New York, NY – Crackdown on Tourist Helicopters Breaking New Flight Regulations

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    New York, NY – Aviation authorities have quietly started cracking down on hell-raising helicopters breaking new city flight restrictions for sightseeing aircraft, The Post has learned.

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    The Downtown Manhattan Heliport, the chopper hub owned by the city Economic Development Corp., began scanning radar systems last month to kill the buzz from pilots incessantly circling over residential areas in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

    Saker Aviation, the heliport’s operator, appointed a safety officer last month to help nab those who flout regulations dictating where and for how long helicopters can fly — a major victory in the heated war to hush-up the choppers.

    “This is a big deal,” said state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn Heights), who has been on the chopper case after residents flooded his office with pleas for help.

    “Residents can’t continue to suffer from the scourge of helicopters,” he added.

    Last April, a court banned tourist helicopters from taking off from the West 30th Street heliport after park advocates argued that the launching pad couldn’t exist in the green space.

    There were 444 complaints logged by the city’s 311 hotline about helicopter noise this fiscal year, more than a quarter of them coming from downtown Brooklyn, city records show.

    Tickets start at $100 and will escalate on a monthly basis, soaring to $1,000 in May. Saker will administer the fines and funnel them into a fund for aviation scholarships, according to the EDC.

    Pilots have already been hit by “a couple” of tickets last month, but EDC would not provide specifics on the infractions.

    Read more in NY Post


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    Bigboy
    Bigboy
    13 years ago

    They finally found another way to fill up their pockets!