“Helicopters don’t fly; they beat the air into submission.†So goes the motto of military helicopter units. Westside residents have experienced this truth for some time now and local residents are demanding action from government officials to reduce the noise of beating blades overhead.
Fixing a problem like this is not like ordering a hamburger from In-n-Out. Many layers of bureaucracy must be waded through before solutions are accomplished.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to work in concert with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a member of the United Nations, which is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. This ensures that regulations governing aircraft are globally effective to reduce confusion of flight paths and to avoid collisions.
General Aviation helicopters can fly whenever they wish, land at any airport they choose, and fly at any altitude they desire as long as “… the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the [earth].â€
According to resident complaints, television stations seem to rankle most. Police, fire, ambulance, and even military helicopters are providing a needed service, whereas television helicopters, arguably, are not.
Fire officials want to build three helipads near Bel-Air Sky Crest in order to accommodate new models of “super scooper†helicopters that can fill up with water from reservoirs and the ocean. Some residents near Mulholland appreciate the added safety; others are concerned about the potential noise.
Concerned residents should check the FAA website that provides information about all of this, plus a petition to change policies and regulations for aircraft. It can be found at:
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/petition/