The fog and low-lying clouds proved no deterrent, as usual, to the helicopter tourist industry.  Check out the video shot two days ago by one of our members, capturing the low altitudes and the huge frequency of flights.  If helicopters cannot fly at the altitudes set by the FAA, they shouldn't fly at all!  Please contact Jonathan Viguers in Mayor de Blasio's office to let him know that these non-essential tourist flights must end!  Jonathan can be reached at jviguers@cityhall.nyc.gov.

Last week, a Stop the Chop NYNJ Steering Committee member met with mayoral aide, Jonathan Viguers.  Mr. Viguers informed us that Mayor de Blasio is concerned about loss of jobs if sightseeing helicopter tours were to be shut down.  But, where are these jobs exactly?  Saker Aviation, the operator of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, is a Nevada corporation.  Most of the mechanics and pilots live in New Jersey where the choppers are parked overnight.  So, is the Mayor more concerned about protecting out-of-state jobs than about the health and welfare of his own constituents?

Mr. Viguers also acknowledged that, as landlord of DMH, the City has an enormous amount of discretion over how DMH is used.  Yet, he admitted that he doesn't think the current administration will be able to exert any control over the helicopter industry.  Why is the Mayor letting this parasitic industry, a holdover of the Bloomberg administration, run amok?