A councilman is drafting a bill to ban tourist helicopter flights, which have drawn persistent noise complaints from Upper West Siders, according to a report in the Daily News.
About 40,000 tourist helicopter flights zoom over the city every year, according to the News, and Brooklyn council member Carlos Menchaca’s bill would ban all of them, the News reports. But it would still allow other kinds of helicopter trips, including chartered flights to the Hamptons and elsewhere — there are about 30,000 of those a year.
Council member Helen Rosenthal has supported a tourist helicopter ban and her spokesperson told us she’s planning to co-sponsor Menchaca’s bill. Her previous statement on the issue is below, and her letters on the issue are here.
“Helicopter noise is a relentless burden for residents who live along the Hudson river. As part of a coalition of many elected officials from the Federal, State and City level, I met with the Mayor’s Office in June 2014 to discuss the issue and demand a total ban on tourist helicopters in NYC. I am aware of what an important quality of life issue it is for NYC residents across many neighborhoods, and I fully support a ban on this type of helicopter traffic. I will continue to work with colleagues on next steps and will update my website with any new developments.”
Given that this bill isn’t expected to affect chartered flights, Rosenthal says she’ll look for other ways to deal with that noise. “As for chartered helicopter flights, Helen is well aware of how frustrated our constituents are, and we’re looking into what options are available to mitigating their noise,” her spokesman wrote.
Tour operators have said they’ll fight any effort to shut them down, and Brian Tolbert, the manager of the lower Manhattan heliport, told the News that they voluntarily agreed to stop flying over land this year.
Amy, who clued us in to the bill, says that Upper West Siders who don’t like the copters can help the cause by calling in 311 complaints when they hear them. “If the city sees complaints it can make a difference,” she wrote. “We have a chance of reclaiming Riverside Park and the Hudson River from the terrible noise that has plagued our area.” Here’s the website to make a complaint.
In 2014, 1,290 noise complaints were made about helicopters, versus 129,946 for loud parties, the most prevalent noise complaint.
Correction: we initially misstated the number of complaints for loud parties.
the most amazing news
RE:”…Brooklyn council member Carlos Menchaca’s bill would ban all of them, the News reports”
Note the word “BROOKLYN” :-0
WHY should a Brooklyn Council Member be concerned about flights OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE HUDSON RIVER ? He must have exceptionally sensitive hearing.
And why should the City Council want to:
1) DENY tourists who choose to see the city from a unique perspective the chance to do so; and
2) DENY tax-paying entrepreneurs who operate these flights the chance to earn an honest living.
Oh, b/c the heli’s are noisy? Keep your windows shut and you will not hear the noise!
Oh2, b/c these are wealthy tourists, and we all know the new mantra, RICH PEOPLE BAD; POOR PEOPLE GOOD!
(if that sounds like “Animal Farm’s” wonderfully sarcastic TWO LEGS BAD; FOUR LEGS GOOD you are perfectly right!)
Thankfully, the City Council does NOT control the airspace above the city! THAT is the jurisdiction of the notoriously slow-to-move and pro-airline Federal Aviation Administration, which will first have to issue an NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule-Making), then open a year-long comment period, then hold hearings involving all interested parties, et-cetera/et-cetera/et-cetera (Thank you, Ken Watanabe as the King in The King and I).
So, by the time the FAA decides on this issue, Council Members Menchaca and Rosenthal will have termed-out and retired to the Sixth Boro … Florida.
A “terrible noise that has plagued our area” it is not. The principle of trying to legislate away every single slight inconvenience is a very slippery slope. It’s a city; deal with it.
From my 14th floor perch, the sounds of car horns, bus groans, and people screaming down on the street are far more annoying than the helicopters in the air. But then again it’s far more fun to chase the tourists away, now isn’t it?
The last sentence really says it all: “In 2014, 1,290 noise complaints were made about helicopters, versus 129,946 for loud parties, the most prevalent noise complaint.”
Who cares? I bet most of those complaints are the same few people calling once per day.
The incessant weekend helicopter noise on the UWS is a real nuisance to me. Hope this passes.
Hmmm, looks like I’m in the minority so far. I will say, I never noticed it that much till I moved into an apartment that faces west. And it’s a problem mostly on weekends. Not sure if that jives with tourist trips or weekend getaways. I do think its a nuisance though. It’s like showtime on the subway: so obnoxious!
While I definitely find the near constant drone of heli’s annoying in Riverside Park, I find this kind of nanny-stating even more irksome and dangerous. No thank you to bills making a popular tourist option as well as people’s businesses and livelihoods illegal. Especially before trying to do a single thing to help the matter first. And, again, why Brooklyn??
Great news! The helicopter noise really is most annoying when trying to enjoy summer in the UWS.
This is real hogwash. I live on West End Ave facing the Hudson River and am home all day. I rarely even hear any helicopters. The ones loud enough to draw my attention do not look like tourist helicopters – they look more like military or other law enforcement planes.
If New York is too loud for you then you’re living in the wrong city.
Great news! Those things are so loud and pretty much nonstop. They fly so low you can’t escape them. I can’t have a home office in my own apartment because I can’t take phone calls.
Love! Living near the park, I can say I often hear them. Also it’s annoying to be relaxing in the park and these weirdos are paying who knows what to hover above and what…look at all the people living their lives? Not to mention they always interrupt the TV antenna for those of us still using that technology… I can hear one now as I type this. I don’t care if they cruise up and down the rivers, but really, what is there to see above the park that’s so exciting?
Wow, a TV antenna???? Really?! (agree, the helicopters are a bother on the UWS)
Ha – I notice the exact same thing. I cut the cord with Time Warner and bought an hdtv antenna for $15. All is great, except when Sunday night helicopters go by and the Simpsons broadcast cuts out for a minute or two while they pass.
I hear the helicopters all the time, they turn around and head south around 79th street but as long as they are over the Hudson the noise isn’t that bad.
What is completely unacceptable and annoying are the charter flights coming from the Hamptons that fly low directly overhead. The noise from these helicopters is unreal. Every Sunday afternoon and evening it is unbearable.
I applaud this bill. Most days I leave the neighborhood to work, so I never thought this was much of an issue until I had to work from home a few days. Every few minutes, the inescapable drone that makes our neighborhood sound like Apocalypse Now. It’s awful.
I’m disappointed in some of these comments. You say that people should close their windows, hide inside so the tourists can be the only ones who enjoy our city? I guess you think the city is here for their amusement only? Imagine if some tour operator figured a way to extend Times Square through your living room, and the only way you could get some peace and quiet was to hide in the most interior room of your apartment.
And this isn’t about rich or poor; a helicopter tour is actually pretty cheap compared to a lot of tourist things. That’s why there are so many of them; that’s why it’s a constant problem.
clueless what you people are talking about. I live on 77th and broadway and I’m in riverside walking my dog every day at all hours and helicopter noise is not something I have heard in 7 months since I moved here. Fight construction permits that allow 6 day a week work starting at 7 am and going upwards of 9 pm , there’s a worthy cause.
Its sad to hear about this bill when there are so many other pressing noise violations that go unaddressed. Hard working pilots deserve to have their jobs too. Tourism is a great industry that brings millions. As a photographer that spends a fair amount of time on my rooftop taking pictures many including aircraft I do not notice any noise from the Hudson River Flights at all.I think this bill is unfair and not needed. I think police and press choppers and a few private aircraft are the real offenders in this case. I also have a commercial pilot rating so I pay close attention to any activity. Although I suspect you think I may be biased, I believe the offenders are not the tour choppers.
Finally, some actions that will actually restore some quiet to the UWS! Bravo, Helen.
I live on the 4th floor and have modern windows and it still sounds like Apocalypse Now with the helicopters overhead. Can’t wait for the ban to pass.
What a waste of time & effort! There are so many more vital issues (safety concerns, bar noise, rodent problems, etc.) to be tackling and we’re going against money generating issues? Who’s guiding Ms. Rosenthal?
The tourist helicopters create a tremendous amount of noise – most noticeable on weekends. It is really bad for those who enjoy Riverside Park. They make a U-turn in the low 80’s so it is most noisy in that area.
Perhaps the tourist traffic could be limited to the weekdays (from Memorial Day until Labor Day) when most people are working or at school? That would allow for the tourist business and also for those who enjoy the outdoors to not feel like they are on a battlefield loaded with helicopters.
Why has no one noted the military gunships hovering above 125th Street starting at 6 am?
They have been there for several weekdays in the last two weeks. More than one gunship, so as to afford constant coverage. Is Columbia’s new campus installing something strange and important?
As usual she is focused on stuff that doesn’t matter.
What would really improve the “quality of life” in the neighborhood is if she would “fully support a ban” an the marauding masses of homeless panhandlers on Broadway. They are the real nuisance.
I suppose it’s easy to believe the helicopters banking over Riverside Park in the low 80’s is a minor matter. Unless you live in the low 80’s. Or want to enjoy the park in the low 80’s. Or want your children from nearby schools to enjoy the park. Helicopters are banned from flying near Hudson River Park. But once past that park when fling up the Hudson they turn towards Riverside Park to spread their noise. Riverside Park should not be a second rate park. Let he helicopters fly around the Statue of Liberty and bother other tourists.
The constant helicopters don’t bother me, I love right on riverside on the top floor, I’m more concerned with the random 630am black helicopter that’s been hovering around my house and blocks for the last 2 weeks.. It’s dreadful and the sound echoes through my apartment. It’s not news or police but has a giant camera on it and usually stays in the same spot for a long period of time. If anyone can tell me bout that it would be great!
Of all the problems and noise pollution we face in the world/NYC/UWS, THIS is what you’re choosing to kvetch about!?
Helicopters are really noisy and dangerous.
All of these comments about “it doesn’t affect me personally, so it’s not a problem.” That’s just selfish and pointless.
And yes, there will always be other, bigger problems. But if you follow that logic, police shouldn’t investigate burglaries until all murders are solved.
Yes, there are bigger problems, but the cumulative effect of a lot of little problems can make a city not worth living in unless you are a tour operator.
Frankly, I would prefer that they pass a bill to get rid of the rats in Riverside Park, which I notice far more than any aircraft.
Where can I sign on to support her! I’m so glad someone is addressing this.
It’s about time. I am sick of feeling like I am in a war zone. If helicopter companies want to make money they should fly over some unpopulated area.
I shouldn’t have to bear the risk of their profit making business.
I have lived on Riverside for 25 years facing the river. Yes, you can here the helicopters but not in a way that I would describe as a nuisance even with my NIMBY hat on. We hear far worse from sirens and the alarms on “kneeling buses”. People need to relax and chill out.
The tourists can go to any number of observation decks and get pretty much the same views. Ferry tours for water perspective views. The city will get their $ one way or another. Would it really be such a bad thing to have NYC be a LITTLE more peaceful?
What really needs to be addressed is the folks at NYC & Company who refuse to listen to residents about the noise for years. All they care about is their membership dues and their faux tourism numbers they report. The real fact of the matter is Marty Markowitz and the other political hacks who work at NYC & Company refuse to address helicopter noise, illegal air b&b and other illegal hotels. This is what you get when you have a not native New Yorker running the agency..yup, that’s Fred Dixon.