Helicopter Company Involved in Fatal Crash Resumes Operations — Even Doors-Off Flights
FlyNYON, the helicopter company involved in last month's deadly Manhattan East River crash, resumed operations on Sunday. Included in its product offering were doors-off flights, the same kind of flight that killed five people in a tragic March crash.
The company's website advertises a doors-on/windows down experience as well as a "doors off flight." On Sunday, its first day back in operation since the March 11 crash, FlyNYON offered flights at 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:00pm. A rep with the company declined to tell the New York Post what changes had been made since the accident.
Following the crash, the FAA temporarily banned "doors-off" helicopter flights that involved restraints that can not be released quickly in an emergency. It's not clear how FlyNYON's current doors-off flights are different from those that were previously offered.
Just less than one month since the tragedy, FlyNYON said that it's issued refunds appropriately for those unable to take their pre-purchased flights. FlyNYON CEO Pat Day said: "FlyNYON issued refunds to customers who have reservations for flights that the company has not been able to service following the accident and while it awaited guidance from the FAA and has worked with other customers to address their concerns wherever possible."
In March, the doors-off tour with a helicopter owned by Liberty Helicopters and operated by FlyNYON, crashed into the East River, killing all five passengers on board. Liberty Helicopters is the same company that's had two previous crashes, one of them also fatal.
