Helicopters Asked To Split Their Routes To East Hampton

Helicopter pilots have been asked to voluntarily use two different routes when they approach and depart East Hampton Airport this summer, in hopes of easing noise in certain neighborhoods north and west of the airport.

The Eastern Region Helicopter Council for the first time this summer included the so-called “50/50” request in its annual letter to helicopter pilots throughout the region. ERHC Chairman Jeff Smith said that splitting approach and departure routes has been a longstanding voluntary policy, but that this year the council emphasized it to pilots, hoping to increase its application in real life.

But Mr. Smith also noted that there are substantial issues with pilots using the southern approach routes that mean a true 50/50 split of operations likely will never be possible.

Flights from heliports in New York City, which make up the vast majority of traffic to East Hampton, face several flight restrictions if they set a course east along the south shore of Long Island. As they fly down the Hudson River and over the Verrazano Narrows, they must stay below 500 feet in altitude, because of restrictions on flights through John F. Kennedy Airport airspace.

Helicopters also must stay out over the ocean as they pass the middle of Long Island, to avoid Long Island MacArthur Airport airspace, which is often impossible with summer weather patterns that can create clouds and haze over the ocean while there are clear skies over land.

And as they pass Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, helicopters must communicate with regional air traffic controllers to get permission to fly through the airport’s airspace, because there is not an on-site radar system.

But, Mr. Smith added, emphasizing the 50/50 request has convinced more pilots to use the southern route in or out of East Hampton, and has had even larger impacts on those using Gabreski Airport in Westhampton or the helipad on Meadow Lane in Southampton Village, which has reduced the overall impacts on the north shore.

East Hampton Town Councilwoman Sylvia Overby said the spreading out of more flights does not seem to have had much overall impact on the suffering of those under the northern flight paths, however.

“I do think it is probably helping, numbers-wise, but in terms of noise complaints, I doubt it is registering in people’s quality of life,” she said. “When we have these [Visual Flight Rules] days with low visibility, we’re still seeing all of those helicopters coming in on the northern routes.”