Helicopter Noise

Growing helicopter noise over residential areas of Nassau: Frequent low-altitude overflights by private choppers over residential areas of Nassau county are damaging the quality of life.
A federal Part 150 study has been commissioned to review aircraft noise generated by airliners using the main airports in the region. Helicopter traffic — its altitude and flight paths — is directly affected by the flight paths of commercial airliners using the airports. The noise generated by chopper flights over residential areas should therefore also be reviewed. Our area is increasingly subjected to low-altitude, frequent overflight by helicopters which often follow the same route on outbound and return flights between NYC and points in LI. At a minimum, consideration should be given to extending to the west the existing mandatory flight path over LI Sound for helicopters heading east.
With the increase of private non-emergency and non-official helicopter traffic, the quality of life and property values of residents of northern Queens and the North Shore of LI are bound to detriorate. We are effectively living under the aviation equivalent of a highway overpass.
Air traffic safety is the top priority, that our area is beneath the approaches to several airports–meaning that the helicopters are often required to fly low–and that charter choppers have a right to do business. We know that the northern route over LI Sound was developed in response to concerns by communities east of us about noise and disruption caused by helicopters.
There may be ways of reducing or eliminating the problem: extending the northern route to take choppers flying between the NYC heliports and LI out over the Sound instead of over densely populated communities in Nassau; requiring choppers to use alternative outbound and return routes, rather than flying the same routes both ways
If nothing can be done, maybe those of us living directly under these routes should be compensated: Chopper companies should pay the County for the use of these low-altitude routes. The revenues could be used to reduce our property taxes.
I’d be interested in hearing if there is any current thinking or initiative to address this issue.
K.S. Kennedy