New York City Helicopter Tours: An Update

Is there any better place in the world to take a helicopter flight than New York City? If there is I want to go there, now!

But some recent changes in flight regulations for helicopter operations in the New York City airspace made me wonder how much the tours had been affected. To find out, I booked our New York Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour, an 18-minute ride that leaves from the downtown helicopter port.

Lower Manhattan & Battery Park, taken on the tour

Well, the tour is different nowadays, that’s for sure. But I think it’s a vast improvement overall, one of those situations where the cloud definitely had a silver lining. Let me explain…

The change in flight regulations concerned the ability of tour operators to fly directly over the city, including key spots like Times Square and Central Park. The FAA, in their wisdom, decided there was no real need for a joyride to fly directly over the city at all, because the views from the Hudson (on the west side) and the East River were just as good. Having done the tours before and after the regulations, I have to say I agree.

I suspect the tour operators were a little worried that the new rules would cause a drop in numbers, so they responded by introducing new aircraft (in this case the fabulous Bell 407, with its glass bubble construction for amazing photo opportunities) and developing excellent audio tour narration. Available in a variety of languages, the audio is incredibly good. I had always thought it was quite a burden on the pilots to remember everything that you are flying over; this way the pilot can point out things that are “today” and leave the rest to the tape, a much better approach.

As for the views, you really don’t lose anything by staying over the river. In fact you do fly over the city itself, way up at 155th Street, for a close up look at the new Yankee Stadium. But this part of the tour pales against flying down the Hudson, looking across at what New Yorkers will tell you is the greatest city in the world. Now I’m not a great one for statements like that, but from up there, let me tell you… it’s hard to argue!

- Rod Cuthbert

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