Sightseeing helicopters at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport - the busiest public-use heliport in the world.
There are five helicopter tours companies which operate in Manhattan. They all use the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (DMH) which is owned by the City of New York and run by Saker Aviation. Their activities are overseen by the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). Since 2010, the tour companies have been using DMH exclusively due to the fact that local opposition forced them out of both the West 30th Street and the East 34th Street heliports.
These tours are allowed to operate 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They fly for 10 hours a day six days a week (Mon - Sat 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM) and 8 hours a day on Sundays (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM). On fair weather days, there are more than 300 flights per day, averaging more than one flight every two minutes. According to data provided by the NYCEDC pursuant to a Freedom of Information request, there were 33,378 tourist flights between April and October of 2013 alone. There is almost never a moment during daylight hours without a tour helicopter flying over New York Harbor and the Hudson River. There are usually 3 - 6 tours operating at the same time, with another 7 - 10 choppers on rotation on the tarmac, creating a din that surpasses permitted airport decibel levels.
Stop the Chop NYNJ calls on Mayor de Blasio and other elected officials to revoke New York City's contract with Saker Aviation as the sightseeing helicopters routinely flout FAA regulations and the excessive noise and air pollution produced by these tours endanger the health and safety of the numerous and densely-populated communities along their New York Harbor and Hudson River flight path.
These tours are allowed to operate 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They fly for 10 hours a day six days a week (Mon - Sat 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM) and 8 hours a day on Sundays (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM). On fair weather days, there are more than 300 flights per day, averaging more than one flight every two minutes. According to data provided by the NYCEDC pursuant to a Freedom of Information request, there were 33,378 tourist flights between April and October of 2013 alone. There is almost never a moment during daylight hours without a tour helicopter flying over New York Harbor and the Hudson River. There are usually 3 - 6 tours operating at the same time, with another 7 - 10 choppers on rotation on the tarmac, creating a din that surpasses permitted airport decibel levels.
Stop the Chop NYNJ calls on Mayor de Blasio and other elected officials to revoke New York City's contract with Saker Aviation as the sightseeing helicopters routinely flout FAA regulations and the excessive noise and air pollution produced by these tours endanger the health and safety of the numerous and densely-populated communities along their New York Harbor and Hudson River flight path.
