Helicopter Ride Checklist: 6 Things to Do Before Your NYC Flight
You’ve done it. After thinking about it for so long, you have finally done what you have always dreamed of: you have booked a helicopter ride over New York City with FlyNYON. Congratulations! There is truly no better way to experience the wonders of the Big Apple than to see them from above. Likewise, there is no company better equipped to take you high up in the sky than FlyNYON. After all, we are an industry leader with a combined 101 years of flight experience, and we specialize in providing the best customizable, crowdsourced aerial experience in the NYC metropolitan area.
But before you board one of our rigorously maintained jet-engine helicopters and soar over Manhattan, there are a few things you should remember to do:
1. Get weather insurance
We all know that the weather is unpredictable. A beautiful sunny day can turn dark and stormy in just a few hours, and if that happens on the day and time of your flight, FlyNYON might have to cancel it for the sake of your safety. This is why having weather insurance is important: it guarantees that you will receive a refund for your flight in the event of a cancellation due to weather. This can especially come handy if you are coming to NYC from out of town and are unable to reschedule during your visit. In that case, FlyNYON will refund the cost of your seat, minus the cost of the insurance.
2. Check your emails regularly
Most of your communication with FlyNYON will be via email. It is through email that we will notify you of any changes to your reservation, whether it be a scheduling change or a cancellation due to weather conditions. In fact, if the weather on the day of your flight is questionable, we will make a Go or No Go call four hours prior to your scheduled departure time, which you will be notified of through your email. Thus, it is important that you remember to stay on top of our communications on the day of your flight, lest you miss an important update.
3. Arrive on time
One doesn’t just arrive at the terminal, hop onto the helicopter and immediately take to the skies. At FlyNYON, we have a rigorous check-in process in which we collect your personal information and discreetly record your body weight for our Flight Operations team, before leading you to the briefing room to watch the preflight safety video. You will also be fitted into our FAA approved harness, and receive training on how to operate our quick-release tether system.
Ours is a comprehensive process, and because of this, we insist that our passengers be at the NYON Terminal in Kearny, NJ, at least 1 hour and 15 minutes before their scheduled flight. Unfortunately, if you do not arrive on time, your flight may be forfeited. But to prevent that from happening, we also offer our own car service to make sure that you’ll get to our hanger on time. Plus, once there, you will be able to enjoy our relaxing lounge, which features amazing flight footage from around the country.
4. Wear appropriate clothing
It’s hard to enjoy the sweeping vistas of Central Park, or appreciate the majesty of the George Washington Bridge and the Empire State Building when one is shivering in their seat. This is why it is important to wear weather appropriate clothing during your helicopter flight. Remember, it will be considerably colder and more windy at 2000 feet than it will be on the ground, which is why we suggest that passengers wear shorts or even pants in the summer - and why we only permit tightly laced or strapped shoes on board. So please, leave your flip-flops at home! Loose fitting clothing is also discouraged, especially if you are going on a doors-off flight. And if you are flying in the colder seasons, we suggest that you layer up and bring your favorite infinity scarves, gloves and warm socks, as those provide the best protection against the elements. In fact, dressing like you are going skiing is not a bad idea if you are taking a doors-off helicopter ride in the middle of winter.
5. Bring your photography gear
Going on a helicopter ride over New York City is the opportunity to take some of the best, most breathtaking pictures of your lifetime. Anyone walking on the streets of New York can snap a photo of the neon lights in Times Square, or of the leaves falling in Central Park, but with FlyNYON, you will be able to experience the city’s most famous landmarks, from the Statue of Liberty to the Brooklyn Bridge, from a bird’s eye view - a whole new perspective! Indeed, we at FlyNYON specialize in providing the ultimate aerial photo experience. As such, we encourage our passengers to bring their favorite photography gear on board with them! This is simply too good a photo opportunity to pass up, whether you are a professional photographer looking to augment your portfolio, a hobbyist seeking a new challenge, or simply someone who wants to upgrade their Instagram game. If you don’t own any photography gear, you can still try your hand at taking professional quality photos by renting one of our cameras at the NYON Terminal.
6. Have fun!
Taking a helicopter ride with FlyNYON is the opportunity of a lifetime. With us, you will embark on an aerial adventure of your own making, one that will show you a side of New York City you’ve never seen before. As such, the most important thing is that you sit back, enjoy the helicopter ride, and have fun on the most exciting sightseeing tour of your life!