Politics & Government

FAA: No More Low-Flying Copter Flights

Elected officials tried to solve the problem without lawmaking, but that didn't work.

Just in time for the start of summer helicopter traffic from New York City to the East End, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, D-NY, has announced that the federal government will impose its first-ever mandatory regulations aimed at controlling the resulting noise on Long Island.

Helicopter companies agreed to adopt voluntary regulations in 2007 including maintaining a minimum 2,500-foot altitude and establishing flying routes over Long Island Sound but noise complaints from within residential neighborhoods continued, Schumer said.
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"The days of handshake agreements and cutting corners are over," he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to announce the new mandatory regulations Monday, and the public will have 30 days to comment on the new rules.

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Schumer's office has been tracking complaints from residents since 2008 and shared the information with the FAA.

In December 2009, based on those complaints, Schumer and U.S. Representative Tim Bishop, D-Southampton, met with the FAA  and urged it to make those voluntary restrictions mandatory.

After a rigorous review process by expert FAA staff that examined the benefits to residents and failures of the voluntary regulations, the FAA has agreed that mandatory regulations are necessary to finally fix the noise problem experienced by Long Island residents.

"This is the year we start to bring unwanted helicopter noise to an end," Mr. Schumer stated in a press release issued Friday. "Residents will finally have some peace and quiet and not have to worry about being jolted out of bed or interrupted at dinner. These regulations will make it clear, enough is enough."

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 "Long Island families are going to be able to enjoy the summer barbecue season without the constant and incessant interruption of low-flying helicopters buzzing their homes and backyards."


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