Berman Seeks to Curb Helicopter Noise

During the weekend of Carmageddon, many Valley residents complained that noisy helicopters, mainly from television news outlets, were hovering over their homes all day.

The president of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council, Jill Banks Barad, said she was inundated with complaints from residents.

“I can understand covering the story for the 11 p.m. news, but it is not breaking news at 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.,” said Barad at the time.

Now some relief could be on the way.

Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Los Angeles) introduced legislation on Capitol Hill Thursday that would force the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to restrict helicopter flight paths in Los Angeles County and set minimum altitudes within 12 months.

According to a press release issued by Berman, the FAA has refused to regulate private helicopter flights above Los Angeles. In the San Fernando Valley, the sound of choppers buzzing overhead is a constant and common noise heard by most residents due to the high volume of them operated by the LAPD, TV news stations and others flying in and out of Van Nuys Airport.

“Residents deserve relief from the thunderous clacking of helicopter blades hovering directly over their homes, and instead all they’ve been getting is the runaround from government agencies,” Berman, who represents a large portion of the Valley, said in a press release. “The buck stops here because it is simply unacceptable for residents to be forced to contend with these brazen helicopter operators on their own. This bill requires the regulations that will give residents the relief and increased safety they are so desperately looking for.”

Here at Patch, one of the most common emails we get are questions from concerned residents wondering why a helicopter was hovering over their house.

“Helicopters are hovering right above our homes at all hours of the morning and night. It’s the wild, wild West up there and until now nobody has been taking control,” Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, said in the press release. “Our community appreciates Congressman Berman’s willingness to work with us and tackle this issue head on. This is about our quality of life and the safety and privacy of residents across the Valley. Finally, someone is listening and something is being done.”

Berman’s bill would require the FAA to regulate helicopter operations above Los Angeles within 12 months of being signed into law. The bill also calls for the FAA to set guidelines on flight paths and minimum altitudes for helicopter operators in residential areas of Los Angeles County.

Exemptions would be allowed for law enforcement, emergency responders, and the military, so it's unclear how much the bill would fix the noise problem. The LAPD currently operates the largest municipal helicopter force and heliport in the world and is responsible for a great portion of the helicopter air traffic over the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles.

Berman's press release pointed to Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York's amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Bill earlier this year, which passed the Senate and required similar regulations to helicopter operations above Long Island.