency Medical Helicopter Transportation with the Crozer Burn Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Railroad police in Philadelphia, Delaware River and Bay Police, Military Instrument Flight Instructor, and Corporate Pilot in Lear Jets and Westwind.
Since elementary school, Lyle Humpton dreamed of becoming a Naval Aviator. His father and father-in-law both wore the Navy Wings of Gold. Designated a Naval helicopter pilot in 1982, Lyle flew on active duty for 13 years, including deployment workups and six extended battle group deployments to the North Atlantic and Mediterranean operating theaters. As a Squadron Operational Pilot, he held designations as Instrument Check Pilot, NATOPS (Procedural Check Pilot), Maintenance Test Pilot, Detachment Officer-In-Charge and Squadron Operations Officer. He received his FAA designation as an instrument-rated commercial helicopter pilot in 1983.
Even more important than his professional qualifications is his pure joy and love of life each day! Every day of life is a blessing; every day is A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO FLY! Sharing the joy of flight and seeing others' faces light up when they have their own invigorating experience flying over the beautiful scenery of the Eastern Shore...priceless!
Come fly with us!
Remember! Flying is one thing...but to hover is divine! |
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OCEAN CITY, MD AIRPORT (MARYLAND TOURS)
