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

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://articles.nydailynews.com/2000-01-12/local/18127155_1_helicopter-noise-helicopteroverflights-sightseeing) National Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) report, “Needless Noise: 

The Negative Impacts of Helicopter 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,1) 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, 2012, 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/08/la-residents-turn-out-to-complain-abouthelicopter-noise.html), “Helicopter Study Questionnaire” 

(http://www.mwcog.org/environment/airport/helicopter/ques.asp), 

http://www.nycedc.com/program/aviation. 
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Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer December 5, 2012

 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 

311 complaint center . Both the Federal Aviation 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/berman/pdf/Berman_letter_to_LaHood_on_Helicopters.pdf