flagship course
Boat and Helicopter Tourism
Plan a small boat or helicopter tour offering with safe operations, licences, weather rules, guest care and pricing.
about this course
What you will be able to do
- Understand Explain operator duties and passenger safety.
- Apply Run briefings and weather checks.
- Analyse Compute cost per hour and per guest.
- Evaluate Judge risk and environment.
- Create Write an operations plan.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Plan a tour product with route, safety briefing, weather rules, licences, price and incident plan, working with licensed operators.
Condition
A computer, a map, a spreadsheet, two peers and a licensed operator mentor. Learners do not operate vessels or aircraft.
Standard
Licences and insurance are checked with sources; weather go/no-go rules are written; briefing covers equipment and emergencies; cost per guest is correct; peers rate Meets or better.
Who it is for: Tour planners, guides, hotel desks, port staff. Requirements: none. Materials: lesson text, worked examples, templates, rubric, quiz, tracker.
lesson by lesson
8 modules with worked examples
Module 1 Designing the tour product 3 hUnderstand
A tour is a product: a route, a time, a promise and a safety plan. Design all four before selling a single seat.
- Types: scenic loops, sunset trips, wildlife viewing, island transfers and special-occasion flights.
- Fix duration, number of guests, boarding point, landing or mooring point and toilet or rest access.
- Plan accessibility: step-free boarding, help for older guests and children, seat limits.
- Add a weather back-up: a shorter route, a new date or an indoor alternative.
Activity. Design a route with a map, timings, capacity, accessibility notes and a weather alternative.
Standard to meet. Plan a route with times, capacity, access notes and a backup plan.
Module 2 Licences, certificates and insurance 5 hApply
Only licensed operators, qualified crews and certified vessels or aircraft carry paying guests.
- Check vessel or aircraft certificates, crew licences and operator permits with the authority.
- Confirm passenger insurance and its limits in writing.
- Write down expiry dates and set reminders one month ahead.
- If the operator is a partner, you still check; you cannot hand off your duty to guests.
Activity. Build a licence and insurance checklist with source and expiry date for each item.
Standard to meet. Give every item an authority, document number or practice placeholder, and a date.
Module 3 Weather rules and go/no-go decisions 5 hApply
Safety beats schedule. Rules must be written before the day, with numbers.
- Choose limits: wind speed, wave height, visibility, cloud ceiling and temperature.
- Use two forecast sources and a rule for when they disagree: follow the cautious one.
- Name one decision maker with authority to cancel and record each decision.
- Plan the guest message: reason, new date or refund, and a thank-you.
Activity. Write go/no-go rules with numbers and a message template.
Standard to meet. Write rules with limits, a decision maker and a guest message.
Module 4 Briefing and equipment 4 hApply
Guests who understand the rules stay safe and enjoy the trip more.
- Briefing items: equipment, exits, seat belts or life jackets, behaviour and what to do in an emergency.
- Use plain words, pictures and the guests' language; ask guests to repeat key steps.
- Inspect equipment before each trip and log it.
- Special briefing for children, older guests and guests with disabilities.
Activity. Write a briefing script under five minutes and make a picture card.
Standard to meet. Script covers equipment, exits, behaviour and emergency, and a peer can repeat it.
Module 5 Emergency planning and drills 4 hEvaluate
Emergencies are rare, so practice is the only preparation.
- Plan for man overboard or passenger emergency, fire, engine or equipment failure and medical events.
- Assign roles, contacts and radio channels; keep emergency numbers visible.
- Practise a drill every month and record the time to complete it.
- Review each drill and change the plan.
Activity. Write an emergency plan and run a table-top drill.
Standard to meet. Plan has roles, contacts and drill results.
Module 6 Costs, price and break-even 4 hAnalyse
Tours are expensive to run; price must cover real costs.
- Costs: crew, fuel, maintenance, landing or mooring fees, insurance, marketing and booking fees.
- Cost per guest = hourly cost x hours / guests.
- Break-even load factor (the share of seats you must fill) = cost per trip / (price x seats).
- Seasonal pricing and group offers must stay above cost.
Activity. Build a cost sheet and break-even load factor.
Standard to meet. Calculate the maths correctly, and show the currency.
Module 7 Environment and community 3 hEvaluate
Tourism lasts only if neighbours and nature are protected.
- Noise, wildlife disturbance, emissions and waste.
- Fly or sail around nesting and breeding areas and keep minimum heights or distances.
- Use local guides and suppliers; share some benefit with the community.
- Publish your commitments.
Activity. List five environmental and community commitments with measures.
Standard to meet. Give each commitment a number or rule.
Module 8 Operations plan and guest care 3 hCreate
Bring it all together into a plan staff can follow.
- Roles, schedule, records, training and spare parts.
- Guest journey: booking, reminders, arrival, briefing, trip, thanks and feedback.
- Complaints and refunds within a stated time.
- Review each season.
Activity. Write the operations plan and present it.
Standard to meet. Plan includes roles, records, guest journey and a review date.
assessment
How you are checked
Your evidence: route plan, briefing script, go/no-go rules, price sheet. Two peers and one mentor mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Gaps | Checked | Checked with dates |
| Safety | Gaps | Plan | Drilled |
| Pricing | No costs | Costs | Break-even |
| Licence evidence | Operators unchecked | Operator licence number and expiry recorded | Licence checked on the register and the date noted |
| Passenger law and weather rules | Rules not checked | Licence, passenger limit and weather rules for the place are written down | Rules checked with the licensing body and a cancel rule tested |
Ten-question check, with model answers
Q1. Who may operate?
Model answer: Licensed operators and crew. (Covered in module 2: Licences, certificates and insurance. To pass that module: Give every item an authority, document number or practice placeholder, and a date.)
Q2. Go/no-go factors?
Model answer: Wind, visibility, waves or ceiling. (Covered in module 3: Weather rules and go/no-go decisions. To pass that module: Write rules with limits, a decision maker and a guest message.)
Q3. Briefing items?
Model answer: Equipment, exits, behaviour. (Covered in module 4: Briefing and equipment. To pass that module: Script covers equipment, exits, behaviour and emergency, and a peer can repeat it.)
Q4. Cost per guest?
Model answer: Hourly cost x hours / guests. (Covered in module 6: Costs, price and break-even. To pass that module: Calculate the maths correctly, and show the currency.)
Q5. Why drills?
Model answer: Find weaknesses. (Covered in module 5: Emergency planning and drills. To pass that module: Plan has roles, contacts and drill results.)
Q6. Insurance for?
Model answer: Passengers. (Covered in module 2: Licences, certificates and insurance. To pass that module: Give every item an authority, document number or practice placeholder, and a date.)
Q7. Why check expiry?
Model answer: Valid permits. (Covered in module 2: Licences, certificates and insurance. To pass that module: Give every item an authority, document number or practice placeholder, and a date.)
Q8. Environment control?
Model answer: Avoid nesting sites. (Covered in module 7: Environment and community. To pass that module: Give each commitment a number or rule.)
Q9. Cancel policy?
Model answer: Refund. (Covered in module 3: Weather rules and go/no-go decisions. To pass that module: Write rules with limits, a decision maker and a guest message.)
Q10. Which checks are logged?
Model answer: Equipment inspection. (Covered in module 4: Briefing and equipment. To pass that module: Script covers equipment, exits, behaviour and emergency, and a peer can repeat it.)
levels L1 to L7
The ladder, slide by slide
Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.
Slide 1 L1 Basic: Designing the tour product
L1: learner can name tour types. Focus module: Designing the tour product (Understand, 3 h). A tour is a product: a route, a time, a promise and a safety plan. Design all four before selling a single seat. Key points: Types: scenic loops, sunset trips, wildlife viewing, island transfers and special-occasion flights. Fix duration, number of guests, boarding point, landing or mooring point and toilet or rest access. Plan accessibility: step-free boarding, help for older guests and children, seat limits. Add a weather back-up: a shorter route, a new date or an indoor alternative.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A 45-minute coastal route has a 20-minute boarding window, 8 guests, a sunset slot in season and a harbour museum visit as the rainy-day alternative. Then set the activity: Design a route with a map, timings, capacity, accessibility notes and a weather alternative. Mark against the standard: Plan a route with times, capacity, access notes and a backup plan. Check at this level: Weather back-up? Model answer: A shorter route, a new date or an indoor alternative.
Slide 2 L2 Awareness: Licences, certificates and insurance
L2: learner knows licence basics. Focus module: Licences, certificates and insurance (Apply, 5 h). Only licensed operators, qualified crews and certified vessels or aircraft carry paying guests. Key points: Check vessel or aircraft certificates, crew licences and operator permits with the authority. Confirm passenger insurance and its limits in writing. Write down expiry dates and set reminders one month ahead. If the operator is a partner, you still check; you cannot hand off your duty to guests.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A tour desk finds that a boat certificate expires on 30 November. It stops selling trips after that date until the new certificate is shown. Then set the activity: Build a licence and insurance checklist with source and expiry date for each item. Mark against the standard: Give every item an authority, document number or practice placeholder, and a date. Check at this level: Who may operate? Model answer: Licensed operators and crew.
Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Weather rules and go/no-go decisions
L3: learner can read weather rules. Focus module: Weather rules and go/no-go decisions (Apply, 5 h). Safety beats schedule. Rules must be written before the day, with numbers. Key points: Choose limits: wind speed, wave height, visibility, cloud ceiling and temperature. Use two forecast sources and a rule for when they disagree: follow the cautious one. Name one decision maker with authority to cancel and record each decision. Plan the guest message: reason, new date or refund, and a thank-you.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. The rule says: no trip if wind exceeds 20 knots or visibility is under 5 km. At 07:30 the forecast shows 24 knots; the decision maker cancels and sends the message by 08:00. Then set the activity: Write go/no-go rules with numbers and a message template. Mark against the standard: Write rules with limits, a decision maker and a guest message. Check at this level: Go/no-go factors? Model answer: Wind, visibility, waves or ceiling.
Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Briefing and equipment
L4: learner can brief guests. Focus module: Briefing and equipment (Apply, 4 h). Guests who understand the rules stay safe and enjoy the trip more. Key points: Briefing items: equipment, exits, seat belts or life jackets, behaviour and what to do in an emergency. Use plain words, pictures and the guests' language; ask guests to repeat key steps. Inspect equipment before each trip and log it. Special briefing for children, older guests and guests with disabilities.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Guests repeat how to fasten a life jacket before boarding. A picture card on every seat shows the steps. Then set the activity: Write a briefing script under five minutes and make a picture card. Mark against the standard: Script covers equipment, exits, behaviour and emergency, and a peer can repeat it. Check at this level: Briefing items? Model answer: Equipment, exits, behaviour.
Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Emergency planning and drills
L5: learner can plan emergencies. Focus module: Emergency planning and drills (Evaluate, 4 h). Emergencies are rare, so practice is the only preparation. Key points: Plan for man overboard or passenger emergency, fire, engine or equipment failure and medical events. Assign roles, contacts and radio channels; keep emergency numbers visible. Practise a drill every month and record the time to complete it. Review each drill and change the plan.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A drill finds the radio channel on the sheet was wrong. The sheet is corrected and the next drill recovers a dummy in 90 seconds. Then set the activity: Write an emergency plan and run a table-top drill. Mark against the standard: Plan has roles, contacts and drill results. Check at this level: Why drills? Model answer: Find weaknesses.
Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Environment and community
L6: learner can lead. Focus module: Environment and community (Evaluate, 3 h). Tourism lasts only if neighbours and nature are protected. Key points: Noise, wildlife disturbance, emissions and waste. Fly or sail around nesting and breeding areas and keep minimum heights or distances. Use local guides and suppliers; share some benefit with the community. Publish your commitments.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. The route avoids a nesting beach in spring and keeps a set minimum height over houses. Neighbours receive a flight schedule. Then set the activity: List five environmental and community commitments with measures. Mark against the standard: Each commitment has a number or rule. Check at this level: Environment control? Model answer: Avoid nesting sites.
Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Operations plan and guest care
L7: learner can audit. Focus module: Operations plan and guest care (Create, 3 h). Bring it all together into a plan staff can follow. Key points: Roles, schedule, records, training and spare parts. Guest journey: booking, reminders, arrival, briefing, trip, thanks and feedback. Complaints and refunds within a stated time. Review each season.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. The plan reaches an average guest score of 4.7 out of 5 in the first 20 trips and cuts late arrivals with a reminder message. Then set the activity: Write the operations plan and present it. Mark against the standard: Plan includes roles, records, guest journey and a review date. Check at this level: What is in the guest journey? Model answer: Booking, reminders, arrival, briefing, trip, thanks and feedback.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Tour operations coordinator. Plans trips.
- Guest briefing host. Gives safety talks.
- Port assistant. Manages boarding.
- Booking agent. Sells tours.
- Safety records clerk. Tracks checks.
Next courses: tourism and hospitality, drone operations, customer service.
ten locations and global
Your place
Maritime and aviation law differ by place.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Write numbers in INR. Personal data rule: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to name in your evidence: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework. Consumer rule: Consumer Protection Act 2019.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Write numbers in EUR. Personal data rule: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework. Consumer rule: EU and Dutch consumer rules (14-day cooling-off for online sales).
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Write numbers in AED. Personal data rule: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Write numbers in BRL. Personal data rule: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies. Consumer rule: the Consumer Defence Code (CDC).
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Write numbers in CAD. Personal data rule: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Write numbers in USD. Personal data rule: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to name in your evidence: state and community-college credit systems. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Write numbers in SGD. Personal data rule: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Australia
Language: English. Write numbers in AUD. Personal data rule: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Write numbers in HKD. Personal data rule: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Write numbers in GEL or ILS. Personal data rule: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national qualifications framework of that country. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Write numbers in KYD. Personal data rule: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the local education and training framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Write numbers in MXN. Personal data rule: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Global
The global version uses plain English, metric units, and your own currency. Machine translation is available in every language; the English text is the official text. Before you act for real, check your local rules with an adviser. Currency: USD (or your own currency, written next to every number).
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Draft
Draft flagship. Written in our own words. Not live. Check local rules with an adviser before you act for real.