Patchwork of legislation would do little to curb NYC helicopter traffic, analysis shows

WNYC News

Complaints to 311 about helicopter noise in New York City are soaring.

There has been a seventeen-fold increase in calls over the past five years about the constant chop-chopping over neighborhoods, according to city data. The City Council is currently considering two bills aimed at tackling the increased aerial traffic by banning non-essential helicopter flights from city-operated helipads.

However, Gothamist tracked helicopter flights over Memorial Day weekend — the unofficial start of summer travel in our region – and found that a majority did not take off from these sites. And the city has little control over rules and regulations that govern airspace, meaning it’s unlikely the Council's legislation would put a dent in the number of complaints stemming from helicopter traffic, which business leaders are banking on increasing as New Yorkers look for more convenient travel options to airports and other locations.

The City Council bills specifically target the two helipads it has authority over: the ones operated by New York City’s Economic Development Corporation at East 34th Street and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in Lower Manhattan. One bill would ban all non-essential flights (think sightseeing tours and commuters) from the two locations, while the other measure would ban “traditional” helicopters in the hopes that seemingly quieter and more futuristic eVTOL aircraft will supplant them in the coming years.