Originally Posted by Vortex what...ouch!
The only bit I felt uncomfortable with, but being a helicopter pilot maybe a bit pessimistic, was the single engine over downtown Manhatten.
For the past few years, the NYC EDC and ERHC have agreed on two standard tours that the tour operators adhere to, neither of which go over downtown Manhattan save takeoff and landing. One route does cross a small part of upper Manhattan, at its most narrow point. Also, the tour operators here have popout floats (and provide pax with vests as you got). It's not true that there's
nowhere to go... there is the river! One operator safely put down in the Hudson in 2007, suspecting mechanical failure.