Just a very brief note here. It’s March. The new routes that the helicopters would be flying to prevent bothering the locals and residents near East Hampton Airport that were set in place 2 months ago are already being ignored. This is going to get ugly. We're taking bets on how long it is before serious legislation is put into place that will severely curb the number of helicopters flying into the airport and the routes that they can place. Click through and name your date. Closest to the correct date gets a free flight back to the city.
From a pilot's perspective,
From a pilot's perspective, noise abatement procedures are non-regulatory and can always be trumped by safety considerations. If the pilot feels that the safe outcome of a flight is in question, the aircraft has complete authority to forge its own route, including traveling through military and other restricted airspace, let alone noise sensitive areas. For instance, a pilot in light aircraft always have to consider the possibility of an engine failure, or in the vicinity of the ocean, a bird strike. If any of these scenarios occurs, and the aircraft is unable to make it back towards land, there is a risk to human life. It's awfully hard to rationalize any measure that encourages irresponsible and dangerous flying.
Another element in the helicopter debate is how little consideration is given to medical evacuation flights, which is vital during serious accidents when traffic is backed in the east end. Curtailing the number of flights could reduce the response time for some accidents (and giving a bye to coast guard helicopters over civilian aircraft wouldn't help because many medevac flights are now operated by private carriers). The sound of a chopper approaching may be a nuisance for some, but if you're in a car accident and a loved one's life is in danger, it could be the most reassuring sound you'll ever hear.
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