to CB4’s Waterfront, Parks & Environment Committee, points out a 2019 crash site and an 8,000-gallon jet fuel tank. Image via CCNews archives
During last year’s lockdown, the buzz of helicopters overhead was one of the only sounds in a largely silent city, a constant reminder of the pandemic. Now, as the city reopens and we again notice the sounds of children in playgrounds and cyclists zipping through bike lanes, the whir of helicopter blades remains a constant.
As commuter and tourist helicopter traffic continues to increase, CNN reported that New Yorkers filed more than 7,7000 noise complaints about helicopters in 2020, double that of 2019. From the Upper West Side to Brooklyn Heights, residents are complaining about the noise of choppers above them day and night. And shockingly, this air traffic is completely unregulated below 1,200 feet.
Winnie McCroy 