FAA

In ruling to extend the route just one week before it was set to expire, the FAA cited unresolved questions about the future of East Hampton Airport.

East End elected officials came together yesterday in a show of unity to demand a local public hearing on the north shore helicopter route. The FAA says its "workshops" were "a format is consistent with the purpose of the directive" in Rep. Lee Zeldin's statute and that's all local residents are going to get.

An amendment sponsored by NY-1 Rep. Lee Zeldin to the FAA reauthorization bill requires the agency to hold a public hearing in affected communities and accept public comment before acting on the north shore helicopter route.

The Federal Aviation Administration has dismissed Southold Town’s petition asking the agency to require East End-bound helicopters to use the FAA-established South Shore Route.

Southold Town is petitioning the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider its prior rulemaking extending the north shore helicopter route and reopen the docket for public comment.

Relations between local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration, at odds for several years over helicopter flight paths, grew even more turbulent after the two town supervisors on the North Fork yesterday accused federal regulators —and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer — of being less than forthright.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, and local officials said FAA representatives told them today they extended the shore helicopter route for four years with no public notice or comment period because of "political pressure."

Ignoring repeated communications from members of Congress and taxpayers, "the FAA has chosen to go radio silent and release this directive in secret as if the American public is the enemy," Rep. Lee Zeldin said.

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) calls on FAA to establish "rotating" access points over north shore and enforce minimum altitude rules for helicopters before start of summer season on the East End.