New York City Council Seeks To Ban Certain Helicopters

Proposed legislation would make city-owned heliports off-limits to tourist choppers.

Monday, June 20, 2022 at 12:04 PM ET

Verified

The buzz of choppers overhead, has been reported in some areas on New York City as “unrelenting.” [File photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The New York City Council has introduced a bill to ban nonessential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports, targeting services like Blade Air Mobility and Uber Helicopter.
The proposed ban is a response to increasing complaints from residents about helicopter noise and concerns about environmental impact, with an estimated 4,000 nonessential flights monthly.
This action reflects a broader trend of communities pushing back against air-taxi noise, similar to ongoing litigation concerning East Hampton Airport, and could impact future eVTOL operations.
While a ban would hurt operations, companies would still be able to use alternate, non-city-owned heliports.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The New York City Council has dealt another blow to on-demand air transport services like Blade Air Mobility, Uber Helicopter, and others with the introduction of a bill that seeks to ban what some council members consider nonessential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports.

Lincoln Restler, a council member who represents the Brooklyn Heights and Greenpoint sections of Brooklyn, introduced the legislation with backing from colleagues representing parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Many of these districts are near the East River corridor that air service flights frequently use when taking customers to area airports, the Hamptons on Long Island, and other popular destinations.