New York, NY – The city’s noisy tourist helicopter flights are getting chopped.
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The city Economic Development Corp. said Friday it has brokered a deal to curb air tours and appease critics, who say the choppers make the city sound like a war zone.
After much protest, and some claiming their sound can cause brain damage, the helicopter nightmare over Brooklyn may be coming to an end. According to the Brooklyn Paper the city instituted a no-fly zone over the entire borough today. The move will eliminate 30% of sightseeing helicopters, that often fly over for aerial views of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, as well as ban them from flying below 1,500 feet. There will be no short tours allowed, and no sightseeing over Brooklyn or the Brooklyn Bridge.
State Senator Daniel Squadron spearheaded the Stop the Chop campaign, and says “this solution was a quick effort to deal with the problem.” His help came after an outcry from residents, who claim their calls to 311 weren’t being logged, which resulted in difficulty proving the noise was a nuisance.
“This is a good-faith attempt to solve the problem quickly,” said Squadron (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn).
The plan bans the five tour companies operating out of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport from flying over Central Park, the Empire State Building and Brooklyn. It also axes tours under eight minutes, which make up about 15% to 20% of all flights.
Will news helicopters be permitted to fly over brooklyn?
When the city is in a financial crisis. It is definitely the wrong time to stop this service. Only creating more unemployment. GO FIGURE!
It really pays to be politically connected or at least live in a heavily politically connected neighborhood. That is the only way this could have happened so quickly!
Brooklyn Heights– rich, rich rich!
The govermant at its best:
Putting another business industry to sleep,,
Great! ! ! I went to the new Brooklyn Bridge park, it was gorgeous 1 thing was just terrible. Its the helicopter NOISE. Now it will be quite and enjoyable!!! Thank you. NYC
Is it me or did the helicopters started going over East Village now?? Yesterday at 11 PM while I was trying to sleep there was an helicopter sticking low above union square for 20 minutes making it feel like a war zone, especially after the WE’s stressful events… Even with windows closed it was terrible. They should ban Helis from going over Manhatan, or at least outside of 9 to 5 PM.