HELICOPTER RULES DISAPPOINT
When the city’s Economic Development Corporation announced new regulations for sight-seeing helicopter tours, president Seth Pinsky said the rules balance “both quality of life needs and our important tourist industry.” Short tour flights that last several minutes have been eliminated and there is a ban on sightseeing helicopter tours over Central Park.
But while the entire borough of Brooklyn was graced with a full ban on sightseeing tours, Upper West Side residents are still subject to helicopter noise.
Operators can fly over the center of the Hudson River to West 79th Street, then turn to fly south, center-west of the river. The flights will be at 1,500 feet or above to mitigate noise.
“[People] picnicking, strolling, walking dogs—they’re being impacted by helicopter flights that are doing nothing more than generating money for helicopter tours,” said John Jeannopoulos, an Upper West Sider who became concerned with the increase of these flights.
But forcing the helicopter operators to fly higher should ease noise problems, according to Robert Grotell, special advisor to trade organization Eastern Region Helicopter Council.
“Altitude is by far the best noise mitigation,” Grotell said. “We’re flying twice as high.”
If pilots are flying too low or breaking the regulations, West Side residents are encouraged to call the Helicopter Council’s toll-free complaint number at 1-800-319-7410 in addition to 311.
Correction added. It is the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
AFTER CRASH, POLS DEMAND REGULATION
In the wake of an Aug. 8 collision between a fixed-wing airplane and a tourist helicopter above the Hudson River, West Side elected officials are re-igniting their call for federal regulation.
The Federal Aviation Administration does not regulate flight paths for aircrafts that fly below 1,100 feet, which includes many small aircrafts and helicopters that fly over the Hudson River.
“Every helicopter and general aviation aircraft should also be required to file flight plans, even for trips under 1,100 feet,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler in a statement. “In fact, we should give serious consideration to banning all flights below 1,100 feet until we can install radar systems that can track them.”
The Aug. 8 collision killed nine people.
Nadler, who was joined State Sen. Tom Duane, Borough President Scott Stringer and Council Member Gale Brewer, implored the FAA to impose Traffic Collision Avoidance System to alert pilots when another aircraft is dangerously close.
The elected officials also want the FAA to regulate all airspace above the Hudson River, which was dubbed the “Wild West” at a press conference.
Officials have previously called for new regulation when Upper West Siders complained about noise created by low-flying sightseeing helicopters.
“There are no mandated flight routes for the sightseeing helicopters in Manhattan. They fly as they choose, though they do have to land and take off over the water,” Jim Peters, FAA spokesperson told the West Side Spirit last December.
HELICOPTER FOLLOW-UP
With complaints from Manhattan constituents increasing, Rep. Jerrold Nadler recently reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration to discuss the noise and disruption caused by helicopters flying over New York City.
Nadler’s office said that the Congressman is working with the FAA to organize a follow-up meeting to a January roundtable discussion focused on the issue. The meeting would include the New York City Economic Development Corporation and representatives of the helicopter industry.
Proposed solutions include the design of new routes, the introduction of flying hour restrictions and the change of federal regulations.
“There are only two areas in the country that do not allow helicopter flying: the White House and Camp David,” said Jesse Bodine, director of constituent services for Council Member Gale Brewer, whose office has been working with residents on the issue. As the legislative option “will take some time,” elected officials hope that a feasible solution will soon come out of the meetings.
HELICOPTERS NEED REGULATION
To the Editor:
Your well-balanced article (“They’ve Had It with Helicopters,” Dec. 18) illustrated two fundamental problems with tourist helicopters. First, our city government has put the needs of an industry over the needs of its citizens. Second, it has chosen to turn a blind eye when that industry abuses the very citizens that our city officials should protect.
It seems disingenuous when Janel Patterson states that the New York City Economic Development Corporation (for Aviation) “monitor the calls that come into the city via 311.” When I called 311, I was told to call the agency and I was provided a direct telephone number. When I did call (as did some of my neighbors) our calls were not returned. Read more
THEY’VE HAD IT WITH HELICOPTERS
Each weekend, writer Sam Leff hears the buzzing of helicopters flying over his house and areas of the park where he walks and bikes. One afternoon, he saw two within five minutes in the West 70s.
“Particularly in the last number of months, there seems to be an extreme increase in the number of helicopters,” he said. “They fly very low, with a high noise level. If I’m in the middle of writing a sentence it totally destroys my concentration.”
While neighborhood residents, inured to the kinds of sounds Read more
