Flights between Manhattan and JFK to start again

[Heliport]

Extract from Reuters news agency report:

Helicopter flights between Manhattan, JFK to start

New York's first commercial airport helicopter service in over 20 years is scheduled to start regular flights next month, giving deep pocketed New York travelers a way of skipping traffic as well as security lines.

US Helicopter said its eight-passenger helicopters will fly starting March 13 from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Wall Street to American Airlines' domestic terminal at JFK Average flight time eight minutes.

The last service, 20 years ago, was operated by the now defunct Pan American World Airways.

Passengers will be security screened at the heliport in Manhattan, rather than at one of American's JFK terminals.

In April, the service in US Helicopter's Sikorsky SL 76 helicopters will be expanded to a second heliport on East 34th Street, with the city's other two airports, La Guardia and Liberty International in Newark, New Jersey to be eventually added as well, US Helicopter said.

[ENG Brit]

There is alot of talk about this forthcoming service here in the NY area. The owners seem well financed and have a few experienced airline executives in their management team. They'll be based in Bridgeport, CT and fly into Wall St/JRB where they'll be based for the work day, and later move in at E34th heliport.

As a local pilot who flies for a competitor, I hope I speak for many when I wish them well and hope their service continues to improve investment in NE heliport facilities and fosters increased interest in travel by helicopter - that would benefit the industry and us all.

In the process, I also hope that in their effort to maintain their "scheduled" service, there is no tendency to push the limits to get the job done. I've heard (nearly, but not quite from the horse's mouth) that their flight minimums are 300/1 to JFK. Most operators work with at least 500/2 or higher. 300 ft, albeit a minimum is not conducive to the anti-noise campaign most operators try to work with. On those IFR days, any helicopter at 300ft or thereabouts will draw the wrath of the numerous NY area anti-helicopter groups, not withstanding the safety aspect over congested Brooklyn/Queens. Hopefully, it will be infrequest times this theory will be tested, but once you authorise it...

Also, many will await the first instance when someone slips through TSA screening at JRB (or 34th) and see how the TSA reacts - this may well be the thread by which they hang.

First aircraft is being painted and nearing delivery. If you are willing to live/commute to CT, have suitable experience and think $67,500 is appropriate and workable for you as a NY corporate pilot - apply and have fun.

For more info, see the NY Times article from Feb 6. You need to register first.

[PPRUNE FAN#1]

I can assure you that if the FAA allows 300/1 from Wall to JFK, then it will be over a very specific route, with obstacle-clearance taken into account. That's the way it's been since the days of New York Airways, and there is no reason to think it will change now. But I agree that if I lived in one of the numerous hi-rise apartment buildings between Manhattan and JFK, having a warbling S-76 come screaming over my head at 300 feet on a bad-weather day would not give me a warm&fuzzy.

[Flying Lawyer]

I hope it's a success - what a spectacular way to arrive in a spectacular city.

It's a pity they can't use the helipad on top of the old Pan Am (now Met Life) building which would be even more spectacular.

PF#1 mentioned the old New York Airways shuttle which stopped after the S-61 accident in 1977.
Was the rooftop helipad closed by the authorities because of the accident or was it just a commercial decision?
An ambition unfulfilled - my first visit to New York was just after the shuttle stopped.


FL

[Bronx]

The new service has now been delayed for 2 weeks, pushing the debut flight to March 27.

U.S. Helicopter say the delay is because of challenges they got with the FAA and the Port Authority.

Despite the delay, folks are still buying tickets for the eight minute ride for an 'introductory' price of 139 bucks.

[donut king]

Please confirm 67,500 salary. Is that first officer or captain pay ???
Sounds extremely low for a captain in the Northeast region/ NYC area???
DK

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

PF1 - surely they can just route around the shoreline ?

[ENG Brit]

$55,000 First Officer....$67,500 Captain with medical benefits, or $70,000 w/out benefits....all those ex-mil or ex-nypd pilots don't seem to use them anyway

[malabo]

$67,000 for skilled, but uneducated labor isn't that bad looking at it for what it is - a bus driver. And it will provide a venue for young pilots looking to break into the lucrative Northeast S76 corporate market when the "old-boy" network of the current pilots start to retire in numbers.

It isn't corporate, it is a scheduled public transportation service that has to be profitable on its own. Pilot salaries are a cost, to be balanced by training and recruitment costs if the turnover becomes too high. Does a King-Air pilot flying for a local sched operator make $67,000/ year?


malabo

[Joker's Wild]

Malabo
"$67,000 for skilled, but uneducated labor "
Pull your head out of your arse old boy!!!:mad:
What makes you think helicopter pilots, or pilots in general for that matter, are uneducated??? I note you indicate as either being in, or from, Canada and if that is the case, I will accept YOU are most probably uneducated, after having read too many of the threads on your Canadian verticalmag.com helicopter forums page.
Finally, I'd like to ask, how is it you managed to come by all this "vast" insight into the educational qualifications of helicopter pilots on the eastern seaboard???
Now go back to your room and play with your marbles. :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

[malabo]

Sorry Joker, didn't mean to offend any of you pilots that are well-educated. All I meant is that I have never come across any kind of education requirement for helicopter pilots in any of the major or minor employers. Whether I have a PhD or not, the question never seems to be asked when I am applying for a helicopter pilot job. I've never even been asked if I finished high school.

On the other hand, accountants, doctors, dentists, nurses, schoolteachers, counsellors etc. are all hired an hired and paid depending on their academic qualifications.

Now if US Helicopters is asking for some kind of "education" I'll stand corrected. Perhaps someone can advise.

I don't really have much to do with the Canadian industry, so you'll have to explain the connection between being from Canada, something about verticalmag.com and being uneducated.

Judging from your run-on sentences and poor grammar I'll assume I must have hit a sore spot with you.

Again, my apology.

malabo

[Blapto]

Surely they're hiring pilots, not physicists/mathematicians?

Education is irrelevant.
Those guys with 10,000 hours have useful experience to do with flying helipcopters, a degree in anything wouldn't help at all.

[ENG Brit]

Surely they're hiring pilots, not physicists/mathematicians?
Education is irrelevant.
Those guys with 10,000 hours have useful experience to do with flying helipcopters, a degree in anything wouldn't help at all.
Agreed. One's skill and judgement as a pilot is independent of a college education, but it is prehaps not surprising to see the likes of Merck, Pfizer, BMS and the other NE corporate employers asking for at least a bachelors (undergraduate) degree (in any subject). It may well be another form of filtering resume's and/or they may look for potential future aviation dept. management in the captains they hire and so a degree becomes more relevant.
Maybe there's a Ppruner who has worked for one of these kind of companies and can say if their employer actually wanted the degree or not come interview time?
It didn't harm me in the least when I came to work here; but it wasn't mandated either.