April 28, 2008
ERHC Embraces Dialog with Communities
Yardley, PA, April 28, 2008--The Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC) welcomes the continued opportunities to work with the communities of Long Island, New York, to address resident concerns about helicopter flights near the island.
For over two and a half decades, we’ve worked quietly behind the scenes with individual towns and villages, so this more prominent role is a continuation of our long-running and sincere work. We thank the local leaders and Congressional staffs for their patience and willingness to learn more about the helicopter industry, airspace use, and the complexities of the issues, which have not been well represented in the general news media to date. Helicopter transport is a valid and valuable aviation resource that, when enabled, gives passengers the gift of time in a way that only helicopters can. Communities and aviation facilities can peacefully respect each other and prosper.
Long Islanders should know that ERHC members have been following Fly Neighborly guidance and voluntarily flying higher and longer than necessary for decades in this region. We routinely work with airport staffs and communities to develop special routings and inform our community. This has all been done without fanfare in the recognition that some people adversely respond to the sound of our flying machines. Pilots follow industry best practices to reduce the audibility of their flights, but the techniques are limited, and it will be decades until significantly quieter machines reach the market.
NYC area residents can be proud of their helicopter community. The professional pilots of this area have an exemplary record of safety, providing arguably the safest metropolitan transportation method in existence, and quite possibly the safest in the nation considering the density of airspace and activity. ERHC’s members include community leaders, ERHC’s leaders are volunteers, ERHC members have achieved national recognition for their achievements, and we pursue our mission of “Safety, Efficiency, and Professionalism” with tenacious professional spirit.
ERHC is proud to be a communication bridge between the public and helicopter operators, and we look forward to a safe summer of neighborly flying.
# # #
ERHC is the northeast’s leading organization for helicopter professionals and an expert resource for the public. Founded in 1977, its volunteer leaders continue to work with communities, FAA, and their members for enhanced safety, professionalism, and efficiency. Learn more about the ERHC and its initiatives at its web sites www.erhc.org and www.flyneighborly.net