Rotorcraft
FlyNYON Pilots Seek Legal Protection
Pilots for the helicopter operator involved in the doors-off photo flight are seeking whistle-blower protection.

Company pilot e-mails recently published in the New York Times have raised questions about the safety culture at FlyNYON and Liberty Helicopters and the circumstances leading to the fatal doors-off photo flight that killed all five passengers on a March 11 Liberty Helicopters-operated flight that crashed into New York City's East River. The e-mails suggest that both pilots and company officials knew months before the accident that there were problems with the function and repair of the supplemental passenger harnesses and the sharpness and utility of the emergency cutting tools provided to passengers that would have impeded the passengers' ability to safely extricate themselves in the event of an emergency. Executives at FlyNYON and Liberty have repeatedly said that they met all safety standards and addressed all employee safety concerns.