Eastern Region Helicopter Council, Inc. www.erhc.org

Eastern Region Helicopter Council

Operations Analysis – Suffolk County

July 4th Weekend 2011

July 29, 2011

The Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC) conducted a detailed analysis to provide 

empirical data on the local helicopter industry’s performance over the 2011 July 4th 

weekend. The analysis found that 93% of all observed operations between the Nassau/

Suffolk border and the North and South Forks were in compliance with agreed to 

voluntary noise abatement guidelines and procedures that were developed and 

implemented in 2008 by ERHC, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), East End 

airports and a number of local elected officials. 

On average, observed helicopters during the holiday weekend operated at an altitude of 

2,533 feet, exceeding the recommended voluntary noise abatement guideline altitude of 

2,500 feet (safety/weather/operational conditions permitting). Increased usage of the 

South Shore Route, consistent with ERHC’s route diversification policy, brought the 

average down slightly due to the lower operating altitudes over Great South Bay and the 

Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) Class C airspace.

Regarding North/Center/South route diversification, 82% of all aircraft were observed on 

the North Shore, 3% were flying over the Center of the Island and 15% were on the South 

Shore. It should be noted that 71% of all aircraft operating on the North Shore were 

observed over Long Island Sound, which is consistent with regional fleet mix data and 

ERHCʼs safety recommendation to its members that only mid-size, twin-engine aircraft 

(S-76, B430, AW139, AS365, etc.) should use over water routes.

ERHC’s findings for the four-day July 4th weekend are as follows: 

Day/Date Total

Observations

Guideline 

Compliance

Compliance 

Percentage

Average

Altitude 

THU/30 JUN 33 30 91% 2,345

FRI/01 JUL 35 35 100% 2,609

MON/04 JUL 45 40 89% 2,548

TUE/05 JUL 44 41 93% 2,597

TOTALS 157 146 93% 2,533
Eastern Region Helicopter Council, Inc. www.erhc.org

Eastern Region Helicopter Council

Operations Analysis – Suffolk County

July 4th Weekend 2011

July 29, 2011

Page 2

This analysis utilizes PASSUR inSight subscription-based radar flight tracking data 

(purchased by ERHC) to quantify known peak-day and peak-hour periods during the 

holiday weekend. Data was collected for Thursday, June 30 (1600-2100), Friday, July 1 

(1600-2100), Monday, July 4 (1600-2100) and Tuesday, July 5 (0600-1000) at 15-minute 

intervals (1600, 1615, 1630, 1645, etc.) to eliminate any randomness and obtain a 

representative sample of aircraft activity for each time period. Data collection focused on 

aircraft tail number, aircraft type, altitude, heading, location, and whether or not the 

observed aircraft was adhering to the suggested voluntary noise abatement guidelines. 

PASSUR data (out of ISP) can consistently track flight activity as far east as the North 

and South Forks. Tail numbers were cross-referenced with FAA’s aircraft registry to 

ensure only rotorcraft were included in the analysis (fixed-wing volumes proximate to the 

North and South Shores and the Suffolk County area in general are extremely high due to 

general aviation activity at FRG, ISP and FOK).
Eastern Region Helicopter Council, Inc. www.erhc.org

Eastern Region Helicopter Council

Operations Analysis – Suffolk County

July 4th Weekend 2011

July 29, 2011

Page 3

Lastly, the above map depicts all helicopter observations in this analysis and the 56 

distinct households (47 of which are located on the North Fork) that submitted 329 noise 

complaints into ERHC’s PlaneNoise Complaint Box during the July 4th weekend. 

Complaints are collected via three methods: (1) toll-free Noise Complaint Hotline 

(1-800-319-7410), (2) webform on FlyNeighborly.net, or (3) by email. The map also 

includes an overlay of the FAA’s New York Helicopter Route Chart showing the general 

location of the voluntary North and South Shore routes. 

ERHC member’s high levels of compliance with the agreed to voluntary noise abatement 

procedures and “Fly Neighborly” techniques continue to reduce complaints along the 

North Shore of Suffolk County (west of Baiting Hollow). Helicopter noise, however, 

remains a concern of residents in the Township of Southold on the North Fork, and 

especially in the communities of Mattituck, Cutchogue and Southold. ERHC is committed 

to addressing the issues in a fair and equitable manner. 

* * * *

For further information, please contact the Eastern Region Helicopter Council at 631-938-1116 or 

via email at erhc@planenoise.com.