The Federal Aviation Administration issued a written directive Thursday formalizing its ban on “open door” and “doors off” chopper flights, after the deadly helicopter crash in the East River.
The emergency restriction affects all pilots and companies nationwide.
“The Acting Administrator has found that an emergency exists related to aviation safety and safety in air commerce and requires immediate action,” the order says.
Use of the kind of restraints systems that passengers in the March 11 crash were wearing is also banned.
Investigators said the harnesses worn by five passengers in the doomed Liberty Helicopter, kept them from freeing themselves when the aircraft crashed into the water and tipped over.
The pilot was wearing a less restrictive seat and shoulder-belt and was able to get out and escape injury.
“Supplemental passenger restraint systems can significantly delay or prevent passengers from exiting the aircraft in an emergency,” the order said.
Operators will have to have FAA-approved quick release restraints if they want to fly “doors off,” the feds said.
The five people who perished earlier this month were not wearing FAA-approved restraints, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
FlyNYON, the company that chartered the doomed flight, posted a statement Wednesday saying, “Despite recent headlines, the FAA and NTSB have not suspended operations of doors-off flights.”
The company said it was “voluntarily” discontinuing doors off flights pending a safety review.
“Our doors on, windows open photo flights continue to operate in full accordance with FAA regulations,” FlyNYON said.
The passengers were given knives to cut themselves out of the restraints if necessary.
However, when the helicopter hit the water, it immediately flipped on its side — possibly because of a malfunction of one or more of the inflatable floats on the rudders.
The crash killed Argentine tourist Carla Vallejos Blanco, 29; Young New Yorkers Chorus member Daniel Thompson, 34; former Westchester Knicks operations assistant Tristan Hill, 29; business journalist Trevor Cadigan, 26; and Dallas firefighter Brian McDaniel, 26.
Operators that don’t follow the regulation could face fines of up to $13,000 per flight, the FAA said.