WASHINGTON — Helicopters like those involved in a March 2018 fatal crash continue to fly over New York City — including trips where passengers can bring along pets in aircraft with no doors — and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is calling for new rules to prevent another accident.
Menendez, D-N.J., joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and representatives of two animal rights groups in asking the Federal Aviation Administration to issue new safety standards governing helicopter flights.
These flights allow passengers to take photos while flying in helicopters without doors to hinder their view.
The senators held a press conference Sunday near the site of the 2018 crash. FlyNYON booked the flight that was operated by Liberty Helicopters, which departed from Kearny and crashed into the East River, killing all five passengers.
“It is outrageous that despite the death of five innocent people in a dangerous doors-off chopper flight and two active federal investigations into lapsed safety that FlyNYON is still operating those same flights at desperate discounts," Schumer said.
Menendez said not only is the company continuing to offer doors-off flights, but passengers are now being encouraged to bring their pets with them.
“The idea that passengers and their pets are being strapped in and dangled out of open doors hundreds of feet above ground without strong safeguards in place is astonishing, downright cruel for the animals, and a tragedy waiting to happen,” he said.
Menendez and Schumer asked FAA Administrator Steve Dickson to begin the process of issuing safety rules to address such flights. The senators were joined by representatives from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the National Humane Society.
“As these doors-off helicopters flights are marketed and sold to consumers equipped with smartphones — and not professional photographers with specialized training — common sense suggests that they should be considered air tours for sightseeing under FAA regulations,” the senators wrote to Dickson.
“Allowing operators to falsely characterize flights as an ‘aerial photography work’ to evade local flight rules raises serious safety concerns and is simply unacceptable," they wrote.
FlyNYON invited the two senators to meet with company officials to discuss helicopter safety.
The company said it offered its passengers a chance to take their pets on flights as a way to raise money for PilotsNPaws, a nonprofit pet air rescue.
“Today, we are focused on raising money to help these animals and their human partners that are on the frontline of supporting recovery efforts like those of Hurricane Dorian, not trying to score political points,” the company said in a statement. “FlyNyon is fully compliant with all FAA operating and safety standards. We appreciate and stand ready to support smart actions that allow for enhanced helicopter safety in New York and New Jersey.”
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
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