Those helicopters that bring the rich and famous back and forth from New York City have now been sold.

If you live anywhere near the Dutchess Airport, you've probably seen helicopters taking off and landing as they whisk commuters back and forth from New York City. Drives that would take hours each day by car are reduced to minutes as the helicopters speed in a direct route to their destination, flying high above the traffic.

The company that's been responsible for operating these elite flying machines has been operating out of Wappingers Falls since 1989. Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) was owned by Lockheed Martin who manufactures the company's fleet of Sikorsky helicopters.

OneSky Flight announced this week that they have purchased AAG, including the 10 Sikorsky helicopters in their fleet. According to AINonline, the acquisition will add AAG's business to the company's portfolio which already includes Flexjet.  Flexjet allows members to take fractional ownership of private jets. AAG was already offering a similar service for their helicopters with their "Excalibur Card" which allowed customers to purchase flights in 10-hour increments.

It's unclear if AAG will continue to base its operations out of Wappingers Falls. In addition to Dutchess County, the company has bases in Bridgeport, Trenton, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Helicopter travel has been hit hard by the global pandemic. Commuters have opted to stay home and attend virtual meetings instead of traveling back and forth to New York City. Purchasing the business, however, may be a smart plan for OneSky. The pandemic has resulted in many of New York's elite moving out of the city and into the Hudson Valley. When things finally get back to normal, it only makes sense that those new upscale Hudson Valley residents will need a way to get back and forth from the office, and if you have the money, a 15-minute ride in a helicopter sure beats Metro-North.

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