A major challenge facing helicopter operators in the next millennium will be maintaining the freedom to fly in unrestricted airspace, says Helicopter Association International president Roy Resavage.
Speaking at the show, Resavage said that a proposed bill before Congress effectively would give US communities the power to control the number of helicopter flights above their cities.
The proposal would mean that any conurbation with more than 500,000 residents would be able to petition the US Federal Aviation Administration to perform a survey of rotary operations. The FAA would then have a 60 days to respond with a series of actions to reduce helicopter noise.
"Taking the responsibility for regulating airspace out of the hands of the FAA would be a major mistake in our opinion," says Resavage,
The industry is being challenged by pressure groups keen to limit helicopter operations, he says, especially in areas where sightseeing flights are enjoying a boom.
Congress approved a law last year requiring the FAA to work with the National Park Service to develop airspace management plans for parks. The legislation stopped short of banning the construction of commercial airports close to national park boundaries.
The loss of key heliports in major US cities is also a concern to operators. New York now has just three heliports following the closure of its East 60th Street facility and Boston may also lose a site later this year.
Source: Flight International
