I flew over an erupting Icelandic volcano on a private jet. Maybe You Can, Too

My first day in Iceland last August it was clear and sunny, a tourist’s dream. And it was a great day to squeeze in some sightseeing that I hadn’t originally signed up to do: flying over the Reykjanes peninsula in a helicopter to get a bird’s-eye view of the active volcanoes, especially Sundhnúksgígar.

Ryan Connolly of Hidden Iceland, the tour company that helped me plan my trip, suggested a last-minute helicopter ride because the volcano on the southwestern tip of the island had just begun to erupt. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I paid for the helicopter ride on my phone at 1 pm after arriving in Iceland that morning at 6:15. After a short nap at the hotel, I drove two hours to the meeting place, located 10 minutes from downtown Reykjavík, on a 7pm flight that night.

The helicopter seats a total of six people, including the pilot, with a little room to maneuver. Based on the height and weight of myself and the people I was riding with, I was well placed in the back right of the helicopter. The cabin had floor-to-ceiling glass windows so we could see everywhere. We all put on headphones with microphones, the only way we could communicate over the roar of the helicopter.

A few minutes after takeoff, the pilot described the sights below, which at first consisted of a city but soon became a vast, empty, and dark landscape. As the helicopter dipped to the right, the erupting volcano came into full view with magma rising and glowing red and orange, a stark contrast to the black earth. We could see the magma flowing down the side, getting thinner and thinner as it moved farther down the slope. The pilot circled the volcano several times so that the passengers on the left and right could get a good look before flying to a nearby quiet area and explaining its history.

Safety Rules

Jón Grétar Sigurðsson, owner of Atlantsflug, the helicopter tour company I used, explains that organizing these flights has become common since the explosions have become more common. “We are flying according to aviation rules. Usually when the explosion starts, the area is closed to everyone. But now the Icelandic government has established certain flight routes that we follow and certain procedures, [including] the distances of how close we can get and at what level we should stay.”

When I arrived that night, the flight ahead of me was delayed. So, I waited in the office with other guests where we chatted, drank coffee, and watched a live feed of the volcano.

In general, there are two main reasons why a flight may be delayed or canceled. “Sometimes the area is closed to all the work plans because the government makes certain measurements,” said Sigurðsson. “Something that can happen without much information. Weather can be a factor, especially in winter. If there is a delay in the first flight or two, we usually take it to the third flight to re-enter the contract.”

How They Monitor Volcano Activity

According to Sigurðsson, the Icelandic government is watching the volcano’s activity and is always on the lookout. He says: “It’s like a patient who is constantly cared for in a hospital. “I would say they measure a lot and watch the elevation of the earth in millimeters. In the graph, we can see when the eruption started and the ground sinks again. While the eruption continues, and begins to rise again, we know that the magma collects in the same chamber. I was showing the pilot this morning that there is a definite increase in the development of the area, and it is a repeat of what happened last time.”

Volcanic eruptions are common in Iceland and something Sigurðsson says they can expect in the next 30 to 100 years.

My helicopter ride that August night took about 40 minutes, six of us circling the volcano from left side to right side and back. It was smoky but headed in the opposite direction of our flight pattern, giving us a clear view of the volcano. As the pilot flew into the airport, I saw the world becoming more populated again before we landed. A good stay put me on the floor, and I headed to my hotel that night happy to be in the right place at the right time.

Note: Since this article was written there have been other explosions in the same area. According to Iceland’s Connolly, it’s still business “as usual with international flights, highways, local infrastructure, and travel anywhere outside of the eruption site, including Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon.” Currently, the only safe way to see the volcano is by helicopter.