I flew on a Flexjet helicopter to see how the rich avoid New York City traffic. It was fun, but I’m weary of noise considerations.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Flexjet offers luxury helicopter rides in New York City.I crossed Manhattan via helicopter instead of a car. It was fun, but I worried about the noise.Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro said the company tries to be a “good citizen” around city communities.
Most people commute in and out of New York City by train, ferry, or car. But some in the upper echelons of society can afford to fly above the chaos.
I recently took a demo flight on a Flexjet Sikorsky S-76 helicopter between Manhattan and Teterboro, New Jersey, to experience how the rich travel in a hurry. It cut travel time from what could be over an hour to just minutes
Private charter companies like FlexJet, Blade, and HeliFlite connect heliports on the east and west sides of Manhattan to suburban hot spots like New Jersey, Westchester County, the Hamptons, and other affluent areas.
I immediately saw how the pricey helicopter rides are well worth the convenience for these deep-pocketed people — and the helicopters come with ritzy perks like free alcohol and food and luxe VIP cabins.
The heliport is next to the ferry terminal on the East Side of Manhattan.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
But I couldn’t ignore the effects on residents and the need for these companies and their customers to be conscious of the noise and environmental impacts.
A local activist group called “Stop the Chop” wants to eliminate non-essential helicopter rides over NYC, including for tourism and charters. The New York City Council has proposed legislation to meet this demand, including proposing a noise tax. A similar bill passed the state senate last year.
Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro told Business Insider it is aware of the disturbances to New Yorkers, adding the company is carbon neutral and works to reduce its noise footprint.
“We’re always trying to be good citizens, no matter what we do, whether it’s environment or noise abatement,” he said. “We try to follow all of our aircraft’s protocols to those who live nearby.”
Flexjet says it focuses on safety, luxury, and noise abatement
Silvestro said Flexjet’s helicopters are largely used for airport transfers to complement its private jet operation, with some on-demand and charter flying.
For example, someone may fly in a Flexjet Gulfstream G650 from London to Teterboro and then use a helicopter to transfer to Manhattan. Silvestro said the transfer is included in the total charter cost and helps differentiate it from other private aviation companies.
Flexjet’s six-seater Sikorsky is fancy, with drawers full of drinks and snacks, including alcohol like tequila and fireball whiskey. Passengers didn’t have to wear headsets.
The cabin was luxe, with plenty of space and amenities.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
My ride took under 10 minutes, taking off just a two-minute walk from where I parked my car — and there was no security check. We departed from and arrived at a private terminal.
Some travelers may be weary of helicopters, but Flexjet has a long history of safety and requires its helicopter pilots to have at least 3,000 hours of flight experience. The Sikorsky helicopters also require two pilots instead of one.
I’m conscious of helicopter noise on locals, but I can’t deny the views over Manhattan were incredible. The cabin was also surprisingly quiet.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Thanks to the sunny weather, my journey was quick and easy. Silvestro said it wouldn’t operate helicopters in rough conditions.
“Helicopters are more weather-dependent,” he said. “There are a lot of times when we’re flying in and out of here with our fixed-wing jets but won’t fly our helicopters because the weather is below our safety standards.”
Flexjet has several private terminals in airports like Teterboro and Dallas. To expand its operations, the company just bought $7 billion worth of Embraer jets.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Flexjet uses several noise abatement strategies when flying over cities.
For example, it doesn’t fly outside curfew hours to minimize nighttime disturbances and uses specific flight corridors that reduce noise near more communities.
Helicopters are loud, but there aren’t any as speedy alternatives
Helicopter flying in New York will likely remain popular in the highly populated city as a way for the wealthy to avoid the common folks’ congested ground transportation, despite the ongoing efforts to reduce traffic in the city.
New York implemented an up-to-$9 congestion pricing toll in January to deter more cars from entering Manhattan’s busiest areas — lessening traffic, honks, and carbon emissions — but that has only prompted more helicopter flights.
Blade has since begun offering $95 flights to and from New Jersey and Long Island to commuters who want — and can afford — to skip the traffic altogether.
The city has also considered electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or eVTOLs, as a quieter and more carbon-friendly solution. None have been certified yet.
Joby Aviation’s eVTOL flying over NYC in November 2023. Joby’s flying taxi would compete with trains, cars, and other flying options.
Joby Aviation
United Airlines hopes to begin flying air taxis made by California-based Archer Avition between Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Manhattan as soon as 2025.
These would compete with Blade, for example, which is also planning to adopt electric aircraft to battle surging noise complaints.
Silvestro said eVTOLs are a significant innovation in the industry, and Flexjet is considering how to incorporate them — especially since it already has experience flying helicopters that have similar operating factors.
“Things like air traffic control and landing zones that affect helicopters today will affect eVTOLs in the future,” he said. “We feel we have a strategic, practical window into how to operate eVTOLs when they enter the market.”
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