The recent crash of a tourist helicopter on New York’s Hudson River has raised serious concerns about the safety of helicopter tourism in the region. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the unfortunate deaths of a pilot and a Spanish family of five. Advocates for safer aviation practices are now calling for the closure of the city’s three heliports to non-essential traffic, deeming the circumstances surrounding the tragedy as “entirely predictable.”
Andrew Rosenthal, chair of the advocacy group Stop the Chop, highlighted the alarming age of many helicopters operating in New York. “A lot of these helicopters are 30 or even 40 years old, and this one was 21 years old, which is still pretty old,” he stated. Rosenthal drew a stark comparison between the aviation industry and other public transportation systems, noting, “In New York, if you have a yellow cab, you have to get a new one every five to eight years. Yet here we are, letting these things fly in the sky at 30 and 40 years of age.”
He emphasized the absence of an age limit for helicopters, which he believes is “crazy.” Rosenthal asserted, “This was entirely predictable and preventable. If we had a rollercoaster that killed people every two years, we would not keep it operating, yet we have the same kind of joy ride in the sky that kills people every couple of years, and we keep changing nothing.”
Investigators are currently working to determine the exact cause of Thursday’s helicopter crash. Eyewitness accounts described a horrifying scene where the helicopter appeared to break apart midair before plunging into the river that separates Manhattan from New Jersey. According to the Associated Press, there have been at least 38 fatalities due to helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977.
Notable past incidents include a 2009 collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson that claimed nine lives and a tragic 2018 accident when a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights crashed into the East River, resulting in five deaths. The advocacy group Stop the Chop has documented numerous other non-fatal incidents involving helicopters in and around New York City in recent years, further amplifying the call for action.
Rosenthal insists that it is time for city officials to end tourist flights from the downtown Manhattan heliport, where the Bell 206 helicopter took off on Thursday, as well as from the two other public-use helipads located on the island. According to the Aviation Property Network, these facilities collectively generate approximately $2.7 million annually for New York through lease payments from companies that operate over 42,000 sightseeing trips each year.
“The mayor can close down the Manhattan downtown heliport tonight if he wanted to, with one stroke of a pen and no other legislation needed,” Rosenthal pointed out. “This is not the first crash; it’s another one in a long series. It’s predictable. It’s going to happen again; it’s just a matter of numbers. We’re OK with police, military, government, and news flights, which are considered essential, but these non-essential flights are totally not needed.”
In a recent appearance on Good Day New York, New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed the issue of sightseeing helicopter flights. He acknowledged the concerns surrounding safety but also stressed the importance of tourism, stating, “We have 65 million tourists that came into the city last year. This is all part of the attraction of being in New York. People want to see the city from the sky.”
Adams emphasized the necessity of proper maintenance and safety protocols for helicopters, noting, “What is crucial is that any airport or any air device is done with the proper maintenance and proper safety. And that’s what this investigation is going to determine.”
The tragic helicopter crash on the Hudson River has ignited a crucial conversation about aviation safety and the future of helicopter tourism in New York City. As advocates push for stricter regulations and the closure of non-essential heliports, the community is left grappling with the implications of this tragic event.
