NYT, Trade Paper Critical Of 'Wealthy' Noisemakers

New York City is a tough place for the private helicopter industry to find much sympathy these days. With promised action by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (pictured) to impose noise and route restrictions on helicopters operating over Long Island expected by Memorial Day, local media is painting the issue as a case of one-percenters trampling the rest of us.

In a feature article last weekend, the New York Times uses the example of Howard Lorber, CEO of Vector Group Ltd., who owns interests in a number of other businesses. The paper reports that Lorber has been flying a helicopter between the Hamptons and the city for a decade, but still savors the thrill of the ride, choosing a route which gives him an aerial view of some of his investments, and also gives residents below a healthy dose of noise.

The Times reports the changes expected to be imposed by LaHood, which would force the flights to be made off the north or south shores of the island rather than following railroad tracks down the middle of the land mass, will lengthen the trip by as much as eight minutes, with a commensurate increase in operating costs. Lorber says, "Generally, the most direct route is over land. Helicopters are expensive. So it’s going to cost you a little more."

The Real Deal, a new York-area trade paper for the real estate industry, also sides with homeowners. In its Monday article on the issue, the paper notes that "for the city’s elites — including Lorber — the new regulation will make trips to the Hamptons ... longer, less scenic and more expensive." One reader responds, "Poor, poor Howard Lorber. If he is expecting some kind of sympathy because his helicopter ride to the Hamptons just became 5 minutes longer and less scenic he isn’t going to find any."

Matt Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International, tells the Times the precedent of patchwork federal noise regs in response to complaints by NIMBYs is a real problem, and could spread nationwide. He comments, "If this is going to be the model where the FAA is going to be mandated and react to every noise complaint or somebody saying, ‘I don’t like helicopters,’ I don’t know where the end of this is. Where are we supposed to fly?"

FMI: www.dot.gov