Letters

COVID-19 significantly reduced aviation noise last summer, but it’s unlikely that impacted communities will be so lucky this year.

Pro-aviation groups are touting a voluntary “pilot’s pledge” with a handful of unenforceable restrictions to abate noise [“New Effort Appealing To HTO Pilots To Respect Curfews And Reduce Noise Impacts,” 27east.com, March 17]. The pledge entails flying “over water” for both seaplanes and helicopters, as well as a 9 p.m.-to-7 a.m. curfew. These measures will do little to abate noise.

The vast majority of noisy operations occur well before 9 p.m. Outdoor dinners and family beach visits still will be negatively impacted. For those living on the South Fork, there is no over-water access to a landlocked airport. Who knows which South Fork transition routes will be implemented this summer, but someone always get the noise. That someone is historically the least wealthy and least politically connected.

I live along the Long Island Sound on the North Fork — nowhere near East Hampton Airport — and I’m dreading the “over-water” routes. “Over-water” sounds nice on paper, but it fails in the real world. Noise carries much farther over water than land. That’s why you can hear conversations so far away over water, or why jet-ski noise travels so far. Basic science tells you “over-water” is a flawed solution.

Compounding matters is the massive amount of noise generated by twin-engine helicopters. The radius of their noise footprint is miles wide — far wider than any distance they fly offshore. Water-facing communities and public beaches should not be burdened with helicopter and seaplane traffic, nor should any other community. I am not looking forward to hearing my old windows buzz every time an air taxi flies “over water.”

The right to a peaceful enjoyment of one’s home surely outweighs the right to skip Long Island Rail Road crowds and Long Island Expressway traffic for the 20-somethings who frequent the air taxis.

Adam Irving

Orient