Councilman Tim Hubbard forming Riverhead helicopter noise task force

Riverhead Town is forming a helicopter/sea plane noise task force.

An organizational meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 29 at 7 p.m. at Riverhead Town Hall. The initiative is being spearheaded by Councilman Tim Hubbard.

“The Town of Riverhead has been inundates with helicopters and sea planes that are not abiding by the recommended flight patterns and altitude guidelines,” Hubbard said.

“We need to organize and gain a large voice to let our federal and state elected officials, along with the FAA, know that enough is enough.”

Hubbard, who brought the idea to the Town Board work session Thursday, said he phone conversations with constituents in Aquebogue and Jamesport — calling him to complain about aircraft noise — have to be interrupted when the low-flying helicopters and sea planes pass over their homes.

“It’s that loud,” Hubbard said. “They can’t even have a phone conversation.”

Noise from helicopters traveling between Manhattan and East Hampton Town Airport — and more recently, noise from increasing sea plane traffic — has long plagued residents of the north shore of Long Island.

Complaints to the FAA and federal officials have done little to alleviate the problem on the North Fork, where helicopter pilots heading to East Hampton “transition” from a prescribed off-shore route along the north shore to their destination point. Under existing rules, pilots are free to choose their transition point. They are also free to deviate from the off-shore route and the minimum required altitude of 2,500 feet when in their discretion safety or weather demands it.

The Eastern Region Helicopter Council put forth a route for summer 2016 that suggests three North Fork transition points for pilots traveling the north shore route. That incensed North Fork residents and elected officials.

In April, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell renewed his call for the FAA to establish rules that specify a transition route that would keep the aircraft over water east of Plum Island, crossing Gardiners Bay on their way to the East Hampton Airport. He asked local residents to call Schumer, Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand and Rep. Lee Zeldin to demand federal lawmakers take action to require the FAA to implement such a rule.

“Quite frankly, we need to raise holy hell,” Russell said at a May 14 meeting of the East Marion Community Association.

Hubbard said Thursday he wants to make sure the voices of Riverhead residents join the chorus.