After 24,591 separate complaints about air-travel related noise, residents of Long Island’s posh Hamptons neighborhood simply can’t take any more. The sound of “noisy” airplanes, as defined by the FAA, have been tormenting residents like Teresa McCaskie, who told NBC that she is unable to sleep. After thousands of complaints, the town is set to vote in a month about what they regard as a huge quality of life issue that has left residents like McCaskie “unable to function.”
While the number of flights annually clocks in at around 20,000 to the adjacent East Hampton Town Airport, a majority of the rush comes during the warmer months as residents flee cities for their summer homes. The proposed regulations include: banning flight travel from 11 PM to 7 AM permanently, with helicopters banned noon to noon Thursday through Monday. Standing as the mediator is town Larry Cantwell, who hopes to achieve a middle ground that can appease both citizens and aircraft personnel.
Opposing Long Island residents are both the FAA and New Jersey-based helicopter company Heliflite, who according to NBC called the residents’ requests “draconian.” It is important to note that in recent years the FAA has stopped grant funding to the Hamptons, making local officials less willing to side with airlines. The final word on the subject will come when Cantwell visits Washington later this month to discuss proposals with FAA officials.
(Photo: xlibber)
