New York Helicopter

New York Helicopter was an American helicopter transportation company established in July 1980 as a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Island Helicopter Corporation. Its operations were centered on New York City, where it used Manhattan's East 34th Street Heliport on the East River as a principal base and served the region's three major commercial airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport. The scheduled service was designed to provide rapid air links between central Manhattan and the metropolitan area's airport system, positioning the company within the premium urban air-mobility segment rather than the conventional scheduled-airline market. In addition to scheduled transportation, New York Helicopter conducted sightseeing flights and private charter operations. These activities broadened the company's customer base beyond airport travelers to include tourists, private groups, and charter clients seeking aerial access to or views of New York City and its surrounding area. The combination of scheduled transfers, sightseeing, and charter work reflected the versatility of helicopter operations in a dense metropolitan environment, where point-to-point travel could avoid surface congestion and provide access to heliports closer to central business districts. The original company operated a mixed fleet that included two Sikorsky S-58 helicopters, two Aérospatiale AS 350 helicopters, and seven Aérospatiale SA 360 helicopters. The fleet indicates that the company maintained several aircraft types for its transportation and tourism activities, although the available reference material does not specify the allocation of individual models among routes or services. The documented operating period for this original company extends from 1980 to 1988, after which it is treated as a defunct airline or helicopter transportation operator. The New York Helicopter name was later used by an unrelated sightseeing business that emerged in the 1990s and was still operating in 2025. That later company is distinct from the 1980–1988 subsidiary described in the canonical Wikipedia subject. This dossier therefore covers the original New York Helicopter transportation company and does not merge it with the later sightseeing operator. Publicly available reference material is limited, so details such as the company's founder, financial performance, exact closure circumstances, route frequency, and corporate successors remain undocumented here.

New York Helicopter was formed in July 1980 as a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Island Helicopter Corporation. Its business was built around helicopter transportation in the New York metropolitan area, with scheduled service linking Manhattan's East 34th Street Heliport on the East River to the region's three principal commercial airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport. By using a heliport in Manhattan, the company offered an air-transport option positioned close to the city's central business and residential areas rather than requiring passengers to begin or end their journeys at a distant conventional airport. The company also operated sightseeing and private charter flights. These activities complemented its scheduled airport transportation by allowing the business to serve tourism, private travel, and other non-scheduled demand. The available historical record does not provide detailed information about fares, timetables, passenger volumes, marketing campaigns, or the precise relationship between each service line and the aircraft types in the fleet. During its documented operating period, New York Helicopter used a fleet consisting of two Sikorsky S-58 helicopters, two Aérospatiale AS 350 helicopters, and seven Aérospatiale SA 360 helicopters. The fleet included both established utility helicopter designs and lighter types suitable for metropolitan transport, sightseeing, or charter work. The source material does not identify individual aircraft registrations, cabin configurations, or route assignments. The original New York Helicopter company operated from 1980 through 1988 and is subsequently categorized among defunct United States airline or helicopter transportation operators. The available references do not state whether the business was sold, merged, liquidated, or otherwise reorganized at the end of that period. They also do not identify a specific founder or executive leadership team. A separate business using the New York Helicopter name began in the 1990s under names including New York Helicopter Tours and New York Helicopter Charter. That later sightseeing company is unrelated to the 1980–1988 transportation subsidiary. Because the canonical Wikipedia subject is the original company, this history excludes the later operator and avoids attributing its activities, ownership, or ongoing status to the defunct company.

• 1988

  End of documented operating period

  [1]New York Helicopteren.wikipedia.org

  The original New York Helicopter company is documented as operating during the 1980–1988 period and is treated as defunct thereafter.

• 1980

  Company formed

  [1]New York Helicopteren.wikipedia.org

  New York Helicopter was established in July 1980 as a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Island Helicopter Corporation.

• 1980

  New York scheduled helicopter service

  [1]New York Helicopteren.wikipedia.org

  The company provided scheduled service from Manhattan's East 34th Street Heliport to John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport, alongside sightseeing and private charter operations.

Premium urban helicopter transportation combining scheduled Manhattan-to-airport links with sightseeing and private charter services.

• Passenger air transport · 1980

  Scheduled helicopter transportation

  The company's scheduled transportation service connected Manhattan's East 34th Street Heliport with New York City's three major metropolitan airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport. The service addressed time-sensitive travel between central Manhattan and the regional airport network.

• Aerial tourism

  Sightseeing flights

  New York Helicopter offered sightseeing operations in addition to its scheduled transportation business. These flights provided aerial views of New York City and served tourists or other customers seeking a helicopter-based experience. Available sources do not provide detailed itineraries or duration information.

• Charter air transport

  Private charter operations

  The company conducted private helicopter charters for non-scheduled travel. The reference material confirms the existence of this service but does not specify charter routes, customer segments, pricing, or aircraft assignments.

1. 1New York Helicopteren.wikipedia.org