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October 25, 2013- A NJ source has a nice article on the out-of-control tourist helicopter noise plaguing humans who reside along the East River and Hudson River. Under the Bloomberg administration, the number of helicopter flights per days has increased from 100 to 600. (Mayor Bloomberg is a pilot himself and advocate for private planes and helicopters.)
The article states, “The Eastern Region Helicopter Council, which represents the five tour operators, acknowledges helicopters have made more work for Newark flight controllers but insists the number of tour flights has not increased. Rather, the council attributes the added burden on controllers to a 2010 agreement requiring New York City-based tour helicopters to fly at a higher altitude. While the intent of the requirement was to reduce noise for Manhattan residents, it also moved helicopter traffic into FAA airspace, requiring that they be guided by air traffic controllers.
But residents on the New Jersey side of the river also insist the number of tour helicopter flights has increased. And, they say, the added noise is driving them to distraction.
“I’m facing east in my living room, and I can see the helicopters all day long, going nonstop, starting at 9 a.m., going down south,” said Brian Wagner, a longtime Hoboken resident who founded the group Stop NYC Tourist Helicopters Over NJ Side of the Hudson River. “I’m wearing noise-cancelling headphones, and I can hear them going by.”
From lower Manhattan, you hear these tourist helicopters flying north on the Hudson and 10 minutes later, flying back south on the NJ side so that there is never a moment during daylight hours when we are free of helicopter noise. When you look up at the sky, you will often see 2,3, and 4 choppers flying up and down the river at any one time. The vast majority of these flights are tours which take off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Incredibly, these tours are allowed to operate for 10 hours a day 6 days a week (Mon – Sat. 9:00 AM – 7 PM) and for 8 hours a day on Sundays (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM). The EDC should release numbers on the amount of takeoffs and landings! This needs to be public information!!!
What people need to know is that they can call 311 (and call them often!) to register complaints about helicopter noise. This does build a case as does contacting their local politicians afterwards with the 311 case numbers. Government representatives for lower Manhattan are: US Representative Jerrold Nadler, Tel. 212-367-7350, celine.mizrahi@mail.house.gov; State Senator Daniel Squadron, Tel. 212-298-5565, Mary@DanielSquadron.org; Councilwoman Margaret Chin, 212-587-3159, Xiaomin at XZhao@council.nyc.gov; Community Board 1, (212) 442-5050, Evan Lacher at elacher@cb.nyc.gov
Don’t forget to send your complaints to Helicopter Council and FAA as well.
https://www.planenoise.com/erhc/ or erhc@planenoise.com
9-AWA-NoiseOmbudsman@faa.gov
Quinns Office who supports this Helicopter Tourism at the expense of our safety and quality of life.
Cquinn@council.nyc.gov
Send some complaints to Jersey City officials as well. Let them hear how their Paulus Hook Helipad is affecting your life. Remember they operate until 7:00PM 7 days a week and they used to operate ’till 11:00PM all days during summer.
Mayor of Jersey City:
info@stevenfulop.com (201) 547-5200
Downtown Councilperson:
COsborne@jcnj.org (201) 547-5204
I live on the Upper West Side. The helicopter noise is unbearable. Clearly it is stress inducing and distracting. We need to measure the decibel impact and pass a ban on this kind of air traffic (4 helicopter per minute). It’s like living right next to an airport.
Dear Helicopter Noise Torture:
Stop the Chop NYNJ is a new local organization dedicated to banning tourist helicopters over NYC. Our 1,500+ members hail from Brooklyn, Staten Island, Governor’s Island, Lower Manhattan, the Upper West Side and several New Jersey towns. Please visit our site – StoptheChopNYNJ.org – for more information and to join our mailing list.
Also, State Senator Daniel Squadron (Lower Manhattan & Brooklyn) and Council Member Mark Levine (UWS) are organizing two anti-helicopter rallies this week. Stay tuned …