Security Screening. Prior to entering the heliport, you will go through a full metal detector screening by heliport security. Security officials will scan passengers for prohibited items such as weapons, chemicals, explosives, or anything else that can harm a passenger or pilot. Rest assured you are safe flying out of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport with Manhattan Helicopters.
Identification check. Once inside the heliport, every passenger is required to identify himself with a government-issued ID or passport. Passengers without IDs cannot fly.
Secured Ramp Doors. No one can walk on the heliport ramp without having the proper documentation for his flight (issued only by helicopter companies) along with a heliport operations agent escort. Locked and sealed doors keep passengers from entering the ramp. No passengers may approach a helicopter without the proper escort to the aircraft.
Life Vests. Each passenger is fitted with a life vest before departing the heliport to the ramp. The pier is on the water and most of the helicopter tour flies over water, so this assures passengers are safe in the event of ditching.
Marked Yellow Lined Walkways. Since the heliport is on a pier, safety precautions are taken to assure passengers are walking away from the ramp’s edge near the water and the tail rotors. Helicopters are required to land with their tails over the water to assure no passengers walk near the spinning rotor.
Skid floats. All helicopters are outfitted with top-of-the-line skid floats in case of a ditching emergency. The pilot can deploy the floats, and the helicopter will safely float on the water.
Traffic Avoidance Equipment. Each helicopter is outfitted with advanced traffic avoidance detection so helicopter pilots know where all aircraft traffic is flying around them at all times.
Safety belts. All helicopters include safety belts for all passengers that include a shoulder belt and lap belt.
Tour Routes. Tour routes were standardized in 2009 to allow for more smooth helicopter traffic flow and more room for helicopters to fly in line with each other. The routes go up and down the Hudson so helicopters can fly one behind the other, minimizing the risk of air-to-air occurrences.
Advanced Pilot Training. Manhattan Helicopters hires only the most advanced helicopter pilots who are specifically trained to fly in busy New York airspace. No one knows the airspace better than they do.
