It’s not every day a girl gets to fly through the air with Father Christmas.

As I took to the sky with Santa and a sackful of presents, it certainly seemed a surreal way to spend a crisp December afternoon.

But there were no flying reindeer and this was no magic sleigh. We were 1,500ft up in the air in a magnificent Bell Jetranger helicopter – an exhilarating way to travel. I joined aviation enthusiast Ken Cothliff, who took on Santa’s role and flew in to a Christmas party, delivering presents to dozens of excited youngsters. The helicopter, loaned by aviation company Multiflight, was a single engine four-seater used for flying lessons and pleasure flights. “The Bell Jetranger is the world’s most successful commercial helicopter,” said our pilot, Chris Wood. I’d jumped at the chance to take my first helicopter flight and, climbing into the back seat, next to Santa, I felt as excited as a child on Christmas Eve. I strapped on my safety belt and put the headset on – and when the propeller started whirring above us, butterflies fluttered into my tummy.

I’ve looped-the-loop in a two-seater aeroplane, drifted for miles in a hot-air balloon and, despite being scared witless, I once jumped off a mountain to go paragliding. But nothing prepared me for the strange sensation of being lifted into the air by a giant propeller.

I felt nervous, excited and vulnerable at the same time. Suddenly we’d left the ground, but it wasn’t like taking off in a plane when it’s ‘whoosh!’ and you’re off, speeding into the sky. Slowly, the helicopter rose, hovering just above the ground before turning and climbing gradually higher.

Then we were high in the sky, looking down on a glorious patchwork quilt of snowy fields. It was like being in a bubble floating through the sky. I felt much closer to the elements than I do in a plane.

It was a clear day, enabling us to see for miles. Below us was Yeadon Tarn, sunlight twinkling on its frozen surface, then we were approaching Baildon Moor, stretched out like a winter wonderland. The helicopter shuddered a little, which Chris explained was from winds rolling across the hills below.

To our left was Salts Mill, to our right the Bingley Relief Road, with what looked like toy-town cars trundling along. Chris’s voice crackled into my headset: “Okay in the back?” “Fantastic!” I beamed. Suddenly we were approaching Bradford & Bingley Rugby & Cricket Club, where a crowd of excited children was waving up at us.

The helicopter landed on the pitch and Ken climbed out, looking splendid in his Santa suit. The journey, from Multiflight at the South Side Aviation Centre, Leeds Bradford Airport, had lasted about 15 minutes, travelling at 110 knots. Chris says an advantage of helicopters is that you can travel from point-to-point quickly and efficiently.

A commercial helicopter pilot and Civil Aviation Authority examiner, Chris started flying at the age of 18. As a boy he visited air shows and was a regular in Ken’s aviation shop, Air Supply, in Yeadon.

Chris says flying helicopters is more complicated than flying planes. “There’s more involved. You’re operating it with your feet and hands. I enjoy the fact that, as a pilot, you have more interaction with the passengers; it’s not like in a plane where you’re in the cockpit,” he said. “This is a single engine helicopter. It can only fly in daylight when you can see the ground. Twin engines are more powerful; you can fly them day and night, and in cloud.”

Multiflight has a training school and charter/pleasure flight service. Trainees work towards a private pilot’s licence with a minimum of 45 hours starting in a two-seater Robinson R22.

There are pleasure flights in helicopters and two and four-seater aeroplanes. “It’s great in January and February when I take people up who’ve had flights for Christmas presents,” smiled Chris. “We do pleasure flights and half-hour trial lessons.” Multiflight has a fleet of helicopters and is the only charter operator in the North of England with two Dauphin AS365 helicopters for hire. One of them, a luxurious ten-seater, belongs to footballer Michael Owen.

Leaving Santa handing out presents at the party, Chris and I flew back to Yeadon. This time I sat with him in the front, the fabulous scenic view rolling out beneath us.

Approaching Multiflight, we descended towards the runway, and it looked as if we were going to land there. “Surely not,” I thought, remembering that, unlike an aeroplane, a helicopter doesn’t have wheels to land on before screeching to a halt along a runway.

Suddenly, using his control stick, Chris turned the helicopter to the left towards the area we’d set off from, and gently we landed. It was a fabulous experience, I’d go up again in an instant.

A trial flying lesson is now top of my Christmas present list… Trial flying lessons start from £96. There’s a free introductory aviation evening at Multiflight on the first Monday of every month at 7pm, aimed at removing the mystery and apprehension of learning to fly. For details about this or any of Multiflight’s services, ring (0113) 2387130 or visit multiflight.com. Multiflight bookings are also available from Air Supply on High Street, Yeadon. Ring (0113) 250 9581.

Factfile

Multiflight was formed in 1994 by technology entrepreneur David Hood, who founded Shipley-based Pace Micro Technology plc. His passion for flight stemmed from being a passenger on a pleasure flight helicopter from Bolton Abbe. He learned to fly and was awarded his Twin Squirrel helicopter pilot’s licence.

He bought Knight Air, an aviation business location on the south side of Leeds Bradford Airport, and started aircraft maintenance work and private pilot’s licence and commercial flight training.

Multiflight acquired Yorkshire Light Aircraft Limited and the Yorkshire Flying Club as part of redevelopments at the airport.

“We saw an opportunity to develop a first-class aviation facility that would not only offer flying enthusiasts like myself a great place to learn to fly, but also provide a one-stop shop for professionals and charter customers with a flight training centre, specialist engineering, aircraft management and sales and executive aircraft handling departments,” said David, Multiflight’s chairman.

Multi-million pound investment has transformed the south side of the airport, creating one of the country’s top facilities of its kind, catering for all sizes of aircraft, from light aircraft to VIP business jets and 757s.