The FAA has instituted new rules designed to keep sightseeing helicopters from colliding with airplanes that are transitioning the Hudson River Corridor near the Statue of Liberty. The San Francisco Daily Journal, California’s largest legal newspaper, published this column on how the new rules came to pass, and why they aren’t enough.
Hudson Mid-Air: NTSB’s Comments Supported by Audio Recording?
NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman’s recent testimony before congress concerning the mid-air collision over the Hudson raises more questions than it answers. She stated that the Teterboro controller instructed the Piper pilot to switch to frequency 127.85 to contact the Newark controller. But before leaving the Teterboro frequency, according to Hersman, the pilot read back to
Helicopter – Airplane Mid-Air Collision Over the Hudson: NTSB Boots It
place inMid-Air Collision Over The Hudson: Airplanes and Helicopters Don’t Mix Well
Compared to pilots in other countries, pilots in the US have extraordinary freedom. Of course, to keep commercial airliners safe from collisions, pilots of small aircraft are excluded from certain 
airspace near major airports unless they have first obtained a clearance from air traffic controllers. If a pilot obtains the necessary clearance, controllers will dictate the
Hawaiian Helicopter Tours: Profit Motive Still Trumps Safety
The Hawaiian Helicopter Tour Industry is Big Business. Each year, more than 1 million people take an aerial tour of Hawaii. That equates to one out of every 10 visitors to the islands. Most of the tours are in helicopters. The business generates more than $200 million annually, and supports countless jobs.
A helicopter is a great way to take in the islands’ natural beauty. And that is what the tour companies sell. "Fly into the heart and heat of an active volcano" advertised one operator. "Fly close enough to feel the waterfall’s cooling mist" offered another.
But the Helicopter Safety Record is Terrible. Flying too close to the terrain features, tangling with the islands’ unpredictable "micro-weather," and substandard maintenance practices have resulted in a long list of fatal accidents. As a result, year after year, Hawaii’s aviation safety record stacks upContinue Reading Hawaiian Helicopter Tours: Profit Motive Still Trumps Safety
Weren’t They Required to Have Insurance for This?
Accident victims or their families ask me this question a lot. Sadly, the answer is usually: "no."
Pilots: Most states require drivers on our highways to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance in case they injure someone. But pilots are regulated by the federal government, not the states. The federal government does not require pilots