Want to make the most of a two-day break when money is no bar? Drive to the airport, hire a chopper and fly off to dreamland.

The directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) has given the green signal for non-scheduled — better known as chartered — flight services from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport. “A parking bay with night parking facilities, maintenance base and office space have been allotted to three operators,” airport director V. K. Monga told Metro.

There are more than 50 air-taxi and non-scheduled flight operators in India but this would mark a first in the eastern region. The pay-and-fly fleet — scheduled to take-off next month — will offer helicopters and small aircraft. The standard hiring-rate range is from Rs 55,000 per hour (four-seater chopper) to Rs 1.4 lakh per hour (13-seater Cessna).

Sky Airways (backed by the M.L. Agarwal group, with business interests in Orissa’s mining and steel sectors), Dove Airlines (backed by Usha Martin and EMTA groups) and ZAV Airline (of Zav group, into aluminium and iron ore) have queued up for chartered services. The move is in response to the growing demand from business houses, private companies, foreign firms eyeing investment options, movie companies and some individuals.

Bookings must be made with time to spare, as pilots of non-scheduled flights must inform the Air Traffic Control (ATC) two hours before take-off. While helicopters can fly 500 km at a stretch, the aircraft can fly 1,000 km without refuelling.

All districts in Bengal have helipads, said operators of chartered flights, for choppers to land. The operator will seek landing permission from the district authorities once the destination is fixed. Landing in remote areas is not ruled out, but the ground must be hard enough.

Sky Airways has bought two BELL 206 helicopters (four-seater) and one BELL 407 helicopter (five-seater). Next week, a 10-seater Islander craft will be added. “There will be tie-ups with travel agencies to facilitate bookings,” said Partha Pratim Dutta Majumdar, CEO, Sky Airways.

Dove airlines will start off with a six-seater Cessna Citation aircraft, confirmed an official of the Usha Martin group.

“There is a definite demand from private companies for air taxis and chartered flights. Now, they can book these from Calcutta,” said Kishor Zavery, chairman of Zav Airways, which is bringing in four helicopters (seven and 15-seaters) and a Cessna craft.

Operators have put down “VIP and corporate flying, joy rides, industrial area visits, film shoots, and aero-medical services” as the prime pushers.