Schumer to Eastern Region Helicopter Council: Don't Fight New Helicopter Regulations; Work With Us to Implement Regs and Improve Quality of Life for Long Island Families

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC) to work with him to curb helicopter traffic along the North Shore of Long Island. Schumer has worked for years to implement solutions to the issue of helicopter noise in Nassau and Suffolk counties and last Friday announced first-ever mandatory regulations that will set minimum altitudes and establish mandatory flight patterns for helicopters on Long Island. Low flying helicopters over the Island have long disrupted the quality of life of residents and families. The proposed regulations are the result of years of work by Schumer to rein in rogue helicopters flying at exceptionally low altitudes, creating deafening noise in local communities. In his letter to the ERHC, Schumer urged the organization to work in good faith to ensure the regulations are implemented efficiently so that Long Island families can enjoy a better quality of life.

"Since the ERHC has already accepted these regulations as a voluntary matter, they should have no hesitate to make them formal. These new noise-reducing regulations are the result of years of hard work to provide better quality of life to Long Island families and we must ensure that we have all hands on deck, including the helicopter council, to get them implemented quickly," Schumer said in his letter to the EHRC. "With these regulations, residents will finally have some peace and quiet and not have to worry about being jolted out of bed or interrupted at dinner. It is my hope that ERHC will step up to the plate and work with us to implement these regulations to Long Island families no longer have to suffer from the roar of helicopters buzzing overhead."

While the parties involved originally agreed to voluntary minimum flight altitudes of 2500 feet and the establishment of a North Shore route to divert helicopters over the Long Island Sound, those guidelines were largely ignored by many helicopter operators, who sought the convenience and cost-savings of overland routes at the expense of Long Island residents on the ground. Despite the voluntary agreement reached in 2007, the problem has worsened in many areas of northern Nassau and Suffolk counties and residents continue to be subjected to deafening, foundation-rattling flyovers.

Schumer says that as many as 50% of helicopter operations leaving New York City for the East End of Long Island forego the North Shore route and proceed overland across the Northern peninsulas of Nassau County, Glen Cove, and Suffolk County. Because of this, the FAA has determined that mandatory guidelines for the North Shore route - which as originally composed, direct helicopter traffic across the Long Island Sound to avoid the Northern peninsulas by flying at 2,500 feet westerly from Execution Rocks Lighthouse - are the only viable solution. Schumer hopes ERHC agrees that a 50% success rate in the utilization of the North Shore route under the voluntary framework is unacceptable for the residents of Great Neck to Kings Park out to the North Fork.

In his letter, Schumer asked the ERHC to join with him and other local officials in the following efforts:

First, work with the FAA during the 30-day comment period to prepare for implementation of mandatory guidelines that will require that all helicopter operations departing New York City along the North Shore route to completely circumvent northern Nassau and Suffolk Counties until they approach for landing.

Second, work with the FAA and ERHC members to ensure that for-hire helicopter companies and individual operators continue to utilize the North Shore route as the preferred route for travel to the East End so that alternate and unregulated land-based routes are not flooded with new and unwanted traffic.

Third, work with the FAA, East End elected officials, and airport managers so that helicopter operations transitioning overland to East End destinations fly at 2,500 feet as they exit the North Shore Route. In addition, a comprehensive plan for varying entry and exit transit points across the North Fork should be implemented pursuant to the new regulations so that not one particular community on the North Fork is burdened by helicopters approaching final destinations at East End airports. Schumer suggests that the Council join with the FAA in immediately arranging a series of meetings to map out this strategy.

Source