Airport Shuttle Service

 

On this day in 1953, America’s first helicopter airline, New York Airways, began scheduled passenger service between the three area airports—La Guardia, Idlewild and Newark. There were sixteen flights per day at ninety-minute intervals. The first aircraft used was the Sikorsky S-55 (above), a commercial variant of the military H-19 Chickasaw. It carried 8 passengers and a cargo of U.S. Mail. The mail contract provided 75% of NYA’s revenue. As its popularity increased, New York Airways shifted to larger helicopters when they became available. In 1977, the landing gear failed while on the heliport of the Pan Am building in Manhattan. It rolled over and spinning rotor blades killed four waiting passengers. Broken blades then fell to the street killing a pedestrian and injuring several others. Its reputation severely damaged and fuel prices escalating, New York Airways filed for bankruptcy in 1979.