Open Thread Wednesday

“teenagers” Ah Mmmkay…

They don’t even take care of more “innocuous” functions like handling all the double parking/illegal parking around Piers 5 and 6, or at the corner of Old Fulton and Furman.

20+ federal, state and local officials have requested a helitour ban from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport – including, at the federal level, trying to do something about the FAA. deBlasio could effect a DMH ban with the stroke of a pen, regardless of FAA jurisdiction of airspace– he’s not “reluctant”; he’s flat out refused to do anything, despite knowing about this problem since he was Public Advocate and pretending to sympathize with waterfront New Yorkers. And the EDC, which has operating jurisdiction over DMH, is happy to repeat every industry lie about how important this niche activity is to NYC, and that absolutely no one is complaining about it. Of course, tourists would never permit 300+ daily flights over their own homes, schools, parks and businesses…. And thanks for the info about Phoenix. This is a national issue (folks from LA to the Hamptons are fighting the noise/air pollution and the “we’re entitled to do whatever we want in our skies” crowd.) The FAA, by the way, is totally ignoring a DC Circuit case from a couple of years ago that requires it to consider noise complaints, not just the recorded decibel level, in assessing helicopter activity. stopthechopnynj.com

But the bottom line is two realities:

1) it the public endangerment of so much tonnage/amount of fuel which
is now above our heads
2) with all the resources of Heights organizations, with the BHA with
their $400K the bank, why doesn’t anyone move to take some kind of
Legal action like what happened at 34th st in Manhattan? Everyone
forgot how write up a RJI? Really?

Totally random, but the birdsong at daybreak this week seems to have really kicked into high gear. Quite the chorus in the morning.

Don’t dismiss the gorgeous daffodils along the Cadman Plaza West exit ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge and they are closer than the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

I don’t know if a theory is possible without series of less than visable factors coming to light. To do this you need to force everal key facts and condition into the light. All we can have now are questions

For example: Why has the FAA Why haven’t many, many elective officials, including those who influence funding of agencies not been willing or able to have some effect? Why have the many very well funded leading civic orgs or the several helicopter traffic ogs have refused to bring legal action in this matter. Several leading advocates in this matter I have spoken to, although they have absorbed considerable funds to fight this issue, can’t give a straight answer why there is never, ever any competant legal action to stop what is going on.

There isn’t even anyone (duh) filing any kind of FOI requests with the FAA.

Given the new carpet of stationary apparent observation stations which have now been put up why isn’t there a flurry of FOI’s to darling Homeland Security?

Before any more complaining or theorizing, we need to force open some hard facts. Starting with why, off the top the feds, the state and city of New York and the Helicopter industry are being guaranteed that no serious legal action or even the most basic investigative efforts will ever be taken.

Here’s some things which may be actually be effective in dealing with the helicopter/air traffic plague over the Heights:

While a number of neighborhood associations and issue groups have remained coy on the subject of what residents can actually do in this matter there is some emerging avenues of action which we want to make available to average Heights residents:

First of all if you have questions or comments on what’s (constantly) overhead one very obvious place to start is the Wall St Heliport. The Heliport is owned by the Economic Development Corp.(212) 248 7240
You can call the heliport manager to comment on how happy MHz are about the amount of air traffic overhead (917 912 4217 or 212 248 7241)
Ask for Brian Tolbert.

NYC Government helicopter/fixed wing operations are run (as far as they will admit) out of Floyd Bennet if you’d like to make comment/or question why they have put up the amount of overflights..and stationary observation posts at like 1 to 3 AM, you can call them at 718 656 0956 ask for the air information officer or the press relations officer. Say you’re a citizen journalist and you want (demand) to know why they think its OK to put the amount of tonnage and amount of fuel over our heads nightly.

By the way, for those with scanners NYC Air operations can be heard by scanning from 122.850 to 126.050 and listening to 164.3 and 381.800 MHz
While a lot of air traffic is only hearable when aircraft are almost directly overhead, it can be a starting indicator of what’s up there and when

The other Manhattan heliports are 34 St 212 425 1534 other contact numbers are 212 889 6350, 2551 & 9659 and the west 30th street “facility” which is run by the Hudson River Trust. You can call to register your level of appreciation to them at 212 627 2020 the manager is at 212 563 4442.

While you’re reading this, you should be asking yourself why the above access information has carefully not been made available by any of the flocks of neighborhood associations, pols, area publications or organiza-tions all of which state they want to help with this problem….sure

I’ve always advocated for barrage balloons, like in the London Blitz, but for some reason no one takes me seriously on this topic…

This post provides excellent ways to get some action going on wayward choppers. Copy your communications to the following politicos:
Coucilman Steve Levin,
State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon,
State Senator Velamette Montgomery, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Congressmember Nydia Velázquez,
CB2 Manager Robert Perris,
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
and Mayor DiBlasio.