The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an emergency grounding order for New York Helicopter Charter, Inc. This decision follows an incident involving the company's Bell 206 helicopter, which crashed in the Hudson River last Thursday. The FAA's action comes after the company's director of operations, who had voluntarily ceased flights, was dismissed from his position.
Concurrently, the FAA has embarked on a comprehensive review of New York Helicopter Charter, Inc.'s operational practices. This evaluation is part of the Certificate Holder Evaluation Program (CHEP). The program is designed to assess whether operators comply with regulatory standards, manage safety effectively, and identify any potential hazards and risks. The goal is to enable the FAA and the operator to address these issues proactively.
The Acting FAA Administrator has made a statement on X regarding this matter.
