The Ryder Cup: another reason to eliminate nonessential helicopter flights

By Jeanine Botta, MPH, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: Brett Sayles

In October, Quiet Coalition Chair Daniel Fink reported on use of nonessential helicopter flights by wealthy golf enthusiasts over residential Brooklyn neighborhoods. Over three days and nights from Sept. 26-28, low flying helicopters passed over homes with such frequency that some residents awakened fearing that a military operation was underway.

The fact that passengers paid $1,250 per seat to ride one way to Farmingdale added to an impression of extraordinary excess and selfishness that outraged residents and lawmakers alike. As reported in the Brooklyn Heights Blog and other publications, elected leaders wrote a letter to those who control the Downtown and West 30th Street heliports stating that helicopters were flying so low that residents could see passengers taking selfies, and that some flights hovered for more than 20 minutes over residential buildings. These details have been repeated many times over with horror and a degree of humor. However, they also help provide an argument that the supposed commuter flights could be considered tourism flights, which are not supposed to fly over bodies of water.

Meanwhile, there is encouraging news in the latest Stop the Chop NY/NJ newsletter about officers from the grassroots organization, community activists and local officials testifying before the New Jersey Senate’s Transportation Committee in support of a proposed bill that would use financial incentives to curb nonessential helicopter traffic originating in New Jersey. Senate Bill S4639 would impose a tax of $100 per seat or $400 per flight on nonessential flights in New Jersey. After listening to the testimony, committee members voted to send the bill to the full Senate for a vote. Further details can be found on this New Jersey Senate Democrats news page and this Insider NJ press release.

Quiet Communities encourages everyone who is impacted by nonessential helicopter noise to speak up alongside those who have been working tirelessly to address this issue, whether you are regularly affected by flight noise at home, or whether you are affected in parks and other public spaces you visit. We suggest that you visit the website of Stop the Chop NY/NJ and subscribe to the organization’s newsletter.