Dan's Papers - July 27, 2007 - Choppers On The North Fork Bring A Problem Familiar To Fancy Places

It's a perfect summer evening. You are in your yard in Southold barbecuing some chicken, hot dogs and a few tasty hamburgers. The Italian sausage will go on next, then the corn on the cob. Maybe Frank Sinatra is singing "Summer Wind" on your stereo system. The dog is sleeping, the children playing and the wife sipping a Gin and tonic. Then you start to hear it, it gets louder and louder; the dog barks, the wife scowls, you can't hear Sinatra singing and then the helicopter carrying weekenders hovers very low, very loud and very unpleasant; it ruins the moment.

It is this scenario that has the political forces of the North Fork, as well as United States Senator, Charles Schumer, investigating ways to reduce the helicopter noise and frequency that is upsetting the tranquil North Fork lifestyle. Helicopters ferrying Manhattan weekenders are now in play on the political landscape. Reports of complaints from local citizens are now making politicians seek some sort of action. FAA officials claim that there are no laws governing the flight paths of helicopters. Senator Schumer is investigating ways to deal with this situation and offer some relief to the residents whose homes are next to the path often used for helicopter landing zones.

A new approach is now being discussed- to keep the path of helicopters away from schools, malls and other public buildings. People want to prevent the situation where a pilot would attempt to save the lives of the wealthy helicopter passengers at the expense of risking the lives of those on the ground, especially children. Who can argue against the logic behind keeping the low flying helicopters away from schools? The schools should not be put at risk simply to save money.

The money that is used to purchase mansions and break real estate records for prices paid, is also the reason those people can afford to commute in helicopters; which is a key element in the growth of the problem. As one North Fork resident said, "Years ago, maybe a Grumman executive or Military man would come out to see something important on a rare occasion. Now you have every rich Manhattan couple or family zipping out here by helicopter to beat the traffic. Heck, I even heard of one story where they sent a helicopter to pick up the pet parrot. It's insane and getting worse."

Senator Schumer has been recorded saying, "The scourge of low-flying helicopters has risen on Long Island unabated for far too long." According to a press release 140,000 helicopters flew over the New York area last year. Complaints use to be only from the bay side but now they are coming from places like North and South Mattituck and even Orient Point. Action of some sort in the name of public safety is inevitable. Hopefully a disaster will not be what gets this ball rolling. The problem is on the political radar screen but real radar tracking and monitoring flight paths should be regulated along with safe altitudes and no fly zones.

The enemy is not unchecked wealth- it is an affront to public safety and the disregard for the noise low flying helicopters create. After a tough week or day at work, one deserves the right to have domestic tranquility at home. After all, it's your down time. It's not an issue of being against progress, it's about safety and good manners.