It is an incessant and very embarrassing ballet. In New York, helicopters filled with tourists or wealthy clients fly over the city day and night, to the chagrin of the inhabitants, exasperated or disillusioned.
“With the biggest helicopters, my apartment vibrates,” complains Melissa Elstein, head of Stop the Chop NY/NJ (New York/New Jersey), an association that wants to ban non-essential flights in these areas. “It’s an economic model that shouldn’t exist. They pollute the air, have a negative impact on health. »
A recently passed law
The question has been around for years and measures to regulate the traffic have already been taken. But between 2020, when the pandemic reduced flights, and 2021, complaints about noise pollution from helicopters rose from 10,359 to 25,821. The majority (21,620) came from the borough of Manhattan.
Latest measure: the New York State Parliament adopted a “Stop The Chop” law in early June, paving the way for legal proceedings for operators generating “sustained excessive noise”. But this text must still be promulgated by the governor of the State Kathy Hochul. For the association, it would be a “first step” but “the fight continues”.
A tourist activity difficult to restrict
“Many New Yorkers can no longer work comfortably from home, walk along the river or nap their children because of the incessant noise and vibrations of non-essential helicopters,” said the Democratic senator. , Brad Hoylman, author of the recent law. ” [Ce bruit] is detrimental to our health and our environment. »
New York has three operating heliports. At the southwestern end of Manhattan, not far from the Statue of Liberty, the sky is constantly crossed by planes and helicopters. Most residents have become accustomed to the abnormal decibel level of the area, already affected by heavy road traffic and ferries that dock and depart from the nearby port.
A 2016 agreement between New York City Hall and one of the operators reduced the number of tourist flights from 60,000 to 30,000 a year and confined them to the airspace of the rivers surrounding Manhattan, with mandatory rest on Sundays. But with a minimum price of around $200 for a 15-20 minute flight, the experience remains attractive to tourists.
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