What HeliNY does

HeliNY (legal entity: Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.) is a privately held helicopter sightseeing, charter, and aircraft management company operating in the New York City metropolitan area since 1994. The company runs direct-to-consumer helicopter tours from two departure locations — the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (Pier 6, East River) and Linden Municipal Airport in New Jersey — with a fleet of Bell 407GX and Bell 407GXi helicopters equipped with TCAS, GPS, Synthetic Vision, terrain warning, traffic information systems, and a validated Safety Management System. HeliNY is the sole holder of TOPS (Tour Operators Program of Safety) certification in the NY metro region and the first WYVERN Wingman-certified operator at the Downtown Manhattan Skyport, both achieved in late 2025.

The company's product portfolio spans five core shared sightseeing tours priced from $259 to $389 per seat (The New Yorker, The Ultimate, The Deluxe, NYC Skyline, NYC Sunset), seasonal and event-specific tours (Fall Foliage, 4th of July Fireworks, FIFA Tours, 250th Anniversary flights), and private charter flights at $2,200 per flight. Wholly-owned subsidiaries HeliNY Charters and HeliNY Medical extend the business into airport transfers and time-critical organ transport. The company flies approximately 78,000 passengers annually and claims over 80,000 collective pilot hours.

HeliNY generates revenue primarily through per-seat shared tour sales, full-aircraft private charters, and ancillary add-on services (GoPro rentals, rose bouquets, Times Square billboard spots, Allianz-backed event ticket protection, and Mercedes Sprinter van transportation). Distribution combines a self-serve direct booking engine on heliny.com powered by TripWorks, a multilingual website supporting nine languages, a call center, travel agency reseller partnerships (including a luxury travel division), and direct corporate charter sales. Marketing relies on earned media (TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp), broad social media presence across eight platforms, and SEO. Pricing ranges from $259 per seat to $2,200 per private flight, with Klarna installment payment support and seasonal fuel surcharges of $35-$45 per seat.

Name

HeliNY

Legal name

Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.

Website

https://heliny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HeliNY operates helicopter sightseeing tours, private charters, and medical logistics in the New York City metro area from Manhattan and Linden, NJ, serving tourists, couples, corporate groups, and healthcare institutions with a Bell 407 fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Tour Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB), Helicopter Event & VIP Transport Services (TLAFACAG), On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services (THABAGAB)

Keywords

• Helicopter sightseeing tours
• Private charter flights
• Aerial tourism NYC
• Medical organ transport
• Aircraft management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Linden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Shared Helicopter Tours: Per-seat pricing for shared helicopter sightseeing tours of NYC, with various tour tiers from basic to deluxe experiences
2. Private Charter Flights: Full helicopter charter services for private flights at $2,200 per flight, offering complete customization and VIP experiences
3. Medical Logistics and Organ Transport: Specialized medical transport services for organ transport and medical logistics
4. Add-on Services: Additional revenue from add-on services such as GoPro rentals, flower bouquets, Times Square billboard spots, and event ticket protection
5. Gift Cards: Gift card sales for helicopter tour experiences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HeliNY (Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.) operates per-seat shared helicopter sightseeing tours of New York City landmarks using a Bell 407 GX/GXi fleet based at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and Linden Municipal Airport in New Jersey. Beyond tours, the company sells private charter flights for corporate events, marriage proposals, and celebrations, and provides medical organ transport and air logistics services. Ancillary offerings include GoPro rentals, rose bouquet add-ons, Times Square billboard spots, Mercedes Sprinter van ground transport, gift cards, and Allianz-backed ticket protection.

Product overview

HeliNY (Helicopter Flight Services, Inc.) is a helicopter sightseeing and transport operator offering a portfolio of tour products and services centered on aerial tours of New York City and the greater New York metro area. Its core sightseeing lineup consists of five shared helicopter tour products — The New Yorker Tour ($259), The Ultimate Tour ($289), The Deluxe Tour ($389), the New York City Sunset Tour ($379), and the New York City Skyline Tour ($299) — plus a Private Flights option ($2,200) and seasonal offerings such as the 4th of July VIP Firework Flight ($479) and the Fall Foliage Experience ($379). Beyond standard tours, HeliNY provides custom charter services (including airport transfers and medical organ transport), add-on services including Go-Pro rental, Times Square billboard booking, rose bouquets, and Allianz-backed event ticket protection, plus Mercedes Sprinter van ground transportation. The company operates from two departure locations — the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and Linden Municipal Airport in New Jersey — using a Bell 407 fleet. Safety certifications include TOPS and WYVERN Wingman accreditations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The New Yorker Tour Per-seat shared helicopter tour of New York City landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, and Central Park, aimed at individual tourists and small groups.
• The Ultimate Tour Premium-tier per-seat helicopter sightseeing experience of NYC landmarks targeting visitors seeking an extended or enhanced sightseeing itinerary.
• The Deluxe Tour Mid-tier per-seat helicopter sightseeing tour of New York City landmarks for individual tourists and small groups looking for a curated aerial experience.
• New York City Sunset Tour Helicopter sightseeing tour timed around sunset, providing scenic aerial views of Manhattan and surrounding waterways, targeted at couples and photographers.
• New York City Skyline Tour Per-seat helicopter tour emphasizing views of the Manhattan skyline and surrounding boroughs for individual tourists and visitors.
• 4th of July VIP Firework Flight Premium seasonal helicopter flight offering aerial views of the Macy's 4th of July fireworks display, targeted at celebratory visitors and corporate groups.
• Fall Foliage Experience Seasonal helicopter tour showcasing autumn foliage in the New York tri-state region, marketed toward visitors and photography enthusiasts.
• Private Charter Flights On-demand chartered helicopter flights for private clients, corporations, event planners, marriage proposals, and group transport, customized to itinerary and duration.
• Medical Logistics and Organ Transport Time-critical helicopter transport service for medical teams, organs, and related cargo, contracted by hospitals, transplant centers, and organ procurement organizations.
• Aircraft Management Services Helicopter aircraft management services for third-party owners, including maintenance, crewing, regulatory compliance, and operations support.
• HeliNY Gift Cards Stored-value gift cards redeemable for any HeliNY tour, charter, or add-on experience, marketed toward gift purchasers and corporate gifting.

Quantifiable outcome

• 78,000 passengers flown annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bell Helicopter Training AcademycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHeliNY technicians receive specialized training from Bell Helicopter Training Academy for specific maintenance and operational procedures on Bell 407 aircraft. This partnership ensures factory-certified maintenance standards are maintained.
• Allianz Travel InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Allianz (Allianz Worldwide Partners) to provide event ticket protection and travel insurance to HeliNY customers. Allianz is offered as an optional add-on for trip protection and reimburses up to 100% of ticket purchase for covered reasons.
• WYVERNcoreTechnology or IntegrationWYVERN provides independent safety certification and audit services. HeliNY participates in WYVERN's Flight Leader Program and maintains Wingman certification following stringent safety standards.
• Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS)coreTechnology or IntegrationTOPS provides independent safety certification for helicopter tour operators. HeliNY is the only operator in NY metro region holding TOPS certification, which requires annual third-party audits.
• Downtown Manhattan Skyport (JRB)coreTechnology or IntegrationHeliNY operates from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB), the first operator at this facility to achieve WYVERN Wingman certification and meet enhanced safety standards effective September 1, 2025.
• NJ TransitminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHeliNY offers complimentary shuttle service between Linden Station and Linden Airport for customers arriving via NJ Transit from New York Penn Station.
• TripWorkscoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party booking platform used for online tour reservations and ticket sales through embedded widgets on heliny.com.
• Opulence Luxury Travel DivisionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Opulence, a luxury travel division, to reach high-end travelers seeking premium helicopter experiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Liberty Helicopter Tours: Long-standing direct competitor offering shared helicopter sightseeing tours of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, and NYC landmarks from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport — overlapping directly with HeliNY's core product, customer base, and departure location.
• FlyNYON: Direct NYC helicopter tour competitor operating shared and private sightseeing flights over Manhattan and the NYC metro area, targeting tourists and experiential travelers with a similar per-seat pricing model.
• Zip Aviation: NYC-based helicopter tour and charter operator running sightseeing flights from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, directly competing with HeliNY in shared tours, charters, and airport transfers.
• New York Helicopter: Direct competitor offering shared helicopter tours and private charters over NYC landmarks from Manhattan heliports — same product, same geography, same customer base.
• HeliFlite: Private helicopter charter operator serving the NYC metro and Northeast corridor with similar Bell-class aircraft and corporate/executive clientele — overlapping with HeliNY Charters on premium private bookings.

Broad incumbents

• Blade Air Mobility: Public urban air mobility platform offering helicopter and seaplane services in the NYC metro including sightseeing-adjacent and charter flights; competes with HeliNY in the charter/sightseeing niche as part of a broader scheduled-by-app portfolio.

Others

• Sikorsky–Lockheed Martin (S-76 charter operators): OEM/adjacent aviation ecosystem — Sikorsky S-76 aircraft are widely used in NYC executive/medical charter; relevant for understanding the competitive charter-aircraft landscape that HeliNY's Bell 407 fleet competes against for premium medical and VIP work.
• Helicopter Association International (HAI): Industry trade body governing helicopter operators — relevant ecosystem peer that shapes the safety, certification, and regulatory environment HeliNY operates within (TOPS, WYVERN programs).
• Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS): Independent safety accreditation body whose certification HeliNY holds exclusively in the NY metro — relevant ecosystem peer that sets the competitive safety bar for air tour operators.
• WYVERN: Aviation safety-risk management organization (ISO-9001 certified) whose Wingman certification HeliNY holds — relevant ecosystem peer that validates and audits the safety standards differentiating HeliNY from competitors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HeliNY_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@heliny6900
• Facebookfacebook.com/hfsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helicopter-flight-services-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/heli.ny
• TikToktiktok.com/@heli.ny

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HeliNY