The disgruntled former operator of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport has renewed calls for the city to replace the waterfront landing pad with a park after last week’s helicopter crash in the Hudson River killed a family of five Spanish tourists and its Navy veteran pilot.
William Wachtel, chair of the company Saker Aviation, which operated the heliport for nearly 20 years until its contract expired in March, has spent recent months campaigning for the elimination of helicopter takeoffs and landings from the space. He said he wants the heliport to be converted into public space as well as a docking area for freight barges.
He went public with his proposal on Dec. 9, the same week the city Economic Development Corporation announced Saker’s contract to run the heliport would not be renewed. He said last week’s Hudson River helicopter crash on a tourist flight that took off from the landing pad calls for the city to rethink the need for the heliport.
“For 18 years as an EDC concessionaire, I didn't have the liberty to say, ‘Oh no, this is a ridiculous use of an incredible city asset,'” Wachtel told Gothamist. “I'm free at last. It absolutely should be shut down as a heliport. It has no real purpose.”
Since the crash, several leaders have called for the city to ban nonessential helicopter flights. Wachtel’s proposal goes even further and would eliminate a heliport that handles upwards of 30,000 flights a year, including ones by the NYPD and Marine One, the president’s helicopter.
“Look at what it could be: a fantastic park and concert event venue with a vibrant freight and non-commuter ferry operation.”
Wachtel’s company turned over the operation of the heliport to a new vendor called Downtown Skyport on March 29. Like Wachtel’s proposal, Downtown Skyport plans to work with the EDC to convert a section of the space into a maritime freight hub — part of a larger city initiative that aims to reduce truck traffic on local streets.
The new operator also said it plans to work with the city to enable modern electric helicopters to fly in and out of the heliport.
Saker filed a lawsuit last month challenging Downtown Skyport’s award of the contract, arguing the company misled the EDC in its proposal.
“Saker lost a competitive selection process for operator of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport,” EDC spokesperson Seth Schuster wrote in a statement. “As we have done with the other objections and protests from Saker, we will respond in due course and dispel concerns regarding the procurement process and concession award to Downtown Skyport LLC.”
The heliport operator isn’t responsible for safety checks and maintenance of helicopters. After last week’s crash, the Federal Aviation Administration announced New York Helicopter, the company that operated the fatal flight, was shutting down.
