GALE A. BREWER COL':>:CII. ~IE.\ffiER. DISTRIC!' 6 

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CHAIR 

. GOVE.R..~~I£."'-'"fA.L OPERATIO~"S 

DISTRICT OFFICE 

S<o) C:OI.UMIJUS A\'lit-:UE. AT 87n' S11tEJrr 

NEW YORK. NY 1002-J. 

(21 2) 873·0282 

FAX (21 2) 8 73·0270 

CITY HALL OFFICE 

250 IJROAOWA\', <X I 1744 

I'EW YORK, NY 10007 

(212) 788.(,97; 

b\.'\ (212) )13-7717 

g:Urbrrwrt@counnl.nyc.go\' 

"'"'"\\:Counc.J.nrc.gov 

Mic.hael P. Huerta 

Acting Administrator 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20591 

Docke1!D: FAA-2011-1030 

THE COUNCIL 

OF 

THE CITY OF N EW YORK 

December II, 2012 

Dear Acting Administrator Huerta: 

COMMITIEES 

AGING 

FINA:-.rCE 

GEN I! RAL WEI.f'Aiill 

IIIGJJER EDUCATION 

HOUSING & BL;ILDIN(iS 

MI(.'ITAI II:.AI.'Il~ . MJ::.'ITAI. 1\ETARO.~TION, AI .COl IOI.ISM. 

Ollt.;G ADt.;SE & DISADIUT\' SERVICES 

lCCir.-.:OJ.OG\' 

lli.A"'SPORTA110N 

WATERfl\OJ;.'TS 

Belatedly, I am responding to your'October 20, 20 I l letter requesting additional 

information regarding my petition to· have helicopter's registration number or "tail number" 

printed visibly on the bottom of the helicopters. In your letter you requested the following 

information: J.New language for a new or amended rule 2. An explanation as to why this 

proposed action would benefit the public, and 3. Relevant technical and scientific data to support 

my proposal. My office has submitted this additional information online for your review and I 

look forward to your response. I am enclosing a copy of what my office submitted. 

Thank you for reviewing this proposal. r f you require additional information, contact 

Jesse Bodine of my staff, or me, at (212) 873-0282. 

Sincerely, , -.." , \ r • I 

u v,~ :, ~\ r- ~1J}!r;L \ I'-;'' 

Gale A. Brewer . ) \ ... 

Enclosure \ 

I · 

cc: Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Member. United States Congress 

Carmine Gallo, Regional Administrator, r AA 

Seth Pinsky. President. NYC Economic Development Corporation 

FAA-121217-005 
From the Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer 

HELICOPTER REGULATION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL: 

Docket ID: FAA-2011-1030 

Language you proposed for new/amended rule: 

Title 14, Section 45.23: Location of marks; general, the regulation states: "Each operator of an 

aircraft must display on that aircraft marks consisting of the Roman capital letter 'N' (denoting 

United States registration) followed by the registration number of the aircraft." Furthermore, 

Title 14, Section 45.27: Location of marks; nonfixed-wing aircraft states: "Each operator of a 

rotorcraft must display on that rotorcraft horizontally on both surfaces of the cabin, fuselage, 

boom, or tail the marks required by §45.23." The proposed language for the amended rule would 

add ''Additionally. the registration number of the aircraft must be displayed on the underside of 

the cabin in large font clearly visable from the naked eye 900-1000 feet away." 

Explanation of your proposed action and purpose: 

Helicopters that do not adhere to the recommended routes and fly below the advised 

altitude have significant negative impacts on the quality of life of residents, particularly in urban 

environments with high-rise buildings and national monuments that attract tourism. (Daily News, 

·'Helicopter Noise Called a Peril to Public Health" January 12, 2000, 

http://articlcs.nydailynews.com/2000-01-12/local/1 8127155 I hclicopter-noise-helicopteroverfligbts-siuhtseeing) National Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) report, "Needless Noise: 

The Negative Impacts of Heli copter Traffic in New York City and the Tri-State Region," 

December. 1999, states "noise-based health impact includes sleep deprivation and impacts on 

cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions. as well as reduced learning abilities in school 

children. These impacts go beyond the quality-of-life annoyances caused when noise disrupts 

normal daily activities such as speech, sleeping, and relaxation."(Cunnigham and Kassel, I) The 

report also states "both the FAA and NASA have concluded that the public perceives helicopter 

noise to be twice as loud as comparable-decibel fixed-wing aircraft." (Cunningham and Kassel, 

4) Because of these negative impacts a number of American cities such as Los Angeles, 

Washington D.C. and New York have citizen complaint systems. 

Citizen complaints are the primary method of reporting low flying air crafts operating in 

violation of Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR). (The L.A. Times, "L.A. residents turn out to 

complain about helicopter noise" August 6, 20 I 2, 

http:/ /latimesbl ogs.latimes.com/lanow/20 1 2/08/la-residents-turn -out-to-complain -abouthelicopter-noise.html), "Helicopter Study Questionnaire" 

(http://www.mwcog.org/environmentlairpot1/helicopter/gues.asp), 

http://www.nycedc.com/program/aviation. 

Office of Counc il Member Gale A. Brewer December 5, 20 12 

FAA-121217-005 
Prompted by the City Council, The New York City Economic Development Corporation 

(NYCEDC) issued a " Helicopter Identification Sheet" to help constituents with complaints to 

more easily identify unlawful helicopters. EDC also asks New Yorkers to call or email the city's 

3ll complaint center. Both the Federal/\. viation Administration (FAA) Low Flying Aircraft 

Complaints Sheet and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Helicopter Identification 

Sheet list the the tail number as the key tool for identifying helicopters in violation. Most reports 

of low flying helicopters come from citizens on the ground, we therefore request an amendment 

to the FAA rules to require that registration numbers be printed on the underside of all helicopter 

carriages so citizens can accurately report these helicopters to the local and federal regulatory 

and enforcing agencies. 

ATTACHMENTS: 

Helicopter Identification Sheet 

Helicopter Roundtable Memo (January 22, 2009) 

http://house.gov/bcrman!pdf/Berman letter to LaHood on llelicopters.pdf 

Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer December 5, 2012 

FAA-121217 -005 

2