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Tourist Helicopters Turning Brooklyn Into 'Nam, Man
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 16, 2011
Modified May 16, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 16, 2011
Modified May 16, 2011
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We thought we had it bad in DC, when the president's personal chauffeurs flew over us every 15 minutes, but Brooklyn pols are painting a noisier picture of their borough in a renewed push to ban all tourist helicopters. According to the Brooklyn Paper, Brooklyn Heights senator Daniel Squadron told a crowd on Sunday that "Enough is enough! We need to stop the endless parade of tourist helicopter flights over our neighborhoods." Another Heights resident called the neighborhood a "war zone," with Vietnam vet Duncan McGonagle echoing the sentiment: "I'm having flashbacks because it sounds exactly like being back in Vietnam again."
With Red Hook residents basking in sweet silence following the ban on helicopters over their neighborhood, those living in other parts of the borough and Lower Manhattan feel that they are due the same courtesy. The Economic Development Corporation supervises the helipad, and at a few hundred bucks a pop, the tours definitely generate significant revenue. But most only last 15-20 minutes, and couldn't you get the same sensation taking a trip to the Empire State Building?
Tagged
brooklyn heights
dumbo
helicopter tours
Helicopters
nimby
noise
red hook
tourists
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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