Being born and raised in Bermuda, I have seen magnificent sunsets, the iconic white roofs and the famous pink sand beaches.

But it was not until I flew 1,500ft above the island this week that I truly appreciated the beauty and wonder of the country.

Heather Nicholds, the owner and pilot at Blue Sky Flights, invited The Royal Gazette to tour the island aboard her Cessna 172 aircraft, and I accepted the assignment.

Blue Sky Flights took off on its inaugural flight earlier this month but Ms Nicholds, 41, earned her pilot’s licence when she was 18 and has logged more than 900 hours of flying time since then.

In addition to her vast flying experience, her vibrant and easygoing personality will make even the most nervous flyer feel at ease within minutes of meeting her.

I boarded the plane on Monday in warm and sunny conditions ideal for touring the island.

The tour was scheduled for 1pm and began promptly. I was gazing down at luxurious homes in Tucker’s Town minutes after Ms Nicholds closed the door of the aircraft.

The 50-minute adventure, which costs $450 for two people, began by flying over the island’s South Shore beaches, which Ms Nicholds said was a favourite with passengers.

Despite visiting Horseshoe Bay almost every week as a child during summer months, I never realised how much the beach resembled an actual horseshoe until taking the tour.

Ms Nichols then flew west to Daniel’s Head, where the tip of the Vixen shipwreck was visible, and Dockyard, where the solar-panel-covered roofs looked like dominoes.

She then crossed the Great Sound to the City of Hamilton, where the buildings below looked like miniatures.

Ms Nicholds returned to the airport along the North Shore, which has a much rockier coastline than the South Shore, but was still marvellous to see from a plane.

She happily answered any and all questions I had about the tour and Bermuda. We spoke through a headset that blocked outside noise.

Ms Nicholds also offers 30-minute tours for two for $250, which takes passengers over the South Shore to Hamilton and the North Shore back to the airport.

I would definitely recommend the tour to anyone looking for one-of-a-kind views of the island from an experienced pilot and knowledgable guide.

Potential clients should be warned about the size of the plane. It’s one of the smallest I have ever boarded.

Ms Nicholds bought the plane, VQ-BDA, for $300,000 in 2020. It is less than 30 feet long from tip to tail and has a wingspan of a little more than 36 feet.

She said: “I love being up in the air and sharing that with other people, particularly if they have not been up in a small plane or seen Bermuda from 1,500 feet before.

“It is such a beautiful view and I love sharing that with people and making their experience for the day special.”

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• To learn more or book a flight, contact 516-3305 or hello@blueskybermuda.com. Ms Nicholds suggests people book their flights two weeks in advance.