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CBS News
15-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Helicopter crash in Hudson River rocks chopper tour industry
After the fatal helicopter crash in the Hudson River, Sen. Chuck Schumer is claiming many helicopter tour companies are exploiting a legal loophole to avoid more stringent safety rules. The crash has rocked the helicopter tour industry after six people, including a family of five from Spain and the pilot , a U.S. Navy veteran, were killed last week . New York Helicopter Tours, which owned the sightseeing helicopter that crashed, has shut down operations while the FAA says it's reviewing the company's operator license and safety record. FlyNYON, another New York City helicopter tour company, started offering deep discounts online for a 16-minute, doors-off flight. "They're giving a 70% discount, a special, outrageous," Schumer said. While FlyNYON had no involvement in last week's crash, the NTSB says the company organized a flight in 2018 that turned fatal -- five people drowned after the helicopter's engine stopped. Schumer claims many chopper companies, including New York Helicopter Tours, are exploiting the law. The FAA allows them to operate under Part 91 regulations, which were originally meant for personal flights, instead of Part 135 regulations, which are more stringent rules meant for commercial flights, according to the Senate minority leader. Schumer is calling for tougher regulations and inspections. "A ramp inspection is a surprise inspection," he said. Bruce Landsberg, a retired vice chair of the NTSB who has focused on aviation safety for decades, says the FAA rarely goes out to inspect facilities under Part 91. "We made a recommendation back in 1995 to address this, and then again in 2019 after the FlyNYON crash," he said. "These are commercial operations. They need to operate at the commercial level, but they're not. They're operating under the 25-mile exemption. That's not right." The loophole applies when you're traveling less than 25 miles. It means tour helicopters that take off and land at the same place face fewer regulations. For example, transport helicopters that take off and land at different spots face more regulations. "We've talked to the FAA, and they do seem sympathetic to what we're asking for," Schumer said. "It just totally breaks your heart when you see that picture ... We have to do something about it. I don't want to see any more pictures like that." CBS News New York reached out to New York Helicopter Tours and has not heard back. Online, the company said it's working with investigators and has been asked to stop speaking with the press. We left messages for FlyNYON management and are waiting to hear back.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chuck Schumer Rips NYC Tour Company's Post-Helicopter Crash Discount
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted a New York helicopter tour company for seemingly profiting off of the tragic helicopter crash that killed six people last week. In a Sunday press conference, Schumer blasted a company called FlyNYON after it began offering severely reduced fights for helicopter tours, Page Six reported. The promo came days after a chopper operated by a different company, New York Helicopter Tours, appeared to come apart in mid-air. The incident killed the CEO of Siemens Mobility, Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children aged 4, 5, and 11. A 36-year-old pilot also died in the crash. Escobar's family was visiting from Spain and had arrived that day, according to reports. 'Listen to this. [FLYNYON] is offering the same kind of flights that just took the lives of these six people, but now, because of the crash, they're giving a 70% discount special, outrageous, outrageous,' Schumer said. While an investigation into the incident is underway, Schumer called on the Federal Aviation Administration to revoke New York Helicopter's licenses. Schumer also rebuked 'Part 91' licenses, used by New York Helicopter and FlyNYON, for not requiring the same rigorous training as other commercial flying licenses. Schumer added that he believes less training for the 'Part 91' license would make flights riskier for passengers. 'Right now New York Helicopter Tours is under investigation, under federal investigation, for these deaths, but first, I am urging the FAA to pull their operating certificate immediately and cease flights until their full investigation is concluded,' said Schumer. 'At the very least, the FAA can take some action in the name of safety, we definitely should.' In 2018, FlyNYON also suffered a tragedy when one of its choppers went down in the East River, Page Six reported.
Los Angeles Times
12-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Crash raises questions about safety of New York's helicopter tours, but mayor opposes new curbs
NEW YORK — A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattan's iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means. For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, bird's-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and other landmarks. But Thursday's crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopter's pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions. Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people. Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit 'nonessential' helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesn't support further restrictions on the aircraft, saying that they're crucial for transporting Wall Street executives, police work and myriad other uses, and that tens of thousands of tourist flights happen each year with no problems. 'People want to see the city from the sky,' he said on WINS radio, though he added that 'it must be done right.' Adams said the city's airspace is highly regulated, pilots are well-trained, and the aircraft are well maintained. Not everyone has his level of comfort. 'Personally, I don't go on them,' Al Yurman, a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of the helicopter tours. 'I feel like the industry doesn't look after itself the way it should.' Tourist flights seemed like they might be in jeopardy after a disaster in 2009, when a Liberty Helicopters sightseeing flight carrying Italian visitors collided with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine. After that crash — which involved missed radio communications, a distracted air traffic controller and two pilots who didn't see each other until it was too late — the Federal Aviation Administration created new safety rules for the congested airspace over the city's rivers. A few years later, New York City cut the number of flights allowed at Manhattan's downtown heliport in half, capping them at just under 30,000 a year. Then, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering 'open door' flights crashed in the East River after a passenger's restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The pilot escaped but the passengers couldn't get out of their safety harnesses and drowned. That crash prompted more industry scrutiny. Late last month, the company that arranged that flight, FlyNYON, settled a lawsuit over the crash for $90 million. FlyNYON's executive officer, Patrick Day, said it had made numerous changes to improve safety, including changing its passenger restraint system, switching to a different model of helicopter, adding training for pilots and hiring a safety officer. 'The introspection and self-critical analysis we have undertaken in the last 6½ years have shaped our view of what it means to be an industry leader, and we're a safer, smarter and stronger company for it,' Day said. The cause of Thursday's crash is still undetermined. Videos taken by bystanders showed the Bell 206 helicopter breaking apart midflight. The cabin plummeted into the water without its severed tail boom or main rotor, which spun off into a different part of the river and hasn't been recovered. Nationwide, there were 88 helicopter accidents last year across all sectors — the lowest in 25 years, according to Jeff Smith, chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, a trade group for helicopter operators based in Kearny, N.J., from where many Manhattan tour companies depart. Helicopter tours, he said, accounted for a small fraction of all those accidents. 'We shoot for vision zero, which means no fatalities,' Smith said. 'We train for that. We preach it. It is a cornerstone of our industry.' Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, agreed there's nothing especially problematic about New York's helicopter tour industry, despite the crashes that seem to happen every few years. At the same time, he said, tour operators should be required to equip their aircraft with modern safety measures, such as terrain awareness technology. Steve Cowell, a Colorado-based aviation expert, suggested that the FAA should take a more active role in scrutinizing smaller operators with known financial difficulties. 'Unfortunately, when people fly, they oftentimes do not check into the safety records or financial viability of the company,' Cowell said. 'They're placing their trust and confidence in the abilities of not only the pilots but the maintainers.' New York Helicopter, operator of the aircraft that crashed Thursday, had gone through a bankruptcy and been sued twice by creditors in recent months, an AP review found. The company declined to answer questions, but released a statement saying it was 'profoundly saddened' by the deaths of its passengers and pilot. 'The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations,' it said. Marcelo writes for the Associated Press.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Deadly crash raises new questions about safety of New York's helicopter tours
NEW YORK (AP) — A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattan's iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means. For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, bird's-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and other monumental landmarks. But Thursday's crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopter's pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions. Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people. Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit 'nonessential' helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor against more restrictions Mayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesn't support further restrictions on the aircraft, saying they're crucial for everything from transporting Wall Street executives to police work, and that tens of thousands of tourist flights happen each year with no problems. 'People want to see the city from the sky,' he said on WINS radio, though he added that "it must be done right.' The Democrat said the city's airspace is highly regulated, pilots are well-trained and the aircraft are well maintained. Not everyone has his level of comfort. 'Personally, I don't go on them,' Al Yurman, a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of helicopter tours. 'I feel like the industry doesn't look after itself the way it should.' Previous crashes led to new rules Tourist flights seemed like they might be in jeopardy after a disaster in 2009, when a Liberty Helicopters sightseeing flight carrying Italian visitors collided with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine. After that crash, which involved missed radio communications, a distracted air traffic controller and two pilots who didn't see each other until it was too late, the Federal Aviation Administration created new safety rules for the congested airspace over the city's rivers. A few years later, New York City cut the number of flights allowed at Manhattan's downtown heliport in half, capping them at just under 30,000 a year. Then, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering 'open door' flights crashed in the East River after a passenger's restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The pilot escaped but the passengers couldn't get out of their safety harnesses and drowned. That crash prompted more industry scrutiny. Late last month, the company that arranged that flight, FlyNYON, settled a lawsuit over the crash for $90 million. FlyNYON's chief executive, Patrick Day, said it had made numerous changes to improve safety, including changing its passenger restraint system, switching to a different model of helicopter, adding training for pilots and hiring a safety officer. 'The introspection and self-critical analysis we have undertaken in the last six-and-a-half years have shaped our view of what it means to be an industry leader, and we're a safer, smarter, and stronger company for it,' Day said. Fewest crashes in 25 years The cause of Thursday's crash is still undetermined. Videos taken by bystanders showed the Bell 206 helicopter breaking apart mid-flight. The cabin plummeted into the water without its severed tail boom or main rotor, which spun off into a different part of the river and hasn't been recovered. Nationwide, there were 88 helicopter accidents last year across all sectors — the lowest in 25 years, according to Jeff Smith, chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, a trade group for helicopter operators based in Kearny, New Jersey, where many Manhattan tour companies depart. Helicopter tours, he added, accounted for a small fraction of all those accidents. 'We shoot for vision zero, which means no fatalities,' Smith said. 'We train for that. We preach it. It is a cornerstone of our industry.' Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, agreed there's nothing especially problematic about New York's helicopter tour industry, despite the crashes that seem to happen every few years. At the same time, he said, tour operators should be required to equip their aircraft with modern safety measures, such as terrain awareness technology. Steve Cowell, a Colorado-based aviation expert, suggested the FAA should take a more active role in scrutinizing smaller operators with known financial difficulties. 'Unfortunately, when people fly, they oftentimes do not check into the safety records or financial viability of the company,' Cowell said. 'They're placing their trust and confidence in the abilities of not only the pilots but the maintainers.' New York Helicopter, operator of the aircraft that crashed Thursday, had gone through a bankruptcy and been sued twice by creditors in recent months, an AP review found. The company declined to answer questions, but released a statement saying it was 'profoundly saddened" by the deaths of its passengers and pilot. 'The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations,' it said. ___ Follow Philip Marcelo at
The Independent
12-04-2025
- The Independent
Deadly crash raises new questions about safety of New York's helicopter tours
A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattan's iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means. For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, bird's-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and other monumental landmarks. But Thursday's crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopter's pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions. Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people. Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit 'nonessential' helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor Mayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesn't support further restrictions on the aircraft, saying they're crucial for everything from transporting Wall Street executives to police work, and that tens of thousands of tourist flights happen each year with no problems. 'People want to see the city from the sky,' he said on WINS radio, though he added that "it must be done right.' The Democrat said the city's airspace is highly regulated, pilots are well-trained and the aircraft are well maintained. Not everyone has his level of comfort. 'Personally, I don't go on them,' Al Yurman, a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of helicopter tours. 'I feel like the industry doesn't look after itself the way it should.' Previous crashes led to new rules Tourist flights seemed like they might be in jeopardy after a disaster in 2009, when a Liberty Helicopters sightseeing flight carrying Italian visitors collided with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine. After that crash, which involved missed radio communications, a distracted air traffic controller and two pilots who didn't see each other until it was too late, the Federal Aviation Administration created new safety rules for the congested airspace over the city's rivers. A few years later, New York City cut the number of flights allowed at Manhattan's downtown heliport in half, capping them at just under 30,000 a year. Then, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering 'open door' flights crashed in the East River after a passenger's restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The pilot escaped but the passengers couldn't get out of their safety harnesses and drowned. That crash prompted more industry scrutiny. Late last month, the company that arranged that flight, FlyNYON, settled a lawsuit over the crash for $90 million. FlyNYON's chief executive, Patrick Day, said it had made numerous changes to improve safety, including changing its passenger restraint system, switching to a different model of helicopter, adding training for pilots and hiring a safety officer. 'The introspection and self-critical analysis we have undertaken in the last six-and-a-half years have shaped our view of what it means to be an industry leader, and we're a safer, smarter, and stronger company for it,' Day said. Fewest crashes in 25 years The cause of Thursday's crash is still undetermined. Videos taken by bystanders showed the Bell 206 helicopter breaking apart mid-flight. The cabin plummeted into the water without its severed tail boom or main rotor, which spun off into a different part of the river and hasn't been recovered. Nationwide, there were 88 helicopter accidents last year across all sectors — the lowest in 25 years, according to Jeff Smith, chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, a trade group for helicopter operators based in Kearny, New Jersey, where many Manhattan tour companies depart. Helicopter tours, he added, accounted for a small fraction of all those accidents. 'We shoot for vision zero, which means no fatalities,' Smith said. 'We train for that. We preach it. It is a cornerstone of our industry.' Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, agreed there's nothing especially problematic about New York's helicopter tour industry, despite the crashes that seem to happen every few years. At the same time, he said, tour operators should be required to equip their aircraft with modern safety measures, such as terrain awareness technology. Steve Cowell, a Colorado-based aviation expert, suggested the FAA should take a more active role in scrutinizing smaller operators with known financial difficulties. 'Unfortunately, when people fly, they oftentimes do not check into the safety records or financial viability of the company,' Cowell said. 'They're placing their trust and confidence in the abilities of not only the pilots but the maintainers.' New York Helicopter, operator of the aircraft that crashed Thursday, had gone through a bankruptcy and been sued twice by creditors in recent months, an AP review found. The company declined to answer questions, but released a statement saying it was 'profoundly saddened" by the deaths of its passengers and pilot. 'The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations,' it said. ___ Follow Philip Marcelo at
