Congressman Proposes Solutions to Helicopter Noise Issue on East End

Local Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, C- Shirley, NY-1), Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday suggesting possible solutions to help reduce helicopter noise problem on the East End.

In the letter, Zeldin urged the FAA to work towards a solution to the problem before the summer begins.

“Long Island’s East End is one of the nation’s most scenic destinations, and as we rapidly approach another high season for the tourism economy, the people of these affected communities urgently need a set of effective solutions that will mitigate excessive from helicopters approaching the region,” Zeldin wrote in the letter.

Recently, Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez has proposed that East Hampton Town implement four restrictions on the use of the East Hampton Airport to help the problem:

• A mandatory nighttime curfew, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• An extended curfew on noisy aircraft, from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• A ban on all helicopters on weekends during the summer season.
• A limit on operations by noisy aircraft of one trip (one arrival and one departure) per week during the summer season.

According to the letter, Zeldin believes that by Memorial Day weekend, the FAA should address the problem of helicopters flying at ’unnecessary’ low altitudes when descending over the North Fork and parts of the South Fork.

In 2012, the FAA implemented the ‘North Shore’ route for approaching helicopters which was successful in solving the noise problem in other parts of Long Island, but made the problem worse for the North Fork communities.

“Communities like Riverhead, Southold, and Shelter Island which have chosen not to host a heliport, require immediate relief from the excessive noise created by low flying helicopters,” the letter reads.

The helicopters that fly on the ‘Northern’ route are required to remain at least 2,500 feet mean sea level, but pilots are allowed to fly at lower altitude at some transition points. Zeldin believes that not have to descend so soon over the North Fork and South Fork and can continue to fly at the required altitude even over transition points.

Zeldin believes the FAA should properly enforce the rule, which would help mitigate the noise problem.

“If this option is not successfully pursued, then more drastic measures like an all water route around Orient Point will continue to be demanded with good reason by many of my constituents,” Zeldin wrote.

In addition, Zeldin requested that the FAA standby their assurances they made to his predecessor, Congressman Tim Bishop, back in 2012 that the East Hampton Town would not be required to follow the Airport Noise and Capacity Act and could adopt restrictions to the airport without the FAA approval.

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