There are some experiences that look completely insane until you’re actually doing them. Sitting thousands of feet above New York City in a helicopter with no door beside you is definitely one of them. I had been in helicopters before, but the idea of sitting beside an open helicopter door with nothing but your harness between you and the sky sounds slightly unhinged. In reality, though, it wasn’t nearly as terrifying as it looked.
It was cold, exhilarating, a little chaotic, incredibly beautiful, and absolutely one of those experiences that gives you a story to tell afterward.
We originally booked our doors-off helicopter ride with FlyNYON in 2021 as part of my daughter’s birthday celebration. Our original birthday plans had fallen through because of COVID, and I still wanted to give her an experience that felt special. Since I am always looking for something new and slightly adventurous to try, this seemed like the perfect replacement. And somehow, I convinced everybody else to come along with me.
Before the Doors Came Off
Going into this, I expected the girls to be the ones questioning all of their life choices; they weren’t. They were actually excited and ready to go. My sister-in-law, on the other hand, needed a little more encouragement. 😂 But once we got there and started going through the process, I think everyone relaxed a little.
Before our flight, we watched a safety video and received hands-on instructions about what to do during the ride and in case of an emergency. We were fitted with harnesses, given instructions from the crew and had an opportunity to ask questions before getting into the helicopter.
When you see photos of people casually hanging their legs outside of a helicopter over New York City, your brain immediately goes, Absolutely not. Going through the safety procedures helped turn it from this reckless-looking thing into an actual organized experience with precautions in place.
Of course, there is still risk involved anytime you choose an activity like of this nature, and I would never suggest ignoring that. But there is a difference between understanding risk and allowing fear to make every decision for you.
My skydiving experience probably taught me that more than anything else. I spent so much time anticipating how terrifying the jump would be that the anticipation became bigger than the experience itself. The helicopter ride gave me a similar reminder: sometimes the picture you’ve created in your head is much scarier than what actually happens.
Is a Doors-Off Helicopter Ride Scary?
Surprisingly, I didn’t think so.
Obviously, your comfort level is going to depend on how you feel about heights, flying and thrill-seeking in general. If simply looking out of an airplane window makes your stomach turn, hanging your legs beside an open helicopter door may feel very different for you than it did for me. I was much more focused on the views, than I was worried about falling out of my seat.
New York is already an incredible city to look at from the ground. Seeing it stretched beneath you from a helicopter gives you an entirely different perspective. Buildings that feel enormous when you’re walking beside them suddenly look tiny. You get to take in the skyline all at once instead of one block at a time.
And then there is the very surreal realization that your legs are hanging outside of a helicopter while you’re looking at it. That’s the part that makes the experience feel different from a traditional helicopter tour. But scary? Nah.
What Does a Doors-Off Helicopter Ride Feel Like?
Windy. Let’s start there. 😂
There is nothing between you and the outside air, so this isn’t the calm little sightseeing ride you might be picturing. The wind is very much part of the experience. And if you go during cooler weather like we did, bundle up! I apparently underestimated this part tremendously. The air felt considerably colder once we were flying, and that cold wind literally beat tears out of our eyes, snot out of our noses, and eventually left my hand feeling completely numb. Looking back at the pictures, you would never know we were up there being personally attacked by the atmosphere.
If I were doing the same ride again in cooler weather, I would care much less about putting together a cute outfit and much more about being warm and comfortable. Layers matter. So does wearing clothing that allows you to move easily once you’re strapped into the helicopter.
I would also choose secure shoes and avoid anything loose that could become annoying in heavy wind. If you wear contacts or your eyes are particularly sensitive, sunglasses can make the ride much more comfortable too. So basically, dress for the experience you’re actually having, not just the pictures you’re hoping to take.
Taking Pictures During a Doors-Off Helicopter Ride
One of the biggest reasons people book doors-off helicopter flights is photography, and I completely understand why. There are very few opportunities to get an unobstructed view of New York City from this perspective, and removing the helicopter door means you’re not trying to shoot through a window. You also don’t need professional photography equipment to walk away with beautiful pictures. We used our phones and still captured some of my favorite images.
When we flew, the company had specific rules for securing phones and camera equipment during the flight. Those policies can change, so I would check your helicopter company’s current photography and equipment requirements before arriving rather than assuming you’ll be able to bring or hold whatever you want.
And once you’re up there, take the pictures, but also put the camera down sometimes. It is very easy to experience something incredible almost entirely through a phone screen because you’re so focused on getting the perfect photo. Get your pictures. Get your video. Then give yourself a minute to simply look and the enjoy the moment.
How Long of a Helicopter Ride Do You Need?
At the time of our flight, we had the option of a shorter tour or a longer one that covered more of the city. We chose the shorter ride, and for us, it was enough. Would a longer flight have allowed us to see more? Of course. But I also didn’t feel like we missed out of much of anything.
This is one area where I wouldn’t automatically assume more expensive means better. Think about what you actually want from the experience. If your main goal is to experience a doors-off helicopter ride and capture some amazing skyline photos, you may be perfectly happy with a shorter flight. If there are specific landmarks you want to see or you want more time in the air, paying for a longer route may make more sense. But even with the shorter tour, we got to fly around the Statue of Liberty.
One Thing I Wasn’t Expecting: The Space
Helicopters are not exactly roomy. That sounds obvious now, but it wasn’t something I thought much about before climbing inside one with several other people.
Our group was seated close together, and once everyone was strapped in, there wasn’t a ton of extra space to move around. When it came time to position ourselves near the open sides of the helicopter, I remember thinking that everything felt much tighter than it looked in the promotional pictures.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It is simply something worth knowing before you go. If you’re expecting a spacious private-tour feeling, that may not be what you get, particularly if your flight is shared with other passengers. I would also check the operator’s current passenger, seating, weight and private-flight policies before booking, particularly, if having your group together is important to you. On our flight, my daughter actually sat in the front seat with the Pilot.
What I Wish I Knew Before Going
If I could go back and prepare for our doors-off helicopter ride again, the biggest thing I would change would be how I dressed. I cannot emphasize the cold enough.
Beyond that, I would arrive knowing that the experience looks scarier from the outside than it feels once you’re actually doing it. I would expect the helicopter to feel tight. I would make sure I understood the company’s current rules for phones and cameras. And I would decide ahead of time which photos I really wanted so I didn’t spend the entire ride trying to document every second.
I also wouldn’t get too caught up in choosing the “perfect” tour. Sometimes we make experiences harder to book because we feel like we need the longest package, best seat, most expensive option or every possible upgrade. We took the shorter ride, we froze, we laughed, we hung our feet out of a helicopter over NYC and my daughter walked away with a new experience under her belt for her birthday. I’d say we got what we came for.
Would I Do a Doors-Off Helicopter Ride Again?
Absolutely.
If you love seeing familiar places from a completely different perspective, this is worth considering at least once. And if you’re someone who keeps waiting until you’re “not scared anymore” before doing something adventurous, you may be waiting forever. Being brave doesn’t always mean being completely fearless. Even I’m scared of the things I do half the time.
But if hanging your legs outside a helicopter still sounds a little too wild, my hot air balloon ride gives you the complete opposite kind of experience in the sky: quiet, peaceful and almost surreal.
Whatever your version of adventure looks like, I hope you give yourself permission to collect a few experiences that make you look back and think, I really did that.
The best experiences aren’t always the comfortable ones. Sometimes they’re the ones you can’t stop talking about years later.
Thanks for doing life with me,
— Lexi 🤍
Editor’s note: This article shares my personal experience from a 2021 doors-off helicopter flight and has been updated in 2026. Tour options, pricing, safety requirements, photography policies and other booking details may change, so always confirm current information directly with the helicopter operator before booking.
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