60 years ago, New York City used helicopter taxis to the airport: how an ambitious project ended in tragedy

The Pan Am skyscraper in New York City was conceived as a symbol of a future in which aviation became a part of urban life. Passengers could fly directly from the building's rooftop, bypassing Manhattan traffic, to the airport. However, this ambitious idea ended in tragedy, forever changing the city's approach to helicopter travel. Times Of India tells in more detail.

When the Pan Am Building opened at 200 Park Avenue in 1963, it was conceived as more than just an office skyscraper. The project was supported by Pan American World Airways, whose president, Juan Trippe, wanted to create a "city within a city" where movement people would be as efficient as flying between continents.

Infrastructure building reflected this idea.

It featured dozens of high-speed elevators, including two-level systems. The upper lobby served thousands of employees and visitors daily.

The Copter Club was located on the 57th and 58th floors. It was a lounge where passengers could check in for their flights, wait, and then head directly to the rooftop helipad.

The idea was simple: to bypass Manhattan's traffic jams entirely. Instead of going to the airport, he would "come" to the city center.

Launch of helicopter flights and initial problems

Test flights began in 1965, using Boeing Vertol 107 helicopters operated by New York Airways.

The roof offered direct flights to John F. Kennedy Airport and, for a short time, to Teterboro Airport.

For a short time, the idea worked. During the 1966 transport strike, when public transportation almost ground to a halt, the helipad served around 700 passengers a day.

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It became a clear example of how a multi-level urban system could work without traffic jams.

However, problems arose immediately.

The helicopters created a lot of noise, leading to constant complaints from tenants and neighboring buildings. Demand was lower than expected after the novelty wore off and transportation returned to normal.

In 1968, just three years after its launch, the service was shut down.

Second attempt and risky practice

Almost ten years later, in early 1977, the helipad reopened.

Now, Sikorsky S-61 helicopters were used. This is the civilian version of the military Sea King helicopter.

The reboot was intended to address previous problems and make the project economically sustainable.

The key change was the practice of "hot landing".

This meant that the helicopters didn't turn off their engines between flights. The blades continued to spin while passengers disembarked and new ones boarded.

This approach reduced the time between flights and allowed for more flights per day. But it significantly increased the risk.

The disaster that ended the project

And this risk turned into tragedy on May 16, 1977.

Around 17:35 PM, a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter landed on the roof. Its blades continued to rotate while some passengers disembarked and others waited to board.

The landing gear failed. The National Transportation Safety Board later determined that the cause was metal deterioration in a key component.

When the landing gear collapsed, the helicopter tilted sideways. The spinning blades hit the roof and shattered.

Four people waiting to board were killed by the impact and debris. Several other passengers were injured.

Debris fell on the city streets.

The consequences did not stop at the roof.

Blade fragments flew apart with tremendous force. One large piece struck the building, breaking a window on the top floor, and then continued falling.

Some debris reached the street and killed a woman on Madison Avenue. She was standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus.

Other fragments were found several blocks from the scene.

The tragedy unfolded simultaneously on two levels—on the roof and on the street. It highlighted the risks of locating aviation facilities in dense urban areas.

Causes of the accident and consequences

The investigation established that the cause of the crash was not pilot error, but a design fault.

The chassis contained a 7075-T73 aluminum component. Over time, it developed a crack due to corrosion and constant stress. The damage went unnoticed and eventually failed under load.

Operating in hot landing mode exacerbated the consequences, as the blades were rotating at full speed at the time of the accident.

The reaction was immediate.

That same day, the helipad was closed permanently. It was never used for commercial flights again.

Following the accident, mass helicopter travel in New York City effectively ceased.

Regulators and city officials have begun moving such operations to coastal areas where the risks to people on the streets are lower.

An ambitious idea that failed to stand up to reality

The helipad on the Pan Am building became a symbol of the era when it was believed that cities could be developed by vertically integrating aviation into everyday life. In practice, the idea proved unviable. Noise, high costs, safety concerns, and the difficulty of operating in dense urban environments made it impossible.

Today, the roof of the MetLife Building is empty.

The building itself functions as a typical commercial skyscraper, housing offices for large companies, shops, and cafes.

Peregrine falcons sometimes nest on the upper levels, an unexpected and more peaceful use of space once reserved for helicopters.

The building remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks – even though its most ambitious function is no longer in use.

The Fate of Pan Am

Pan American World Airways, the airline that gave the building its namesake, also suffered a sharp decline. Once a symbol of the aviation era and American global influence, it declined in the following decades, however, and ceased operations in 1991 due to financial difficulties and changes in the industry.

Since then, there have been attempts to revive the Pan Am brand in various forms.

They relied on its historical significance and cultural heritage. However, none of them were able to restore the company to its former stature.

Nevertheless, the brand continues to resurface periodically. Recently, there has even been discussion of a possible return to aviation. The current owners have reportedly begun the certification process with the US Federal Aviation Administration.