Did you know NYC once flew helicopters from skyscraper rooftops to airports in 1965? Here’s how it all went wrong

Atop New York’s Pan Am Building, a rooftop helipad briefly hosted scheduled helicopter flights, aiming to connect Midtown Manhattan with nearby airports. The experiment ended after a fatal crash highlighted the dangers of operating aircraft in a dense urban environment, compounded by high costs and persistent noise, bringing the ambitious project to an early close.

PNSPNS
Apr 8, 2026 - 10:12
 0
Did you know NYC once flew helicopters from skyscraper rooftops to airports in 1965? Here’s how it all went wrong
Atop New York’s Pan Am Building, a rooftop helipad briefly hosted scheduled helicopter flights, aiming to connect Midtown Manhattan with nearby airports. The experiment ended after a fatal crash highlighted the dangers of operating aircraft in a dense urban environment, compounded by high costs and persistent noise, bringing the ambitious project to an early close.

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