Letters: Reroute helicopter traffic

I read that the Federal Aviation Administration is testing a South Shore helicopter route to alleviate noise for residents ["FAA tests South Shore copter routes," News, Sept. 15].

Perhaps Newsday is not aware that on weekends in the summer we already have so much helicopter and private plane traffic that at times it feels like we are living on the Long Island Air Expressway for the rich. And really, good for them that they are so wealthy that they do not have to suffer through bumper-to-bumper traffic on their way to their summer homes. But do the pilots have to fly right above our heads? I am sure these people enjoy the view of our lovely beaches, but they are destroying the peace and quiet of thousands of people.

Pamela Burke, East Atlantic Beach
 

This article is spin from the FAA to take the pressure off for its inaction on helicopter noise. This new route is specifically testing a Wide Area Augmentation System.

These new WAAS procedures would take the pilots over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and out over the Atlantic Ocean eight miles. The only pilots who would fly that far are those with twin-engine helicopters. Also, only helicopters that have the special WAAS equipment costing many tens of thousands of dollars can fly these South Shore procedures.

While statistics from the helicopter operators are limited, it is my opinion that less than 15 percent of the helicopters will be using this WAAS route.

The South Shore route can be a viable primary route for helicopters only if the FAA modifies procedures to allow helicopter pilots to fly through Kennedy Airport's airspace. The FAA should stop spinning the facts and start solving this problem.

Joseph Fischetti, Southold

Editor's note: The writer is the aviation representative for Southold Town.