Not that long ago, commuters would fly to and from New York City airports from the tops of tall skyscrapers in Midtown, including the former Pan-Am Building (now the MetLife Building). In 1977, you could get to the area airports within 20 minutes for a relatively low cost of around $5 (around $20 now). All of that changed after a tragic accident in 1977, and helicopter transit nearly died out in the City. Now 40 years later, travel by helicopter is making a comeback in New York City with companies like Blade. Learn all about helicopter travel in the City in this video by Bloomberg.
Fifty years ago, a helicopter company called New York Airways whisked passengers from the rooftop of the iconic Pan Am Building in midtown Manhattan to any city airport in just 10 minutes. A fatal accident in 1977 brought that era to an end. 40 years later, new technology could open a new chapter in short-distance airborne commuting.
This article was originally published on Viewing NYC on August 15th, 2017
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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